Christmas Presence - Wales Millennium Ctr 2006

[thomas]

martin said:

Hi Thomas
Not said hello before - so HELLO!

Thanks for the photos - I assume you didn't use flash?

I am about to buy a digital camera (I am quite a novice on the subject) and wondered if pictures like this can be taken in average light conditions without flash using this technology? Don't worry if you are unable to answer as I am sure some of our photography experts will be able to advise.

Best wishes
Martin

Hi Martin!

Yes, you're right, I didn't use flash. If you like to buy a digital camera I would recommend a SLR camera. I have a Nikon D70 as my major camera. There are newer cameras now than this older D70 but pictures with this camera are great even in average light condition.

The only problem is that this camera is quite big and it's hard to smuggle it into a concert venue. It also makes a loud "click" sound which is quite disturbing during the performance.

For concerts I have a smaller camera a Canon IXUS 65. That camera is small and flat and until now I was able to take it with me on each concert. But a smaller camera means also a smaller lens. If light conditions are low like during a performance you can have trouble to get some good shots without flashlight as you can see in my pictures. The more I have to zoom in the more blurry the photos become.

Steve and Stuart have good cameras. They are smaller than my Nikon but have a much bigger lens than my Canon. Pictures with their cameras become very good as you can see in many threads of this forum. Maybe they can tell you which model they use if they read this. I remember it's a Sony but that's all I remember.

Steve and Stuart, maybe you can help here? i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Thomas

[Steve H]

thomas said:

Steve and Stuart have good cameras. They are smaller than my Nikon but have a much bigger lens than my Canon. Pictures with their cameras become very good as you can see in many threads of this forum. Maybe they can tell you which model they use if they read this. I remember it's a Sony but that's all I remember.

Steve and Stuart, maybe you can help here? i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Thomas

Hi Martin and Thomas,

Nice to hear from you both and Martin - HELLO from me too!

The cameras we use where we can not use the digital SLS's are the Sony H2 and H5, they can be set for no click, no back light and no preview, making them concert friendly! Other positive points are 7.2 million effective pixels, 36-432mm equivalent (12x optical) F2.8-3.7 Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens, Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization and Wide ISO 80-1000 range.

www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonyh5/

Hope this helps.

Very Best to you both,

Steve H

[Martin]

Hi Stuart
Thanks for the info. I'm hoping Santa will be kind this year but not sure if he will stretch to £300!! But we'll see.

Best wishes
Martin

[Dave]

Hi folks,

This is a reminder to everyone with Sky Digital that you should be able to watch highlights of the Christmas Presence Concert from Cardiff on ITV Wales - even if you live in other parts of the UK. Thanks to Stuart for reminding me to remind you! !

But first, you need to know how to add extra channels to your Sky digibox and it's a bit fiddly so don't leave it until the day of the programme (Dec 22). There is a link to full instructions about how to do this in this post here but as the link is unlikely to change, I'll repeat it here and I'll also link to it from the Media board:

Adding ITV Regions to Sky Digital (Chris Vowles' Home pages - with thanks to him).

Good luck!

Dave

[tonyw]

dave said:

Hi folks,

This is a reminder to everyone with Sky Digital that you should be able to watch highlights of the Christmas Presence Concert from Cardiff on ITV Wales - even if you live in other parts of the UK. Thanks to Stuart for reminding me to remind you! !

But first, you need to know how to add extra channels to your Sky digibox and it's a bit fiddly so don't leave it until the day of the programme (Dec 22). There is a link to full instructions about how to do this in this post here but as the link is unlikely to change, I'll repeat it here and I'll also link to it from the Media board:

Adding ITV Regions to Sky Digital (Chris Vowles' Home pages - with thanks to him).

Good luck!

Dave

Hi Dave

I did find this "rather fiddley"! ! The "Frequency" ,"Polorarisation","Symbol Rate" and "FEC" are all controlled by side echelons( or whatever their called) I' m sounding like Paul O'Grady now!

I finaly found out (Am I thick or What?) That you have to use the numboured keyboard for the "Frequency". Why is this not explained?

I am now set up to receive "Hayley" on 22nd, what a relief! I can now take another cordial and relax.

