First think I noticed was the thumbs... up and down...and since I am all thumbs, I could't find them to give the finger to one of my shots. (Since no one else will!!!)
Can't wait for these changes!
Wow, I really love these changes (especially eliminating the Thumbs Up/Down and anonymous commenting!) Much kudos to the design team regarding the new changes and thanks for soliciting and listening to constructive customer feedback. I can’t wait for them to be implemented!!!!!!!!
Regarding folks leaving comments on photos, it would be good if you could allow log-in from other types of accounts like Facebook or require a valid email address so that folks who don’t have Smugmug accounts (like clients for portrait work) can leave comments on particular photos but also be required to identify themselves….. Another option here would be to give us the ability to turn off or turn on anonymous commenting for each particular gallery. That way, we could choose to allow users without a Smugmug account to comment on their own private password-protected gallery (or example, when I want a client to preview their wedding gallery and use the comment button to let me know which photos they like best, I can allow anonymous commenting on that particular gallery only – and since I would ensure that the gallery is password protected, I’ll know who is leaving the comments).
After asking several people to look at the updated page there are definitely a few things I would change/fix:
1. How about putting the Facebook "Like" button at the TOP of the page? Right now it's cut off below the bottom of the window so that it's not seen unless someone actually scrolls down.
2. Most people felt the caption does not stand out well enough. Maybe larger or bolded text would be better.
3. Instead of "Buy Prints & Gifts" is there any way users could have the option for a button that says "Order Prints & Gifts"? It's a subtle difference but in other areas of business I have always had more success getting people to 'place an order' than to 'buy' something.
Feedback is based on viewing site on a 15" MacBook with Chrome browser.
After asking several people to look at the updated page there are definitely a few things I would change/fix:
1. How about putting the Facebook "Like" button at the TOP of the page? Right now it's cut off below the bottom of the window so that it's not seen unless someone actually scrolls down.
2. Most people felt the caption does not stand out well enough. Maybe larger or bolded text would be better.
3. Instead of "Buy Prints & Gifts" is there any way users could have the option for a button that says "Order Prints & Gifts"? It's a subtle difference but in other areas of business I have always had more success getting people to 'place an order' than to 'buy' something.
Feedback is based on viewing site on a 15" MacBook with Chrome browser.
Still no navigation arrows to go to the next/previous picture. Is this going to be an option we can enable or are you just taking it away without comment?
not sure if it is a function of the new look or if it isn't quite finished yet but my search by number (actually a keyword search) box on the gallery page isn't working and the formatting has been changed so that the outline of the box disappears http://www.outdooreventphotos.com/Events/Cycling/GSC-6-Unicoi-State-Park-July/17790497_vsVHwn is a link to the gallery i used for example
also when browsing the thumbnails, i like the way the first and last are kind of like a ghost till you hover. i have the gallery set to original shape thumbnails but these two get turned into square thumbnails cutting off the heads of the pictures.
nice how much quicker the pictures appear to load. i am also using a 15" macbook with chrome and the layout looks pretty good to me.
Can you guys not release this as a new template - so that those people who have custom design can decide to have or not that new design. There are some glitches on the new design but I am sure the smugmug people will make it perfect. I will stay with smugmug just for that look because no other company gives such nice, clean, clutter free design. I can not wait to start using it.
the nav arrows are very important. also i don't see a share button. i used that a lot too to get a link of the gallery/photo, etc. using the edit gallery name/settings option in the menu opens a new window which i do like but the edit box is way too small and it can't be resized
As to the size of the main photo: absolutely, it should be larger if we want it larger. I know some people wouldn't be able to display large photos because they've limited their display size to smaller ones. But those who have X3 enabled & provide big enough originals should be able to display large main photos. And yes, the appearance is definitely dramatically improved by being closer to a 1/3 - 2/3 split rather than 50-50
I, too, hope that the customization of the new design allows us to more easily isolate the main image. Sometimes Smugmug style looks like "we have to cram the monitor, omg no negative space allowed!" In the current design I have tried and tried to put more space around the main image, but it always looks ugly and doesn't work right and I think it's just because of the way the page code works, and it's tough to not have any control over the size, spacing, and space around the thumbnail bloc. Again, those comments are for the current design as I have not attempted to customize the new design (if that's even possible yet).
