A to Z Challenge - J

Most tech savvy folks have heard of jpegs. They are, of course, one of several file types of digital images. Jpeg is actually an acronym for "joint photographic experts group", the group of experts who first created this standard for image compression.

There are many other kinds of image files, pngs, bmps, gifs, tiffs, etc., but jpegs are the most commonly used.  This method of compression tends to be larger, however, than some of these other types, which is why website builders often use these other types (they load faster online). 

Potential photographers need to keep in mind that jpeg files are pretty set, though. In order to change or adjust a jpeg image file, you must use Photoshop or some other program and the changes you make will affect the quality of your photograph. Many digital cameras will have an option to create jpegs in what is called "RAW" or a .nef file. Essentially, what that means is that the camera will create a file that is akin to old film negatives. These files are adjustable (and recoverable) without reducing the quality of your photograph! If you have not heard about shooting in RAW, check into it!