PHOTOGRAPHY
TIFFs are a file format popular with graphic designers and photographers for their flexibility, high quality, and near-universal compatibility. Learn more about these raster graphic files and how you can put them to use in your next project.
A TIFF, which stands for Tag Image File Format, is a computer file used to store raster graphics and image information. A favorite among photographers, TIFFs are a handy way to store high-quality images before editing if you want to avoid lossy file formats.
TIFF files:
TIFFs aren’t the smallest files around, but they enable a user to tag up extra image information and data, such as additional layers. They’re also compatible with editing software like Adobe Photoshop.
Aldus Corporation created the TIFF file in the mid-1980s for use in desktop publishing. TIFFs retained high-quality data and could publish content directly from a computer. The file was designed as a universally applicable format for desktop scanners — hardware that previously handled, depending on the make and model, only a limited set of file formats.
Initially, TIFFs were restricted to print publications before they expanded into digital content. Aldus Corporation was later acquired by Adobe, which has since been responsible for the copyright of the file format.
TIFFs are popular across a range of industries — such as design, photography, and desktop publishing. TIFF files can be used for:
As with any file format, the usefulness of TIFFs depends on how they’re implemented. The following are some of a TIFF’s advantages and disadvantages.
As a tagged image file, most computers can open and handle TIFFs, but you’ll need editing software like Adobe Photoshop to make any edits to the original image. If you’re just looking to view the TIFF, follow these steps:
You can set the files to open in a different program, such as Apple Photos, by changing the default software in your device’s settings.
Because they’re among the most common file formats around, TIFFs are relatively easy to create. Simply follow the three steps below:
You may need to import your images into Microsoft Paint for Windows devices to save as a TIFF. Alternatively, programs like Adobe Photoshop have a built-in capacity to save files as .tiff.
A TIFF is an image file — so it stores photographic and graphical data. You won’t be able to edit the original file information without editing software, like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
