A few weeks back I read an instruction on how to configure my camera (350D) to shoot in RAW. I’ve been hearing about RAW a lot recently as i dig deeper into the possibilities with different formats and styles in photography. The first main difference i found is, RAW is HUGE!! Using a 2GB Compact Flash card i could store over 650 photos in JPEG large format. This is considerably reduced to 169 photos in RAW. Interesting enough though, when shooting RAW on the Canon 350D, you might notice you have duplicate images when importing. This is because the built LCD display screen cant display RAW files, it needs a smaller format, hence makes a duplicate processed image.

The best thing about RAW is of course, you can do all the processing when you get onto your computer. I use photoshop CS3 (the best program in the world!). When you open the RAW file (the extension on my images is .CR2, a canon RAW format), you get presented with a new window, well, it was new to me. This new window is basically the manual replacement for all the in-built magical processing that pretty much determines the cost of your camera! Most of these settings are available for JPEG but you really do get a serious amount of control when mastering the colours, tones, shades and lights and pretty much every bit of visual information of the photo!

Shown above is a image of Norm Power (my new business partner – more on that later) playing with Tame in the Zoo underground, kilkenny. Now, you might notice there a few pictures of this amasing guitarist, thats simply because the guy really likes to pose on stage!

I had a bit of fun playing with this photo during work. Reducing mid-tones, increasing highlights and shadows to give the dark sinister effect. I hope you like it!

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A gig that ends well is a gig where the stage was trashed. You always know when this band enjoys the set when after their second last song (time is well up by now) you hear the ring of that a minor and those mumbling words of wisdom that im sure not even the signer knows what he’s saying ( i remember “ham and jelly sandwich” was part of a verse some years ago. Nanoo, an amasing war call signaling the destruction of pretty much everything, including themselves. I recall, bruises and a cuts from flying symbols and stands, guitars punching and head butts given and received by all!

Shown above is Jp, lead singer of Tame smiling contently to himself while the remains of the crowd look on at the stage in awe

Here’s a shot im going to put. A very over exposed black and white shot of Tame playing in Ryans. I bounced a great deal of light of one of the white walls and it just worked out dingin!

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Also supporting Tame in Ryans on April 25th is bad mothers union. A band short a bass player but full on sound. Its actually really entertaining watching Conor Kavanagh playing his guitar. I was sad to hear he lost his Les Paul to a previous gig but fuck it, thats rock and roll!

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A strange venue. A barn behind a pub covered in hay after a mad session a week before this gig. Pictured is lead guitarist Norm Power playing with Tame (supporting Jaded Sun). Lighting was pretty bad at this gig and I still havnt got used to the new lens. The silhouette of his head in front of a seriously blinding red gel light i think is quite effect and might make a nice painting (hint hint Mandi!).

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Jp – singer from Tame (kilkeny) in the pumphouse supporting Jaded Sun. Shot on a Canon 350D with altered hue and saturation settings on camera for experiment. Gave a smooth blue glow in the light. I like these shots. I think shades of Cyan work really well against black backgrounds.

A group Shot taken of Tame (kilkenny Band) supporting Jaded Sun in the Pumphouse. Shot on a 350D during a strobe sequence by the lights. Managed to catch just enough light to illuminate the scene without burning the atmosphere. stupid greenhouse gases!!