Website - your opinions

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rarorix

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Name
Nico
Edit My Images
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Hi,

I have designed and constructed my own website instead of going with a package - I would like to know what everyone thinks:
- is navigation easy enough
- is the layout/design appealing enough in your opinion
- how could I improve the look and feel
- are the pictures I have chosen up to scratch

Here's the link

Any constructive criticism very welcome!! :clap:

Thanks,
 
I like the colour scheme & layout but not sure about using different templates for each subject. I would personally have every page like corporate and editorial, that way the entire website feels linked and consistent. I would also lose the arrows to right of your last photo.
 
Well done for making your own website! While it's a good start, I have to admit the layout has me completely confused. It's got three different 'about me' sections that I could find, the look changes so completely that it looks like it's for different companies, and the menu is inconsistent.

I'd suggest you keep the layout the same throughout. Use only one 'about me' page, and keep the menu the same regardless which page you're on.

If you're setting up several different businesses it might be worth creating a website for each - so one for your equine, one for portraits/wedding, and one for corporate/editorial, for example..

Hope that helps :)
 
Hi Nico
I like the blue but prefer it out of white not grey - like the centre panel of the portraits section - I think some of your images are certainly very nice. When I get time I'll have a longer look and comment further if that's OK.
Geoff
 
I'm a web-developer and not really a designer, so I can't comment with too much authority on the design, though here's my thoughts:

Firstly: Damm good effort, designing+implimenting a website from scratch isn't easy - don't let my comments take anything away from that.

I like the image display/navigation, however I'm with Justin on the single-template thing.

I'd also add that I'd like to be able to jump between the subjects/categories rather than having to go back to home each time (1 click >> 2).

Design wise on the front page, you've got margins at the top and sides, but the blue border touches the bottom of the window (in IE8) - it makes it look crowded. Personally I'd loose the border completely, but that's a preference thing.

Also, logo in top-left = good. But good practice is to make it a link back to home (it's standard, people expect it, people get fustrated when it doesn't do what they expect)

in the actual code:
your <meta name="keywords"> tag, you've got

Editorial Photography,
Photographer Buckingham, Commercial Photography Milton Keynes, Corporate Photography Milton Keynes
Click to expand...

this would work better as

Photography, Photographer, Buckingham, Commercial Photography, Milton Keynes, Corporate Photography, Editorial Photography.
Click to expand...

- this might just be SEO voodoo, but it ought to index better splitting the town off the 'corporate photography' and 'editorial photography' keywords.

also - add yourself a <meta name="description"> tag - this provides the text that'll appear under the link to your site in Google results - and it's (nearly) always better to specify than to have google generate some from your content.

Lemmie know if any of this helps - sorry if it's a bit critical :s

M
 
OK, from my point of view, you are advertising your business, you want your best photos on there. While most are really good, there are some that I really wouldn't have used e.g. woman on sweet stall and the soldiers. Remember most of the people that want your services won't give beans for technique and being artistic, if it doesn't look right they are going to think it's a bad pic.

Also with all the different headers it almost fells like you have gone off your site, I got this feeling when I went onto the weddings page. Another thing that I noticed is your equine stuff you have one pic with a frame around it, think this is a case of all or nothing.

Also think you have some navigation issues e.g. on this page http://clientgallery.nicolaus.co.uk/equine/

click home and it takes you to this page http://clientgallery.nicolaus.co.uk/ on which there is no home button AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH :lol:

Hope this helps.
 
Hi - Thanks very much everyone!
Great input and great suggestions - I will have a look at the navigation - all pages should be accessible from all pages and I think you are right about the consistent look and feel - all pages should feel part of the same website.

Cheers,
Nico
 
Love the website! i'm web designer myself :lol: you would better off keep same layout and hyperlink same place through the website. Keep it up! :) where about Buckinghamshire you in?
 
Jayesh said:
Love the website! i'm web designer myself :lol: you would better off keep same layout and hyperlink same place through the website. Keep it up! :) where about Buckinghamshire you in?
Click to expand...

Hi - I'm in Buckingham - have updated the site today - hope navigation works now! :clap:
 
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