Ben Web
Ben Web is a 31 year old adopted Mancunian originally from Berkshire. He's lived in Manchester since 1995, enjoys web-design, cares about people and the environment and wonders if he'll ever discover a part-time way to make a full-time income.
Homepage: http://www.benweb.com
Posts by Ben Web
A Walk in Castlefield, Manchester.
Jan 31st
I’m just home from a sunny morning’s walk around Castlefield. Although bitterly cold, it was a beautiful morning and Sam, Dunkan and I took the opportunity to get some photos.
Here are my favourites:
Ben’s gone all WordPress
Jan 23rd
With being a .NET person, I’ve persevered with BlogEngine for a couple of years but have always been disappointed with its functionality; which possibly explains why I’ve not posted much in the last year.
After hearing so many good things about WordPress, mostly from the guys over at AI Digital on their Internet Marketing Podcast, I’ve decided to make the switch.
So here I am, an hour or so after install and I’m running a blog with infinitely better looks (thank you Digital Nature) and functionality with very little effort at all. WordPress has even been happy to import all by old blog data via RSS, though I had to manually get old comments in.
This of course forces the question, why the hell haven’t I done this before?
Urban Portraits 2
Aug 30th
This is the second set of photos utilising abandoned and run-down landscapes in the local area. Here, Kyle poses in an army style jumpsuit and bomber jacker; his sexuality and red jock-strap both vibrant against the decaying brick and concrete surrounding him. The photos were taken for his own portfolio.
Editors Note: You would not believe how hard it is to take a photo of someone wearing mirrored sunglasses! Photos taken in August 2009.
Urban Portraits
Aug 1st
I love the contrast between the vivid colours of the graffiti and dilapidated environment under the railway arches here; it provides an intriguing background for these portraits.
The arches are no longer accessible; apartments were built overlooking them and the developer didn’t think they’d help with sales. Photos taken in September 2005.
Men on White
Apr 4th
Portraits taken against a plain white background are standard issue in studios everywhere. Here are some of my experiments with a man, a wall and some studio lighting.
Most of these photos are from 2005, before I moved the furniture around making it impossible to do this sort of photography at home.
Start as you (don’t) mean to go on.
Jan 2nd
Welcome 2009
So here I am, sat up late on the 1st, tired after having greeted the New Year with its traditional hangover and I find myself reviewing the previous twelve months and wondering what the coming year will bring.
Financial Stress
If the papers are to be believed, it’s a worrying time. All too often I’m hearing about big business closures and huge job losses throughout the country. The media are frequently moving away from the term recession and are now suggesting (much to Mr Darling’s dismay) that we’re heading for an economic depression. Friends from both small and large businesses have seen redundancy in recent months and I’ve lost a few colleagues too.
Food and energy prices have soared, the pound’s weak and even the most affluent of my friends are tightening their belts in the midst of the current uncertainty.
2009 is set to be an economically challenging year both personally and nationally. However, challenge stimulates both people and markets and this undoubtedly means many positives will arise from the situation. New business will develop, as will new opportunity. The cost of energy alone is allowing one friend of mine to attract investment in his sustainable and renewable energy technologies.
End of a Furry Era.
Dec 1st
Well, Movember officially finished yesterday so here’s my last image.
Thank you for everyone who donated. As a group (the five of us at work doing this) we’ve rased £237 with your help, all for a very good cause!
As for keeping the Mo, well no. It was nice while it lasted but it’s time to go back to a more conventional look.
Thanks, and have fun.
