
	Processing Camera Raw Today, photography is in the midst of a tremendous revolution, shifting from a film-based culture to a digital one. This happened quickly, and has led to more changes in the photo industry in the last 10 years than occurred in the previous 50 years. Such rapid change led to substantial confusion. Publishers, editors, and picture agencies are being bombarded with a variety of unevenly processed files, many of which are not suitable for professional use. What makes a digital file suitable and whose responsibility is it to make it so? Is this a catch-22? Perhaps, but National Geographic has decided to throw its considerable expertise into the fray with the hope of adding balance to a confused marketplace. We have been associated with photography since its early days. In 1888 both Eastman Kodak and National Geographic came into existence. Coincidentally, the history of photography is largely intertwined with the history of National Geographic. Using this experience, our goal is to create an industry-wide standard for camera RAW processing that is predictable and serviceable. Getty Images has already listed us as an approved supplier for this service. Now the Imaging Division of National Geographic is accepting camera RAW files from professional photographers for processing. The service is comprehensive and includes several levels: LEVEL ONE: This is our entry level service. These files have been converted to TIFF and have received global adjustments for color. These are not finished files and are recommended only for initial large-scale image review and edit. Convert to TIFF or JPEG Global adjustment of color and density to facilitate initial picture edit Price: $0.50 per file LEVEL TWO: These files are completely finished and ready for reproduction or agency submission. The following work has been accomplished to professional standards but the files have not been customized to an individual photographer. Adjust for optimum density, contrast, and sharpness Adjust for optimum image quality Check for chromatic aberration, vignetting, etc., and correct where possible Crop to correct for image tilt or non-parallel horizon lines Clean for all dust and fiber from CCD contamination Upsize to 50mb 8-bit TIFF Keep existing file names and save in Adobe 1998 color space Burn to DVD or transfer to customer’s external hard drive Price: $3.00 per file LEVEL THREE: This service begins where LEVEL TWO leaves off. It is a highly personalized service where the finished files of LEVEL TWO are adjusted to an individual photographer’s taste. It is essentially a collaboration between the professional photographer and the National Geographic technician, and it requires time on both their parts. Accordingly, this service is billed on the basis of the amount of time required to do it. We will work with each photographer so as to streamline the process. As we learn your individual taste, we will become more efficient in meeting your requirements. We may suggest that you submit a color-bar with your files to be processed and we will work with you to develop other tools of individualized communication. Price: $90 per hour, billable in quarter-hour increments Note: “File scrubbing” is available to remove brand names and logos, as specifically requested. This work is priced by the hour at $25 per quarter-hour increment. All product information and prices subject to change without notice.
Click these links for more information on the National Geographic Society or National Geographic magazine. Photographs from National Geographic Image Collection All contents © copyright 2007-2008 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.

Processing Camera Raw

Today, photography is in the midst of a tremendous revolution, shifting from a film-based culture to a digital one. This happened quickly, and has led to more changes in the photo industry in the last 10 years than occurred in the previous 50 years. Such rapid change led to substantial confusion. Publishers, editors, and picture agencies are being bombarded with a variety of unevenly processed files, many of which are not suitable for professional use.

What makes a digital file suitable and whose responsibility is it to make it so? Is this a catch-22? Perhaps, but National Geographic has decided to throw its considerable expertise into the fray with the hope of adding balance to a confused marketplace.

We have been associated with photography since its early days. In 1888 both Eastman Kodak and National Geographic came into existence. Coincidentally, the history of photography is largely intertwined with the history of National Geographic. Using this experience, our goal is to create an industry-wide standard for camera RAW processing that is predictable and serviceable. Getty Images has already listed us as an approved supplier for this service.

Now the Imaging Division of National Geographic is accepting camera RAW files from professional photographers for processing. The service is comprehensive and includes several levels:

LEVEL ONE: This is our entry level service. These files have been converted to TIFF and have received global adjustments for color. These are not finished files and are recommended only for initial large-scale image review and edit.

Convert to TIFF or JPEG
Global adjustment of color and density to facilitate initial picture edit

Price: $0.50 per file

LEVEL TWO: These files are completely finished and ready for reproduction or agency submission. The following work has been accomplished to professional standards but the files have not been customized to an individual photographer.

Adjust for optimum density, contrast, and sharpness
Adjust for optimum image quality
Check for chromatic aberration, vignetting, etc., and correct where possible
Crop to correct for image tilt or non-parallel horizon lines
Clean for all dust and fiber from CCD contamination
Upsize to 50mb 8-bit TIFF
Keep existing file names and save in Adobe 1998 color space
Burn to DVD or transfer to customer’s external hard drive

Price: $3.00 per file

LEVEL THREE: This service begins where LEVEL TWO leaves off. It is a highly personalized service where the finished files of LEVEL TWO are adjusted to an individual photographer’s taste. It is essentially a collaboration between the professional photographer and the National Geographic technician, and it requires time on both their parts. Accordingly, this service is billed on the basis of the amount of time required to do it. We will work with each photographer so as to streamline the process. As we learn your individual taste, we will become more efficient in meeting your requirements. We may suggest that you submit a color-bar with your files to be processed and we will work with you to develop other tools of individualized communication.

Price: $90 per hour, billable in quarter-hour increments

Note: “File scrubbing” is available to remove brand names and logos, as specifically requested. This work is priced by the hour at $25 per quarter-hour increment.

All product information and prices subject to change without notice.

Click these links for more information on the National Geographic Society or National Geographic magazine.
Photographs from National Geographic Image Collection
All contents © copyright 2007-2008 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.