Tony

[Richard]

Hello again everybody!

Here is a review from icWales, and I think the reviewer's real name must be Scrooge!

Review: Christmas Presence
Dec 15 2006
Mike Smith, Western Mail

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

OH dear. I clearly have not yet been filled with enough Christmas spirit - pass the brandy butter.

Not even joining in the rousing carols at this Christmas Presence concert had the desired effect.

This might sound a little odd. But the problem was I didn't expect this Christmas Presence concert to be, well, so Christmassy.

Before you scratch your head I do have my reason - my previous encounter with Christmas Presence with Sir Willard White.

Yes, there must have been some festive songs I suppose. But in the main I remember a wonderful evening's entertainment from a great performer sharing music from around the world with a touch of opera and a dollop of show tunes.

Rather this Christmas Presence was more like a Howell's Senior School Choir concert accompanied by what I suspect was the National Chamber Orchestra of Wales disguised for the evening as the Christmas Presence Orchestra.

The star turn, New Zealand singer Hayley Westenra, was indeed a star turn, not appearing on the stage until around 40 minutes of the first half of the programme. In fact, we saw and heard more of local newsreader Jonathan Hill spouting some scarily syrupy festive frivolity than we did of Ms Westenra.

When she did appear to kick off her short routine with Ave Maria such was the echo in the amplification I could have sworn she was trying out one of Cher's clever electronic vocal warblings.

Don't get me wrong Hayley Westenra is a charming girl with a natural style and chit-chat about looking forward to going home to see her family for a sunny Christmas in New Zealand was perfectly pleasant. But having waited quite so long to hear her sing it was a relief when she told herself off for wittering on and gave conductor Andrew Greenwood the go-ahead for another song.

The voice remains clear and the diction perfect but having heard many of the same songs each time I have seen Hayley in concert Cardiff the novelty is wearing thin. Some new material would be good.

Similarly as Charlotte has gone all rock chick, Katherine is the crossover queen, where is Hayley's niche as her teenage years pass her by?

But back to Christmas Presence. A couple of songs later and a gentle tease from Ms Westenra about the All Blacks and Mr Hill was back on the stage. This time it was to tell us we were about to be the world's biggest backing choir, or some such nonsense, as the hall plunged into O Come All Ye Faithful. His quip about not realising he was hosting a karaoke night rang sadly true.

The night really belonged to Howell's Senior School Choir (and I believe some members of the Junior Choir). Clearly this is a splendid bunch of young ladies with heaps of musical ability but the choice of programme left me slightly puzzled. There was a bit of calypso, a bit of French a nice Drummer Boy and songs that meant nothing to me at all but obviously a lot to them.

Similarly the orchestral numbers were an interesting selection including something called the Carol of the Bells all held together by the conductor with panache.

Coming at the end of Katherine Jenkins' three-night jamboree at the Wales Millennium Centre, it was good to see such a large audience and there was no shortage of seasonal goodwill. Fortunately my seasonal cynicism at what is a lucrative festive brand failed to rub off on the rest of the audience. Maybe next year I'll be more in the mood for a Christmas karaoke.

Richard

[Martin]

Only one expression comes to mind having read Mike Smith's review - BAH HUMBUG!!! He must be a bundle of joy on Chistmas Day.

It is the review of someone who really didn't want to be there. And as for finding a niche - give her a break Mike she is only nineteen.

Martin

[postscript]

Well done, Thomas on your pictures. You have confirmed my earlier point regarding Harrogate. All I would have done would have been to duplicate what you have already shared. This aspect of Christmas Presence I suspect could be anywhere. Identical scenes to the ones I witnessed. A great concert.

Peter S.

[postscript]

martin said:

Hi Thomas
Not said hello before - so HELLO!

Thanks for the photos - I assume you didn't use flash?

I am about to buy a digital camera (I am quite a novice on the subject) and wondered if pictures like this can be taken in average light conditions without flash using this technology? Don't worry if you are unable to answer as I am sure some of our photography experts will be able to advise.

Best wishes
Martin

There is plenty of advice in the technical section Martin as several people made major contributions in helping me to decide on the digital camera I still have not bought!