And although I've mentioned it before, I sure hope we get more layouts. After recommending Smugmug to people, after showing them around I have actually had people tell me they will not, because of the severe current limitations in layout. Some people...no, a lot of people...don't want a thumbnail bloc on the left side. They want it somewhere else. Above. Below. To the right. Farther from the main image. Eliminated entirely with only prev/next navigation, with big image centered.
Yet those options are out there...outside Smugmug. When I look at the flexible, versatile, more cleanly minimal layout/theme options available on Squarespace and the very rapidly rising 500px.com, I just get jealous. But for now I stand by Smugmug.
No offense to the extremely hard-working team at Smugmug and if I missed an announcement of mo' better themes please feel free to school me on that.
I want to second all that Derek has said above: I much prefer a minimalist configuration that keeps the page clean and allows the photos to stand out.
I also want to second the suggestion to revamp the slide show, allowing for a non-flash version that enables use of the arrow keys on the keyboard for navigation.
Thanks for listening and for all of your hard work. I'm excited about the new UI and can't wait to begin working on customizations once it goes live.
Dan
I would certainly not be against a non-flash version of the slideshow (I believe you're talking about the built-in-gallery slideshow), but just to clarify: To my knowledge Flash has had the keyboard navigation capability for a long time now. It's just that SmugMug for some reason has not enabled it.
Just for your info - the new design has a bug. When you view it on a larger screen - the highlight on top and bottom part of the thumbnail gets duplicated - looks really odd. I think you have to have look at that.
After asking several people to look at the updated page there are definitely a few things I would change/fix:
1. How about putting the Facebook "Like" button at the TOP of the page? Right now it's cut off below the bottom of the window so that it's not seen unless someone actually scrolls down.
2. Most people felt the caption does not stand out well enough. Maybe larger or bolded text would be better.
3. Instead of "Buy Prints & Gifts" is there any way users could have the option for a button that says "Order Prints & Gifts"? It's a subtle difference but in other areas of business I have always had more success getting people to 'place an order' than to 'buy' something.
Feedback is based on viewing site on a 15" MacBook with Chrome browser.
Keep up the great work!
Dale
Amen to all this. I like your idea of "order" instead of "Buy". Same idea, less jarring. It's longer though, so it'll take more space; that's the only downside I see. In the old design, I moved my FB button to the top, because I too think it looks a lot better.
the nav arrows are very important. also i don't see a share button. i used that a lot too to get a link of the gallery/photo, etc. using the edit gallery name/settings option in the menu opens a new window which i do like but the edit box is way too small and it can't be resized
Share button is right next to edit? and the nav arrows are actually the last image in the grid, ghosted over the first image on the next page.
Share button is right next to edit? and the nav arrows are actually the last image in the grid, ghosted over the first image on the next page.
what i was talking about was the arrows that forward from one pic to the next instead of selecting each individual thumbnail. i see that you can use the arrow keys to move forward just like the current way but some people (those who don't take the time to learn) don't know how to use a keyboard for anything other than typing.
what i was talking about was the arrows that forward from one pic to the next instead of selecting each individual thumbnail. i see that you can use the arrow keys to move forward just like the current way but some people (those who don't take the time to learn) don't know how to use a keyboard for anything other than typing.
I intended to make the same point as well.
The "Next Page" arrows are a different matter altogether. I'd have to see an example that preserves the original thumbnail shape before I commit, but I'm certain that I don't like having square thumbnails for photos that are not square.
I'd have to see an example that preserves the original thumbnail shape before I commit, but I'm certain that I don't like having square thumbnails for photos that are not square.
To each his own. Square thumbnails were a requirement that many on these boards asked for ages ago, and one DGrinner created a javascript add-on that created them. About two years ago Smugmug added square thumbnails, and there is an option in gallery settings to turn them off. Of course, that could be overridden in the current test, not sure as I prefer square thumbnails on all my galleries.
