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

Dublin Metal band, 23’s bassist performing at the Zoo Underground re-opening gig. The venue had been filled with smoke during the previous set which had now cleared out completely. This was the first time to actually try balance on a speaker while trying to not get knocked over by a mass of kids moshing their hearts out! Shot at 1/40 4.5f with a focal length of 17. A slight level and saturation change in this shot.

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Lead guitarist and vocalist, Ben Keating from Chemical Addiction performing at the re-opening of the Zoo Underground All ages gigs. Finally a smoke machine!! Even if it did eventually set off the smoke alarm and clear the place, luckily it was just after the lads finished. Shot at 1/50 4.5f with an iso of 1600. I did a little cropping in Photoshop to take out the ceiling and clean up the framing. Really happy with the light in this one.

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