RAW way darker than JPEG

[zonangelo]

Hi there !
I’m a newbie in photography and I got an issue with Rawtherapee : My raw files are darker than JPEG files and it makes my photos ugly (

). As you can see on my screenshot, when I open the CR2 file, my photo becomes dark.
Someone can help me ?
Thank you very much

PS : Sorry if my english is bad, I’m french but i did my best

[CarVac]

Now is the time to take it into your own hands and use edit your photos to make them better than the JPEGs ever could be.

[betazoid (Anna)]

That is normal. Cameras usually underexpose the photos. Reason: with post-processing, it is easier to brighten dark colors than darken light colors.
What kind of camera do you have? I found that my Olympus does a bit more underexposure than my Canon.

[betazoid (Anna)]

You might have a look at color / color management / input profile / DCP - here activate the tone curve

[afre (Alan)]

@zonangelo Welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay. This question has been answered many times in this forum. Here is an example from myself:

Automatic color wash

@MyRawaccess Generally, the JPGs that come from your camera have many modifications baked into them to give them the aesthetic that matches the brand. However, the modifications are very heavy handed. Using JPGs that come from the camera for post-processing severely limit what you can do with the image. Apps like RT keep that to a minimum, especially when the preset is Neutral, giving the user the power to get the most out of the raw file. It takes some getting used to and some discipline but …

Let us know if you have any more questions.

[zonangelo]

Hey there !
Thank you much for your answer !!! After reading your posts, I worked for the first time on a raw and… wow JPEG is so ugly
Thank you again

[Morgan_Hardwood]

1. Update your RawTherapee to 5.4.
2. Read the documentation. Getting Started - RawPedia