First website

[Rhoads238]

Hey all,

I'm looking to get some CC on the website I created today for my portfolio. It needs a little more work but its getting there.


www.jltphotog.com

Thanks in advance,

Jason

[Black Pearl]

I might be tempted to make the home page more dynamic - in that it shows a slide show of top shots.

Edit - just found it changes when click on - still think that should be a slide show.

[drjuice]

Hi, Jason -

Two comments:

First, you have a teaser there, but it's customary to put your arrows to click on in the same page with the teaser or to give the surfer some clue about what they're supposed to do.

Second, it's extremely distracting to have 1.5 pictures on the screen or two pictures when you have one of them in portrait mode (as in your Street portfolio). When I was teaching, people got points off for doing that kind of thing. It gets people more interested in the next picture instead of considering the whole picture of which they just saw half when it was under the >.

I'd suggest getting the < and > arrows out of the way, leave them near the left and right edges of the window, but don't pop them up until the surfer gets in the vicinity with his/her mouse.

I did like the technical aspects of the pictures, even though I'm definitely not into taking either food or fashion pictures.

virginia

[Shadowman]

Nicely presented, content a bit sparse.

[Rhoads238]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

It's still a work in progress and I was feeling like I needed some guidance.

Some changes have been made so far.

Robin, I set the homepage to automatically play as a slideshow.

Virginia, thanks for the critique. Its very helpful. I am working on getting the images to display separately. I think I have it worked out. but i haven't applied the changes yet. I agree about the arrows being annoying. Another thing to look at. I used a template from squarespace. And since I got the most basic package I cant use developer mode. Not that i would know how to use that anyway.

John, I need to create more content for the site. Right now at least i have a place to display what I have already.

[William W]

It's still a work in progress and I was feeling like I needed some guidance.

What is the purpose of the website?

If you could answer specifically in no more than three simple sentences, that would most beneficial.


WW

[Rhoads238]

What is the purpose of the website?

If you could answer specifically in no more than three simple sentences, that would most beneficial.


WW

Fair enough. A friend of mine invited me to go to an event at the James Beard House and many people in the food service industry will be attending. This event is a huge networking opportunity and so I feel I need a website to refer a potential client to via business card. That said I probably should focus my portfolio more toward food but I don't feel that my food portfolio is varied enough to justify a food specific website.

[dabhand]

Jason - I appreciate that your page is in development, but a few thoughts :

with the top menu - conventionally (and it's only that) the 'About' really should be the LHS most of the menu and the 'Contact' the RHS most.

re the 'Contact' page - I'd suggest you either put your contact details alongside an image or create an image and PP them in - you have to remember that phones and tablets are major consumption devices for web site and unlike monitors screen real estate is limited.

re the 'About' page - Basically the same as above - ensure it is a short, sharp paragraph. The temptation when setting out is always to cast the net wide but it really doesn't work.

re the 'Home' page - like Robin I found by accident that clicking it changes the image - the Home page really should welcome a visitor and set out what the site is there for - there should not be any 'hidden' features. NB screen real estate.

re the arrows - Users understand arrows but they should not have to look for them - I'd suggest you either move the ones you have to below the images, or at least to the bottom right hand corner of an image - being able to go back < would also be good - optionally (though I prefer it) an image should have a title.

Finally, double check everything you do across the major browsers and against a tablet & phone.

[ajohnw]

It's refreshingly different which can't be a bad idea. Not sure if it's changed since your 1st post.

The only thing I would be concerned about is the white backgrounds. I don't think it's a good colour to show photo's against unless they are very very contrasty. Usual answer as on here is black or near black but other colours might work. I saw a shot in one of the competitions some where that used double framing - white border on the print and a 3D frame around that. It was very effective and would give more scope for background colours.

John
-

[William W]

A friend of mine invited me to go to an event at the James Beard House and many people in the food service industry will be attending. This event is a huge networking opportunity and so I feel I need a website to refer a potential client to via business card. That said I probably should focus my portfolio more toward food but I don't feel that my food portfolio is varied enough to justify a food specific website.

So if the purpose of the website is:

1. To have a site to reference on a business card as a secondary source following a networking event
2. To represent skills at food photography
3. To have the website (assumed) ASAP and definitely before the business is mentioned with reference to the event (note that could occur BEFORE one actually attends the event)

Then - I suggest that you put every effort into making it only food shots and remove of any area which is "under development" and remove all the sub-headings under "Portfolio" and get the "About" done very quickly.

You can add to the website after it has served its initial purpose: but at this time you should concentrate on that initial purpose only.

The other most salient comment is: you posted a question for feedback on 2nd December and I looked at your question on 4th December and I asked you for more specific information. Please note that I assumed that there was a business function to your question.

The first page I read if the website’s opening picture grabs me is the 'About Page' - but there was nothing on it.

