so I will be going live in a week or two with my new George site. I was hoping I could get some comment and critique on the website and the content. Do all the photos look good? Any photos that you would get rid of? Bio too cheesy? Pricing? If anyone wants to do a website trade, I'd be happy to critique yours in return, just send me an email.


Visit My Website

in just a quick glance i would re-organize your galleries. i would put engagements before bridals, etc.

i love your opening slideshow.

no music?

maybe change the button name from prices to investment ????

There is music, you just have to push play... I hate when I visit other photographers websites and it starts blaring music while my baby is sleeping, lol, I have to hurry and search for the off button. So I have music play when the bride hits play.

Updated order of galleries so engagements comes first

i added one more whle you were typing.....

lol, yes you did speedy gonzales. Your wish is my command and it has been done according to they will

Only cc I see is that your logo gets lost in some of the photos (with "dustin" being in white, it disappears), but I do so love "george"! Beautiful work!

I really like it... I guess no real cc here.


I LOVED that ring shot- "you're my b*"

Nutso! loved it.

Very Nice... I love all the black and white!

Dustin,

I think the site looks great. I didn't look through EVERYTHING, but what I did look at is very nice.

Can you remove the splash screen? I doesn't serve a purpose except slow people down from seeing your wonderful imagery. A lot of people using BLU have this and I have never seen a blue site bypass this splash page.... Why make people click one more time?

This comes from someone that thinks it is especially funny to have a splash screen that says "website or blog".... why not do what you did and have a link to your blog in your navigation and call it quits at that.


Bill

Excellent advice Bill, the splash screen you saw is actually just a temporary thing, if you went to my homepage of www.digitalizatt.com the george site you guys are critiquing will link from the wedding button on my current splash page. The reason I will have a splash page is I have two seperate sites for portraits and weddings.

I wonder if I should just have it be that when people type in my website, it automatically goes to the wedding website without the splash screen, and just host my senior website somewhere else and only give out business cards to seniors for the senior website???? Or would it be best to leave it the way it is now in case seniors get married in a couple years?

+1 really love the b&w!!

Your current splash page makes a lot more sense. I am not a big fan of the splash page unless you are offering some sort of "special" that you want users to see.

BUT - I don't know if I would create another website for just your seniors. I imagine you are talking about your seniors and family portraits. I currently maintain 3 different photography websites for myself for branding purposes. Weddings, portraits, and fashion. I just don't want those business combined. That said, it is very difficult sometimes as I also have 3 different business cards...

Keep them under the same domain name and you will be happy in the long run.

Is all of that clear as mud...?

-Bill

actually i used to feel the same - i paid for a custom splash page so i could separate all three of my business sites from each other, but allow my clients to know i had those three businesses going. i found it just became a little confusing and i did not want to maintain different business cards for each.

i gave that up for simplicity sake and incorporated the commercial side of my business in with my weddings/portrait all on one site, with a link to my fine art site.

but... if i had george with those big beautiful pics - i would want that to be the first thing and i would ditch the splash page as well.

also dustin, i dont think many people are going to figure out that they can turn on the music? i understand how you feel about the music coming on, but i would almost just get rid of it, period. just my o2.

Yep, I agree having different sites and business units is a pain.

My suggestion with the music is to play the music at a softer volume level. If you can not control the playing level from within your site, rerecord it at a lower level. My belief is music on a portfolio site should almost be subliminal. So many people select music, just because it is an option and they can use a song for free.

Take time to find a piece of music that truly matches your photography style. Find some that you can properly license. Don't use something that is not licensed. This just makes you look like a thief to people. Yes there are a lot of people out there that don't have a problem with "borrowing" music, but what about that one person that does? Is it worth risking your businesses or a single client? If you simply can not find a song that you like, commission one. A very easy and inexpensive way to do this is to use myspace...


Ok, I think I just slipped off of my soap box.

Time for coffee.

-bill

I like the site- a lot. I see the problem with your logo disappearing, but I really like how the pictures play behind the logo- it adds another layer to the screen.

Just a quick look, here is my $.02. (I am not a fan of flash) BUT you have some really fun pictures. I think you need to reorganize so that things flow better (like Tami said). I would also seriously rethink including a DVD of the images, you are taking money right out of your pocket in doing that (and therefore selling yourself short). If you are wanting to remain professional I would rewrite your bio, it is a bit too myspace for my taste. I would also make all of your photos on your bio bag the same as far as processing, it would make for a cleaner look. Also, since you went with flash, is there a way to speed it up when the pictures are moving through? I have a high speed connection but it seems too slow, maybe it is just me. Again, just my $.02. Hope it helps.

Grace and Peace,

Crystal

I just switched the display time from 4 seconds per image down to 3 seconds which is a little bit quicker, I tried 2 but that is too fast. I will work on processing all the bio photos the same so it looks cleaner. I am updating my wedding prices as we speak and will be increasing my prices, I just linked my old prices until I get the new ones done.

For the bio, I had more of a formal one on my current website, and wanted to try something more relaxed and personal so people get a better sense of me in a nutshell. I will see what I can come up with.

In regards to the logo being lost, I am going to try creating a PNG with a semi transparent black circle or square behind so it still stands out in all colors, I'll post when that is done so you guys can tell me if it's an improvement or not.

Thanks all for chiming in, keep the comments coming, it's getting better already.