Send most finished client photos as full-resolution JPEGs. Use TIFF when a retoucher or print workflow asks for it, PNG for graphics that need transparency, RAW only when the client needs editable camera files, and PDF for a designed document. Follow the recipient's specifications when they differ.
Keep the original capture and working files for your own archive. For delivery, let clients download the exported files rather than save a smaller preview. Our photo delivery checklist shows how to test a download before you send the full set.
Quick file format guide
| Client needs | Send | Check before delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Finished photos for viewing or ordinary prints | High-quality JPEG | Dimensions and embedded color profile |
| Further retouching or a specified print workflow | TIFF or the requested format | Bit depth and the recipient's specification |
| Transparent logo or graphic | PNG | Transparency and dimensions |
| Editable camera original | RAW, only by agreement | Software compatibility and file size |
| Designed pages with photos and text | Export settings and the printer's requirements |
What each format is for
JPEG for finished photos
JPEG is the default for finished client photographs because it opens across common devices and apps. It uses lossy compression, so export from your editing master rather than repeatedly saving the same JPEG. Deliver the dimensions agreed with the client, with an embedded color profile, and inspect the result. MDN
A full-resolution JPEG is suitable for many ordinary print orders. If a lab, publisher, or retoucher provides a file specification, follow it instead of assuming that every print job needs TIFF.
TIFF for a specified editing or print workflow
TIFF can hold high-bit-depth rendered images and may be useful for further retouching. TIFF files can be uncompressed or use several compression methods; the extension alone does not tell you how the image was saved. Ask the recipient which bit depth, color profile, and compression settings they accept. TIFF is usually a download for specialist work, not a format for displaying a gallery in a browser. MDN
PNG for transparent graphics
PNG uses lossless compression and supports transparency. Send it for a logo, cutout, or graphic that needs transparent areas. It is rarely the most practical format for a large gallery of finished photographs. Ordinary JPEG cannot store transparency. MDN
RAW only when the client needs camera originals
A RAW file is source material for editing, not a finished photograph. Deliver it only when the contract calls for camera originals or the recipient will edit them in compatible software. Keep your own originals and edit settings regardless of the delivery format.
PDF for a designed document
Use PDF when the deliverable is a layout with photos and text, such as a proof sheet or a print-ready document. Ask the printer or publisher for its PDF export requirements. A PDF does not automatically preserve the resolution of the images placed inside it.
Check JPEG quality and size
There is no universal quality-slider number that produces the same result in every export app. Higher quality usually increases file size, but even a setting of 100 does not turn an ordinary JPEG into a lossless master. Inspect fine details and gradients in the actual exported file, and keep the edit master for future versions.
Export full-resolution files when the client expects them. If the client also needs smaller web images, make a separate, clearly named set instead of replacing the full-resolution delivery.
Test the files your client receives
- Confirm the format, pixel dimensions, color profile, and intended use with the client.
- Export from the editing master. Keep proofs separate from approved final files.
- Upload a sample and open the link in a separate browser session as the client would.
- Download the file, then compare its format and dimensions with your export. Check the full collection download before sending the link.
A gallery preview may be smaller than the downloadable file. Judge quality from the download, not a screenshot. Framebird client galleries let you set download permissions and a maximum resolution; check those settings against the agreed delivery.
For a wider comparison of archive and website formats, read our image format guide for photographers. For the delivery process itself, use the photo delivery checklist.