There's just way too much to read through this thread, heh.
But I'll throw in my feedback in case the smugmug guys are just collecting..
round corner thumbs over highlight is slow, and IMO, unnecessary. I'd be happy to see rounded corner thumbs, and just a highlight over it when you hover or are on it.
new lightbox rules. but share button... maybe actually have it say share. that icon means nothing to me, heh.
To each his own. Square thumbnails were a requirement that many on these boards asked for ages ago, and one DGrinner created a javascript add-on that created them. About two years ago Smugmug added square thumbnails, and there is an option in gallery settings to turn them off. Of course, that could be overridden in the current test, not sure as I prefer square thumbnails on all my galleries.
I wouldn't advocate taking square thumbnails away from those who like them, but if I say I don't want them I would like my decision to be respected.
While I'm here I would like to point out one positive that I noticed(aside from the overall look, which I like), that is the little icon on the thumbnails that indicates which pictures are hidden. I don't know when they were added, but it's a nice touch!!
To each his own. Square thumbnails were a requirement that many on these boards asked for ages ago, and one DGrinner created a javascript add-on that created them. About two years ago Smugmug added square thumbnails, and there is an option in gallery settings to turn them off. Of course, that could be overridden in the current test, not sure as I prefer square thumbnails on all my galleries.
It's simply that all thumbs in the gallery, including the "next page" one, should respect the intent of the owner, who already has his/her gallery set at "Square" or "Original". It's silly-looking to have 2 different shapes. SmugMug gurus have already acknowledged this; it just isn't fixed yet but I imagine it will be.
Latest feedback from my messing about with the new style:
1. Most improvements are good.
2. Whenever the UI can allow fewer mouse-clicks, it should. Here's some places where it should do that: a.Hide Photo -- should be one click under the main photo, the way it is now when we've customized for that option. Going to a menu makes no sense & makes extra work. Our visitors won't see this, so why not just put it in the obvious spot for us? b. In Lightbox, choices of size shouldn't take an extra click on that "size" icon. Just keep it simple the way it already was-- sizes lined out & one click.
3. I still see no reason why the "comments" section is below the main photo.This creates problems where there were none. Problems: a. Comments are often below the fold b. If not, they're distracting from the main photo. We want less clutter there. Thumbs are already clutter, so keep comments over there. c. Creates a space problem because everything else is already under main photo. Why create a space problem when there's room under thumbs?
4. Captions are too small.Keywords have gone too far in the "small" direction now. Just keep 'em the same size they were in the old version of Smuggy. Don't fix what's not broken, please please please!
5. Size of Gallery Title seems decent, but I still wonder: why not just keep the title in line with the breadcrumb? That would give more vertical real-estate for 2 or more lines of description, and vertical stuff really needs to be thought through so that we can have as large main photos as possible. It would also make less clutter near the thumbs & look very tidy in-line with the breadcrumb.
6. Same old suggestion from myself & others: Let the space allocated for the main photo take up about 2/3 of the gallery space, horizontally. Then just leave 1/3 for the thumbs. Or let people choose that & what side the thumbs are on. The number of thumbs & resulting thumb-clutter, as well as the 50/50 split is still obnoxious imho... simply not artistic. Golden rule, rule of thirds, Golden mean... take your pick. They all mean: stear clear of 50/50!!
7.Arrange Photos: Keep the Arrange by Number capability, or whatever it was called. We need that. But find a way to describe the one that just says "Arrange Photos". Drag & Drop is described. Surely we can describe that one too! Ideas, anyone? ("Arrange by Selection"?)
8. Make all the Settings dialogue boxes pop out the same direction (on the Right). Currently, one has a Right-arrow, but instead pops out to the left. It's disconcerting.
Somehow I missed that in the reading of this thread.
I still have not seen an acknowledgement that navigation arrows that allow navigation from one picture to the next(like the ones in lightbox, just find a good place for them in the gallery) are noted as a desired feature. Did I miss that too?