The simple answer is that 'yes', generally speaking, dependent upon camera, it is possible to take good pictures in the theatre low-light conditions, aided by camera non-shake or stabilisation refinements. The key is the range of film speed equivalents and the stabilisation facility to counter shake on the longer exposure requjired. It is preferable to have the slower speed (of film setting) and longer exposure to counter graininess.

My little pocket camera does not have the optical range or the speed resolution and is not easy to hold steady enough. I also forget to over-ride the default settings to guarantee it won't flash! That's the bit that unnerves me. I can't convince myself it won't flash!

Peter S.

[johnpr98]

Tonight's the night for the ITV1 Wales broadcast

If you live outside Wales and have SKY, read Reply #63 now

Best Wishes

John

[Dave]

Thanks John for reminding everyone!

But before i comment on that, I will digress for a moment, if I may.

Off Topic

I was out shopping on Friday evening, aiming to finish at 10:30pm with my food and drink supplies for the festive season filling the car... and one daughter to help me. It was all timed to miss the busiest crowds and yet to get me back home in good time to set up a recording of the concert in two different ways. But on the way home, I was stopped at a Police road block!

"Would you please step out of the car Sir..."

"Yes of course, officer! Is this a drink-driving check?"

"No Sir, it is an anti-terrorist check point"

Lots of police cars and police were in evidence, cars going in both directiions were being stopped, it was quite impressive! Well after chatting for a minute or two and inspecting the contents of my car the officer decided not to complete the incident report he had in his hand and sent me on my way. Clearly, I looked and sounded innocent enough and my story about wanting to get home fairly soon to watch Hayley on TV was the final proof of innocence. Yes, I was saved by Hayley... and that, I can tell you now, was a definite "first" for me! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Incidentally, It was reassuring to see they are doing such checks and not only in London (there is an important ATC Centre near here) and hopefully, such checks will help to avoid any major incidents over the holiday period.

Back on Topic!

So did I make it back home in time and if so, was it worth it?

Yes! and YES!!! This was an excellent show well worth watching and recording for posterity. I will certainly be making some extracts from it available over the next few days - although we have not yet decided how much of it we dare post as this was no ordinary (or short) performance on a TV chat show. There are full reviews above in the thread but I have to say that when, for the first time, I watched Hayley singing "Away in a Manger" surrounded by the children, it brought tears to my eyes as well as not a few members of the audience on the night. It was magic, sheer magic!

I have a hectic weekend ahead of me so it may be a day or two before I can make anything available... but watch this space!

Cheers, Dave

[Joe]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for sharing this! Lucky you weren't driving to one of Hayley's concerts...the officer might be part of the camera police!

We have those drink-driving checks here in America...we call them DUI (driving while intoxicated) checkpoints. They occur mostly on New Year's Eve and other holidays. A good opportunity to remind everyone not to overdo their Christmas and New Year's celebrations. [/i]

I certainly look forward to seeing some extracts from Christmas Presence from Cardiff soon!

Joe

[Richard]

Hello Dave!

I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing some clips from the televised concert. Before you decide how much you can post, please remember there is the possibility that this show may be released as a DVD for next Christmas.

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Mark]

Hi Dave

Thanks very much for all your efforts to record this for everyone Dave. I'm glad the police didn't keep you too long !

As you are hoping to select some clips to post, while considering which bits, I wonder if you could reveiw when the audience were singing with Hayley in "All Come All Ye Faithful". as it was towards the end of this song when the camera was close up on my daughter. I know very often these things get edited heavily, but as rather surprisingly, she was one of only a few children in the audience, they may well have kept it in. ;)She has long brown hair and had on a dark green short jacket.

In any case, I very much look forward to reliving the memories of that night

Best regards & Merry Christmas.

Mark.

[thomas]

Hi Dave!

I'm looking forward to your TV recording. That was only an extract of one hour so I hope they showed enough of Hayley in the broadcast.

The export manager of the company in which I work is originally from Wales and he spends his Christmas holiday there. He has no chance to record anything from TV while being home but a friend of him maybe could do that. So I gave him an empty VHS tape and an empty DVD and asked him to try his best. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif I don't know if that works out but I had to take that chance.

I'm so excited!

Thomas