new site...again!
wildviper
Registered Users Posts: 560 Major grins
Well, I decided to change up my site and go more flashy. Yeah, I know, most folks here do not like that. :scratch
Its actually 3 in 1..a blog, a site and a commercial site(not fully ready yet)
to site
Let me know if you had any problems viewing it(if so, what OS/Browser).
Warning: There is music on the site.
Anyways, please let me know what you think of it.
Thanx! :bow
Its actually 3 in 1..a blog, a site and a commercial site(not fully ready yet)
to site
Let me know if you had any problems viewing it(if so, what OS/Browser).
Warning: There is music on the site.
Anyways, please let me know what you think of it.
Thanx! :bow
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead
0
Comments
Mozilla FF.
First page in your link, three button choice, opens fast and fine.
The Flash links open slow.
The reason they open slow, as far as I know, is this wonderfully slow connection I now have. And that is THE key reason I chose not to got to flash. Flash is supposed to be all this and that, and it is supposed to allow for faster opening, based on what little I have learned about it so far...But I've yet to see a flash based Website open quickly.
Before my move when I had a fast connection speed, flash was fine and dandy, a bit slower than non-flash pages, but not really too lag-gy. But now, with my Verizon MIFI, it is dreadfully slow!
Nice work/images btw!
Anyone else??
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead
In general: good. Some observations:
What I'm not sure about is why you have a 'consumer' photography link on the main page as well as a 'commercial' photography link, taking me to a different site. Especially since the commercial photography site is very limited and similar in look and feel, as well as information.
What does the commercial site offer that the consumer site does not? Why not make the commercial photos part of the consumer site? The only thing the commercial site shows is some interior shots.
If you do decide to keep both, you REALLY need create some more links; Once you are on either of the photopages (not the blog), there is no way to get back to the main page, blog or other photo site.
I would make your logo clickable.
The about page on the Consumer site and the about page and the contact page on the Commercial site need (appropriate) page titles.
The pricing page is part of 'about me'. This is not where I would expect it. On an 'about' or 'info' page I can understand, but an about me page I expect to be about you, the photographer.
The 'slideshows' are they part of your services? is it something you offer to clients? If so, I would write it down on the slideshow page. Looking at galleries has a purpose; Clients need to see what kind of photographer you are basically. If you don't offer the slideshows, what is the purpose of them?
I would not have chosen music, but I know it is a tricky topic. I have no problem with it here, especially since one can turn it off. What I don't like though is that every time you load a gallery page again for instance, the music starts again, even if you have previously turned it off.
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
no sense re-iterating all of the above, since Ivar put it so well.......I was really put off when I could not get away from the consumer page back to your splash page...main menu page
Not my choice to have music, but you did not have the volume all the way up and that was good and I did quickly see the little moving bars os that I could quickly turn it off and go back to what I was listening too.
I have to fix these little things you mention. Since this flash site is a hosted solution, I don't have much control over it. However, I will try to make the changes suggested.
I too was thinking of getting back to the splash page and or go to the blog or to the commercial site. I will figure it out.
Ok, now on to my reason for having two sites..consumer and commercial. That is cause I market to two segments and I do not want the commercial site to be looking for things in the middle of a consumer site. While they can browse the other site, they will know that there is a dedicated site just for what they want. On the same token, I am hoping that from the commercial site, I can get the business owners to think about me when their son or daughter is getting married or when they need pictures. So, it serves that purpose to have them both listed. And obviously, vice versa..if a consumer is a business owner...he/she will know that I do the other too. Purely marketing reasons.
As for the commercial site being empty..yes...I am still working on that one and have to post a lot more pics.
The slideshows are something I do offer and that is why it is there...but also, more for "capturing" the prospect in that "oh wow" moment. Based on my research of the market I am targeting...they all are taken by the "oh wow" more so than the technically correct photograph. So..I give them some pizzazzz to get attached too.
I will have to check into the music player issue. Have to email them to see if it can continue playing and not re-start.
By the way if you note, there was no music on the commercial site. Only the consumer site.
Thanx again...will continue to post here once I update things!
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead
The words consumer and commercial are confusing to me. Even business owners that come to your site are consumers here, and all your images are commercial in a way. Let's say I figured out what you mean, I am a business owner, and I go to the commercial site. All there is (now) are some interior shots. What if I want headshots of me and my colleagues? Or what if I go there looking for an image for an advertisement? That's also commercial photography.
It feels like a car salesmen asking a prospective buyer if the car is going to be used as a family car or a car for the buyer alone, and shows the same car regardless of the answer. (I hope that makes sense
This is another thing that confuses me with what I see; You are talking about two segments, and 'just for what they want' implies that it is about a specific type of photography, yet I see two very similar sites, and the commercial one has only some interior shots on it. Individuals can request interior shots as well.
Now this may solve a lot; If you can add more types of shots to your commercial site, like product photography and headshots for instance, the difference between the two sites would be a lot more clear to me.
You mentioned 'business owners' already; What if you made the choices on your main page 'photography for individuals' and 'photography for businesses' (or business owners). I think that describes what you are trying to achieve better and in a less confusing way.
I think those two changes would make it a lot better, tbh.
Another thing I am wondering about is wether or not the distinction is useful. Will business owners remember you better because they can choose for a business owner section on your website? I think they will be more impressed by the quality of the shots than something like that. Your shots are more than quality enough to make people remember you, you don't need 'gimmicks' for that
Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying you are wrong in having the distinction, or that you should get rid of it, but what you do need to do is make your website as non-confusing as possible. Study has shown that, on average, people leave a website after 7 seconds if they have not been able to find what they are looking for.
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
I would be tempted to have three sites, rather than the 3 in 1. You can make links, of course, but you can make each more specific to the different markets you address.
Who says I don't listen..:P I have updated the site..atleast the splash page and the consumer site. Check it out.
Now, as for the business site..I am behind on adding pictures there. I do have a lot. That's next.
I can't get the logo to be clickable...that control I do not have.
Edit: goldenballs, the three sites are different..not sure what you mean. can you please expand?
ivar, the way I am looking at it(and could be wrong) is that I am planting a seed in whoever visits the sites. It may never turn into a full blown tree...the seed is planted. I usually follow up and keep myself infront of them a lot. I have heard many many times from my clients.."oh, I didn't know you did that!". I have learned that I have to be constantly letting people know everything that I can do. And thus this splash page. Had I incorporated it all in one site, people will be lost. As you mention, if people can't find what they are looking for in 7 seconds..they are gone. More the reason for me to have separate sites specifically for what they maybe looking for.
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
Btw..still a lot more pictures to go!
WildViper
From Nikon D70s > Nikon D300s & D700
Nikon 50/1.8, Tamron 28-75/2.8 1st gen, Nikkor 12-24/4, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 ED VR, SB600, SB900, SB-26 and Gitzo 2 Series Carbon Fiber with Kirk Ballhead