AVIF for Photographers: Share High-Quality Images at Half the File Size
Photographers face a constant trade-off when publishing work online: image quality versus file size. AVIF resolves this conflict. It delivers sharper highlights, cleaner shadows, and accurate colors at files 50 to 60 percent smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality.
Why JPEG Falls Short for Photography
JPEG uses 8x8 discrete cosine transform blocks. At lower quality settings, these blocks become visible as grid-like artifacts, particularly in smooth gradients like skies and skin tones. JPEG also clips at 8-bit color depth, limiting the range it can represent from your RAW file's full dynamic range.
At quality settings high enough to avoid visible artifacts, JPEG files remain large. A 24-megapixel image at quality 90 runs 8 to 12 MB. Delivering that to a web gallery visitor adds a three to five second load on a typical broadband connection, and much longer on mobile.
What AVIF Offers Photographers
10 and 12-bit color depth
AVIF stores images in 10 or 12-bit color. This preserves more of the dynamic range from your RAW conversion and avoids the banding that appears in 8-bit JPEG when gradients are displayed on wide-gamut monitors.
HDR and wide color gamut
AVIF supports PQ and HLG HDR transfer functions and Display P3 / Rec. 2020 color spaces. Viewers on modern displays with P3 wide color gamut see richer, more accurate colors in AVIF than in standard JPEG.
Superior highlight and shadow detail
AVIF's prediction-based compression preserves fine texture in highlights and shadow regions far better than JPEG's DCT blocks. Feather detail, hair strands, and fabric texture remain sharper at equivalent file sizes.
Smaller galleries, faster delivery
A 50-image gallery that takes 100 MB to deliver as JPEG takes 42 MB as AVIF. Clients on mobile see thumbnails in seconds rather than waiting for large JPEG files to trickle in.
File Size Comparison for Photography
| Image | JPEG (q90) | AVIF (q80) | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait (1200x1800) | 680 KB | 270 KB | -60% |
| Landscape (2400x1600) | 1.4 MB | 560 KB | -60% |
| Wedding ceremony (1600x1067) | 820 KB | 310 KB | -62% |
| Food photo (1200x1200) | 540 KB | 200 KB | -63% |
| Architecture (2000x1400) | 1.1 MB | 430 KB | -61% |
Quality settings are chosen to produce equivalent visual results, not matched by number. AVIF quality 80 produces results comparable to JPEG quality 90 for most photographic content.
Choosing the Right AVIF Quality for Photography
AVIF in Photography Workflows
Portfolio websites (Squarespace, Format, Cargo)
Most portfolio platforms still serve JPEG. The workaround is to export JPEG files from Lightroom or Capture One and let the platform optimize them. For full control, host your own portfolio and serve AVIF with a JPEG fallback using the <picture> element.
Client delivery galleries (Pixieset, Pic-Time, Gallery Delivery)
These platforms handle image optimization on their end. Pixieset and Pic-Time both serve WebP to supporting browsers. Neither currently auto-serves AVIF, but both display AVIF files uploaded directly without conversion.
Self-hosted WordPress galleries
Install a plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer or Short Pixel. Configure it to convert uploaded images to AVIF. The plugin handles serving AVIF to supporting browsers and JPEG to others automatically.
Exporting from Lightroom and Capture One
Neither Lightroom Classic nor Capture One currently exports AVIF natively. Export as JPEG at quality 90 to 95, then run a batch conversion to AVIF using our free converter or a command-line tool like avifenc.
Is AVIF Ready for Photography in 2024?
For web delivery, AVIF is production-ready. Chrome, Firefox, Safari 16, and Edge all support it. Over 95% of visitors to a photography portfolio will see the AVIF version.
For print production, archival storage, or sharing with clients who will further edit the files, keep working with TIFF or high-quality JPEG. AVIF is a delivery format for web, not a master format for editing.
AVIF is the correct format for sharing photography online. Keep your masters in TIFF or RAW. Convert to AVIF for all web delivery.
Convert Your Photos to AVIF
Upload JPEG or PNG photos and download smaller, sharper AVIF files. Free, batch conversion, no account needed.
Convert Photos to AVIF