JPEG stands for J(oint) P(hotographic) E(xperts) G(roup) and represents a file format best suited for photographic images since they typically contain smooth variations of tone and color. JPEG is a "lossy" data compression method, wherein some data from the original image is lost. Compression is achieved by dividing the picture into tiny pixel blocks, which are halved over and over until the desired amount of compression is achieve. JPEG compression artifacts blend well into photographs with detailed non-uniform textures, allowing higher compression ratios. Most images on this site were originally captured in RAW format, edited, then converted to JPEG for web delivery.