Welcome, I’m Mark Warner and this site contains information about a fairly eclectic mix of hobbies and interests. Hopefully you will find at least some of this information useful or entertaining.
Much of this site focuses on my interest in figure skating. Having only started skating in the Spring of 2007, this hobby has now become extremely addictive and is something that I find enjoyable, challenging and relaxing.
My other favourite hobby is horse riding, western style, which is a little difficult to find instruction in over here in England. However, whilst working in Texas I did take full advantage of the opportunities for riding that the Lone Star State provided. I work in IT and have a background in software development. I now work as an Software Development Project Manager.
The photo displayed on this page is of the “left-mitten” in Monument Valley which was photographed on a visit in the summer of 2005. Most of the Photos shown on this site were taken with either my Canon 20D or my more compact and lightweight Konica Minolta Z2, more recent photos were taken with my Canon SX200 or the trusty Canon 20D. These cameras have long since replaced my traditional film cameras. However, increasingly I’m using the iPhone 4 due to convenience to take photos that I otherwise would not have taken.
My first foray into Photography was with a Kodak Disc camera that my Grandma gave me, I later inherited her Olympus 35mm camera which featured both a standard and telephoto lens. As my interest in photography grew I ended up purchasing a Canon EOS 300 film SLR which I continued to use up until I replaced it with the Canon EOS 20D.
For me digital photography has opened up new possibilities and helped me to improve my photography as it’s far easier to learn from mistakes as you go along. Until recently I still used my first digital camera a Fuji A201 (2 megapixel and no zoom), but only when riding horses. I now have a compact Panasonic 5MP camera that I carry with me on city breaks and short trips.
I’ve owned AtlantisWeb.co.uk since 1999 and used to have a Dolphin & Whale information site hosted at this address. I never quite finished the site as my MBA studies took up too much of my free time. This original site can still be found at dolpins.atlantisweb.co.uk. This site was developed using HomeSite & PaintShop Pro and was my first attempt at web site design and development.
These day’s I’m doing things the easy way. AtlantisWeb/SkaterMark is hosted using a Shared Linux Hosting package, with a web site powered by WordPress. This simplifies the development and maintenance of the site, allowing me to focus on the content and not the technology.
In addition to this site I have also built an online store based on Zen-Cart for my sister’s handmade jewellery business CharacterCrafts please do visit this site, you may find something you like.