First think I noticed was the thumbs... up and down...and since I am all thumbs, I couldn't find them to give the finger to one of my shots. (Since no one else will!!!)
I like the collect photos feature. This could be related but it seems everything associated with a single picture is now gone. Tonight I went to a gallery to collect some photos for a featured gallery and found that now it all goes to all pictures in the gallery, a contact sheet like choice, rather than the single shot for me to choose from. While I can see the convenience of having like a contact sheet to choose multiple shots at once, my eyes are no longer what they used to be... I need to larger size to see the attributes of the picture to make my choices. Can we have both options?
Page navigation, misc.
When view the daily photos popular with the new 'theme' I see the page nav box (page 1 of 13) in it's somewhat typical form on my 17"Dell, but when I zoom out, I set dots representing the pages to be navigated to. I think it should consistently be one or the other & SM clients should be able to choose which they prefer. Although I like the dots, it's too complicated for the average viewer & I certainly wouldn't choose it. I also prefer having this page navigation above the photos, otherwise it's not visible unless/until I scroll down.
As for the thumbs up/down - mixed feelings whether it should stay or go...
Definitely against a person having to have a FB acct to comment or even forcing someone to leave their name and/or email address to comment. Ans, as I said before, the comment should be the lighter/bold font instead of the name of the person commenting...
There is one thing that bothers me - is the "like" Facebook button - it just does not go with the whole design. Destroys the whole clean look - distracts the attention from the whole gallery. I wold suggest to use a custom icon for that so that it will go with the whole design or to put it in the share section. The button is important for interaction but not this colour.
There is one thing that bothers me - is the "like" Facebook button - it just does not go with the whole design. Destroys the whole clean look - distracts the attention from the whole gallery. I wold suggest to use a custom icon for that so that it will go with the whole design or to put it in the share section. The button is important for interaction but not this colour.
Tom
I agree. The icons that are already under the share bubble would do just fine.
I, too, hope that the customization of the new design allows us to more easily isolate the main image. Sometimes Smugmug style looks like "we have to cram the monitor, omg no negative space allowed!" In the current design I have tried and tried to put more space around the main image, but it always looks ugly and doesn't work right and I think it's just because of the way the page code works, and it's tough to not have any control over the size, spacing, and space around the thumbnail bloc. Again, those comments are for the current design as I have not attempted to customize the new design (if that's even possible yet).
And although I've mentioned it before, I sure hope we get more layouts. After recommending Smugmug to people, after showing them around I have actually had people tell me they will not, because of the severe current limitations in layout. Some people...no, a lot of people...don't want a thumbnail bloc on the left side. They want it somewhere else. Above. Below. To the right. Farther from the main image. Eliminated entirely with only prev/next navigation, with big image centered.
Yet those options are out there...outside Smugmug. When I look at the flexible, versatile, more cleanly minimal layout/theme options available on Squarespace and the very rapidly rising 500px.com, I just get jealous. But for now I stand by Smugmug.
No offense to the extremely hard-working team at Smugmug and if I missed an announcement of mo' better themes please feel free to school me on that.
I agree with all this wholeheartedly from a creative/artisitc standpoint. It is time for SM to modernize the way galleries are designed with more options than the old thumbnails on the left, photo on the right split look. There are simply so many more creative ways to layout a professional looking gallery and portfolio. I think its fine if that same old look is an option. But everyone doesn't want to be shoehorned into that single layout only. For me this is smugmug's single biggest artistic design challenge, to break out of the old mold.
Here is one good example of a very effective, classy looking minimal layout from Squarespace: http://www.jamesklotz.com/
Note how easy it is on James' site to get to photos and how little clutter is present in doing so. The larger thumbs going right into a single larger image would be a really nice, clean change for many on SM including myself.
Comments
only saw it on the daily community.I did hit join, but don't see anything different.
Wow, I really love these changes (especially eliminating the Thumbs Up/Down and anonymous commenting!) Much kudos to the design team regarding the new changes and thanks for soliciting and listening to constructive customer feedback. I can’t wait for them to be implemented!!!!!!!!
