What warrants a great website for a photographer?!

[rusticblonde]

Ok, so I am my own worse enemy. I am a web designer by trade, and a photographer in progress in the spare time. I thought I could design myself a website for my photographer.

It seems however it has changed designs more times than I care to count. What would you say makes a really good website. Is it the photos on show, is it the design. Or is it the engaging content!

Thoughts on a postcard folks!

 

[KIPAX]

Not everyone wants the same thing from a website.. not everyone has the same outlook either..

website depends on your target audience.. and depends what you want to get out of it.. for example the best possible website for me is the simple ability to find pictures and buy them wiht the least possible clicks... that certainly wont be the same for most others...............

so there isnt a generic answer.. you need to give more info as to what you want it to achieve


juts realised.. your a web designer by trade.......... you should know the above

 

[rusticblonde]

Not everyone wants the same thing from a website.. not everyone has the same outlook either..

website depends on your target audience.. and depends what you want to get out of it.. for example the best possible website for me is the simple ability to find pictures and buy them wiht the least possible clicks... that certainly wont be the same for most others...............

so there isnt a generic answer.. you need to give more info as to what you want it to achieve


juts realised.. your a web designer by trade.......... you should know the above

Hahaha totally agree with your last comment, but I am struggling to know what I want from it hahaha!!! Tbf I think im going down the purchase route with integrated shop... Im long way off that and just dont have the time to design lol!!!

Tbf I get your point about the clicks thing. Simple site structure with clear navigation and customer journey.

I am however Kipax my own worse enemy, I see a design, then I think hmmmm is that clearly what Im wanting it to do. Oh wait i will delete and start again lol!

 

[rusticblonde]

Not everyone wants the same thing from a website.. not everyone has the same outlook either..

website depends on your target audience.. and depends what you want to get out of it.. for example the best possible website for me is the simple ability to find pictures and buy them wiht the least possible clicks... that certainly wont be the same for most others...............

so there isnt a generic answer.. you need to give more info as to what you want it to achieve


juts realised.. your a web designer by trade.......... you should know the above

All good and well knowing what other photographers need to have, but when u are doing it for yourself, u find yourself being your own worst critic LOL!

 

[KIPAX]

All good and well knowing what other photographers need to have, but when u are doing it for yourself, u find yourself being your own worst critic LOL!

But its not you that will be using it?

I dont like my website.. but its not there to show off. its there simply for people to find pics and buy.. thats what its for and thats what it does..


i chose the colours to match facebook as thats where most of my customers find out abuot the site.. click my links from fb and its not too much of a difference and they feel comfortable...well thats my thinking...so i didnt choose my fav colours or what i like...i thought about the people using my site

 

[rusticblonde]

But its not you that will be using it?

I dont like my website.. but its not there to show off. its there simply for people to find pics and buy.. thats what its for and thats what it does..


i chose the colours to match facebook as thats where most of my customers find out abuot the site.. click my links from fb and its not too much of a difference and they feel comfortable...well thats my thinking...so i didnt choose my fav colours or what i like...i thought about the people using my site

Your completely on point. I just analyse everything. Right down to accessibility, userability, colour ways, photo choice. Do I want it simple and usable, or do i want it slightly flash with galleries and sliders. Do I want to use modern day HTML 5 techniques, or do I just want it back to basics.

Tbh, I think its because I just dont have the time, however ive managed to knock a quick Wordpress theme together which i actually finally agree with, so no doubt I will use this lol

 

[rusticblonde]

I just thought I would get a different perspective from people. Purely because even as a website designer, everyone wants something different from a website. You wanted to sell photos easily and pictures found quickly. Some people want a filterable portfolio and showcase with no purchase choice lol. I am torn between the two.

 

[ancient_mariner]

As a viewer I want:

Fast loading times - as fast as possible for the site
Clean design - no smart junk/pop-up menus getting in the way of the images
Minimum number of clicks to view images - max 3 layers including landing page to galleries with pictures
Clean colours - preferably white, grey or black, maybe with a hint of colour, but no more than that
Medium size images to view in gallery - pref around 720px minimum per side, click through to larger version.
Brief descriptions of galleries - more detail photo descriptions with larger versions, if you can be bothered
Location/gear info is nice - Flickr do this well.
Information about the photographer - a mini or midi bio is nice
New stuff labelled as such

I don't want:
Audio/video that spontaneously plays.
Nags or advertising for unrelated junk - advertise your own stuff, but not busty singles dating or sunglasses (like Facebook does)
'Clever' galleries that feed me one photo at a time
Strange navigation arrangements based on arrows or other symbols without a descriptor
Huge watermarks that obscure the actual image

Does that help?

I've not built a photo-specific site yet, but I use blogger for my own stuff ATM, and that meets many of my criteria (photoxon.blogspot.com)

 

[Nuzik]

Photos

 

[Blank_Canvas]

I think the most effective websites are eye-catching and extremely simple. I've deliberately chosen one that isn't photography related but contains photographs. Liking a website is extremely subjective. For ever ten people who like the design, ten will dislike it.

http://www.ugle.org.uk/

 

[Phil V]

Your completely on point. I just analyse everything. Right down to accessibility, userability, colour ways, photo choice. Do I want it simple and usable, or do i want it slightly flash with galleries and sliders. Do I want to use modern day HTML 5 techniques, or do I just want it back to basics.

Stop viewing it as a developer then.

The cart is driving the horse in your plans.

No1. What's it for?
Till you've answered that you can't even begin to think about what's next.

Hopefully if I came to you as a website customer, and after a 15 minute chat we hadn't agreed what my site was for, you'd tell me to come back when I had thought it through.

New photographers do the same thing, getting hung up on techniques and gear rather than pictures.

 

[ianp5a]

Here's a trick:
1. Write down exactly what you want.
2. Create a site that fulfils the whole list. Even if that is a pain.
3. As it was such a pain to do, you'll be glad never to touch it again.

 

[rusticblonde]

Stop viewing it as a developer then.

The cart is driving the horse in your plans.

No1. What's it for?
Till you've answered that you can't even begin to think about what's next.

Hopefully if I came to you as a website customer, and after a 15 minute chat we hadn't agreed what my site was for, you'd tell me to come back when I had thought it through.

New photographers do the same thing, getting hung up on techniques and gear rather than pictures.

Difficult when i do it everyday lol!

 

[rusticblonde]

Here's a trick:
1. Write down exactly what you want.
2. Create a site that fulfils the whole list. Even if that is a pain.
3. As it was such a pain to do, you'll be glad never to touch it again.

Good call