Sending RAW files to clients: if you do it, do it on your terms

The wedding was in June. In September the couple email to ask if they can have the RAW files, because a cousin "is really good at Lightroom". You have 1,400 of them on a drive, and a contract that doesn't mention RAWs at all.

Plenty of photographers will tell you never to hand over RAW files. Plenty of others sell them as an add-on and make good money. We are not going to settle that argument for you.

What we can do is help with the part after you have decided: how to send RAW files to a client in a way that is clear, sized properly and doesn't leave a folder of unedited work circulating for years.

Decide what you're agreeing to before you send RAW files to a client

A RAW file isn't a finished photo. It is unprocessed sensor data, it looks flat until someone edits it, and once it leaves you, you can't control how it is edited or where it ends up with your name attached.

So whatever you decide, write it down. Say whether RAWs are included, whether they cost extra, which frames are covered, and how the client may use them. Whether the files carry your copyright or a licence is something to check with a local adviser or your professional association. We don't give contract or copyright advice.

The most useful line in your contract is the one that says how long the download link will stay open. It sets an expectation that the client keeps their own copy, and it stops your delivery link from turning into their archive.

How big a RAW delivery really is

Size is where most RAW deliveries go wrong. A single RAW file from a modern camera is often tens of megabytes. Take 40 MB as a round example: 500 frames comes to around 20 GB, and a full wedding can be several times that.

That rules out email straight away. It also rules out WeTransfer's free plan, which allows 3 GB in total in a rolling 30 days, as we explained in WeTransfer's free limit in 2026. Most photographers end up choosing between a cloud drive, a paid transfer service and a single zip they split into parts.

Splitting a 20 GB set into one zip per part of the day (ceremony, portraits, reception) makes life easier for both of you. The client can download the part they want, and a failed download only means redoing one part.

Sending RAW files on a link that expires

With TinyX you can send the RAWs as individual files in a folder link, or as zipped parts, with a password and an expiry date on each link.

Plan limits matter here, so we should be plain. TinyX Free caps each file at 150 MB and gives you 10 GB of storage. Pro allows 1 GB per file and 100 GB of storage, and Max allows 5 GB per file and 300 GB, as listed on the pricing page. A full set of zipped RAWs needs Pro or Max, and a big wedding won't fit in a single file even on Max.

A folder link can hold the individual RAWs and download them as one zip, as long as each file is 100 MB or less and the files aren't end-to-end encrypted. Folder links take a password, an expiry date and a cap on how many times the page is opened. Only page opens count toward that cap.

When the link expires, the files are deleted and the client sees a "Link Unavailable" page. There is no redirect and nothing to recover, which is why the client needs their own copy before then.

Keeping control after the files leave

A password and an expiry date won't stop the client sharing files they have already downloaded. They do stop the link itself being passed around long after the job.

Send the password by text rather than in the same email as the link. If the client says they never got it, you can change the password and it takes effect straight away (except on end-to-end encrypted links, where the password is the key). TinyX also shows when a link is opened, broken down by country, device and referrer, so you can see whether the files have been collected before you chase.

If the files are sensitive, for example boudoir or work for a private client, Pro and Max can encrypt files in your browser before upload, so we store data we can't read. Without it, the RAWs are still encrypted on the way up and on our storage provider's disks, just not end to end. How to password-protect a link or file covers the basics.

RAWs, edits and galleries

Most clients asking for RAWs really want more photos, not unprocessed data. Before you send RAWs, it can be worth offering a second batch of edits instead.

If you do deliver RAWs, send them separately from the edited gallery. The edits stay the version you are proud of, and the RAWs are a clearly labelled extra with their own expiry. Our guide to sending photos to clients covers the main delivery, and TinyX for photographers shows galleries.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to send RAW files to a client?

Zip them in parts, upload each part to a service that handles the size, and send a link with a password and an expiry date.

Can I send RAW files on TinyX's Free plan?

Only small sets. Free allows 150 MB per file and 10 GB of storage, so most RAW deliveries need Pro or Max.

Why don't photographers give RAW files?

Because a RAW file isn't a finished photo. It is unprocessed sensor data that looks flat until someone edits it, and once it leaves you, you can't control how it is edited or where it ends up with your name attached. Others sell RAWs as an add-on, so it comes down to what your contract says.

Should I charge for RAW files?

That is your call. Whatever you decide, put it in the contract before the shoot.

What happens when the link expires?

The files are deleted and the link shows a "Link Unavailable" page.

Where to start

Add a line about RAW files and link expiry to your next contract. When a client asks, split the set into parts and check the sizes against the plans on the pricing page before you upload.