There is still nothing on the “About Page” - it is the same as it was on 2nd December. I think that many people in Business do exactly the same as I do, too – i.e. read the “About Page”.

I think that your progress on the website is too slow.


***

Just another point about being "in business":

You’ve also mentioned that this (business) website is a work in progress: and you obviously want pro bono feedback about it - so just let's for a moment interpret our interaction as a business interaction: because it was. In essence on 2nd December you asked me for pro bono business advice. On 4th December I responded with a request for more specific information, which indicated my intent to engage further and to render future advice, also at no cost to you.

So, in that instance I am one of your "suppliers".

To be frank: if you are projecting this as a business and yourself as a business person, then your response time to your suppliers is too slow, also.


WW

[Rhoads238]

So if the purpose of the website is:

1. To have a site to reference on a business card as a secondary source following a networking event
2. To represent skills at food photography
3. To have the website (assumed) ASAP and definitely before the business is mentioned with reference to the event (note that could occur BEFORE one actually attends the event)

Sorry I should have been more specific in my OP. And yes those are the primary objectives for the initial use of my website. Focusing in on just food is kinda obvious when someone else says it. I agree that it is important to get it together quickly. I do have quite a bit of time before the event, it's at the end of february. I find it unlikely someone would come across it prior to the event. This thread is the only place I have displayed

Then - I suggest that you put every effort into making it only food shots and remove of any area which is "under development" and remove all the sub-headings under "Portfolio" and get the "About" done very quickly.

I finally had time to work on it today. I'm not thrilled about it though. My day job is rather demanding this time of year. It also took a bit to think about what to say and how to go about it. Its strange to write about yourself in the third person. I'm just starting out and have no real accomplishments, clients or training to talk about. My one real client absolutely screwed me the last time I worked with them and I wont work do it again.


[QUOTE=William W;360988]The first page I read if the website’s opening picture grabs me is the 'About Page' - but there was nothing on it.[QUOTE]

I'm glad that the first picture grabbed your attention enough to carry on to the about page. Again I wasn't sure what to write given my situation. All the photographers' about pages I looked at were basically about their career history, accolades and training.

Just another point about being "in business":

You’ve also mentioned that this (business) website is a work in progress: and you obviously want pro bono feedback about it - so just let's for a moment interpret our interaction as a business interaction: because it was. In essence on 2nd December you asked me for pro bono business advice. On 4th December I responded with a request for more specific information, which indicated my intent to engage further and to render future advice, also at no cost to you.

So, in that instance I am one of your "suppliers".

To be frank: if you are projecting this as a business and yourself as a business person, then your response time to your suppliers is too slow, also.


WW

Fair enough, albeit had I been contacted through the means listed on my contact page which is now included in my about page, I would have received a notification instantly on my phone. But regardless I see what you are saying. If I want to make it as a photographer I need to work a lot harder.

Thanks for the help,

Jason

[RustBeltRaw]

Plenty of good site advice already, so I'm going to focus on the photos themselves.

To my eye, you have some really solid work, especially in the food category. All portfolios are a little brief (food could use another two or three shots), but since people normally have the opposite problem, that's not too bad. Some nit-picky gallery viewers will turn up their noses at mis-categorized (by their definition) photos. So I'm a fan of separating things into fairly broad categories like "People" and "Places," and keeping a very tight selection in each. I'd move a few shots from the "abstract" category to "street," and nix whatever remains.

You already touched on the awkwardness of writing about one's self in the third person. I prefer to write bios in the first person, since I believe it creates a better connection with the reader, doesn't make you sound like a certain basketball player, and feels more honest. Harder to write, though.

Finally, keep in mind that no website is ever perfect, but keep working toward that anyway. I recently released the first iteration of my own, and I'm facing similar struggles.

[William W]

Sorry I should have been more specific in my OP. . . and etc . . .

Thank you for engaging in the conversation. Here are a few more comments for you to consider.

I reconstructed you reply into three simple sentences as an example of the answer I was seeking - that was not to "correct" your answer but show you specifically what I was asking you to do.

In fact I was suggesting a way for you to think.

So - as we move forward you now mention that have a 'problem' with what you want to say about yourself, in the "About Section" - I'd suggest that you employ the same simple technique.

Just write down in three simple sentences what is the purpose of the "about me" section of the web page - and keep in mind the FIRST PURPOSE of this website is directed towards a very small and specific audience.

You can modify your website after this first event - just concentrate on this upcoming event for the time being.

I think that you will find just focussing on "food" and the website JUST FOR this upcoming event will allow you to be very focussed in the short term

You will be amazed how your brain will be creatively working in the background to allow you to expand your website and also develop the "about me" section later on.

I think that you will do well, just take baby steps at first and in the SHORT TERM be very focussed on the INITIAL outcomes that you want for the website and your business venture.


WW