Regarding folks leaving comments on photos, it would be good if you could allow log-in from other types of accounts like Facebook or require a valid email address so that folks who don’t have Smugmug accounts (like clients for portrait work) can leave comments on particular photos but also be required to identify themselves….. Another option here would be to give us the ability to turn off or turn on anonymous commenting for each particular gallery. That way, we could choose to allow users without a Smugmug account to comment on their own private password-protected gallery (or example, when I want a client to preview their wedding gallery and use the comment button to let me know which photos they like best, I can allow anonymous commenting on that particular gallery only – and since I would ensure that the gallery is password protected, I’ll know who is leaving the comments).
After asking several people to look at the updated page there are definitely a few things I would change/fix:
1. How about putting the Facebook "Like" button at the TOP of the page? Right now it's cut off below the bottom of the window so that it's not seen unless someone actually scrolls down.
2. Most people felt the caption does not stand out well enough. Maybe larger or bolded text would be better.
3. Instead of "Buy Prints & Gifts" is there any way users could have the option for a button that says "Order Prints & Gifts"? It's a subtle difference but in other areas of business I have always had more success getting people to 'place an order' than to 'buy' something.
Feedback is based on viewing site on a 15" MacBook with Chrome browser.
Keep up the great work!
Dale
I agree. order is a "better" word for me too.
http://www.outdooreventphotos.com/Events/Cycling/GSC-6-Unicoi-State-Park-July/17790497_vsVHwn is a link to the gallery i used for example
also when browsing the thumbnails, i like the way the first and last are kind of like a ghost till you hover. i have the gallery set to original shape thumbnails but these two get turned into square thumbnails cutting off the heads of the pictures.
nice how much quicker the pictures appear to load. i am also using a 15" macbook with chrome and the layout looks pretty good to me.
I, too, hope that the customization of the new design allows us to more easily isolate the main image. Sometimes Smugmug style looks like "we have to cram the monitor, omg no negative space allowed!" In the current design I have tried and tried to put more space around the main image, but it always looks ugly and doesn't work right and I think it's just because of the way the page code works, and it's tough to not have any control over the size, spacing, and space around the thumbnail bloc. Again, those comments are for the current design as I have not attempted to customize the new design (if that's even possible yet).
And although I've mentioned it before, I sure hope we get more layouts. After recommending Smugmug to people, after showing them around I have actually had people tell me they will not, because of the severe current limitations in layout. Some people...no, a lot of people...don't want a thumbnail bloc on the left side. They want it somewhere else. Above. Below. To the right. Farther from the main image. Eliminated entirely with only prev/next navigation, with big image centered.
Yet those options are out there...outside Smugmug. When I look at the flexible, versatile, more cleanly minimal layout/theme options available on Squarespace and the very rapidly rising 500px.com, I just get jealous. But for now I stand by Smugmug.
No offense to the extremely hard-working team at Smugmug and if I missed an announcement of mo' better themes please feel free to school me on that.
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
html5 vice flash would be my vote.
lighter and more efficient.
Share button is right next to edit? and the nav arrows are actually the last image in the grid, ghosted over the first image on the next page.
what i was talking about was the arrows that forward from one pic to the next instead of selecting each individual thumbnail. i see that you can use the arrow keys to move forward just like the current way but some people (those who don't take the time to learn) don't know how to use a keyboard for anything other than typing.
I intended to make the same point as well.
The "Next Page" arrows are a different matter altogether. I'd have to see an example that preserves the original thumbnail shape before I commit, but I'm certain that I don't like having square thumbnails for photos that are not square.
To each his own. Square thumbnails were a requirement that many on these boards asked for ages ago, and one DGrinner created a javascript add-on that created them. About two years ago Smugmug added square thumbnails, and there is an option in gallery settings to turn them off. Of course, that could be overridden in the current test, not sure as I prefer square thumbnails on all my galleries.
But I'll throw in my feedback in case the smugmug guys are just collecting..
round corner thumbs over highlight is slow, and IMO, unnecessary. I'd be happy to see rounded corner thumbs, and just a highlight over it when you hover or are on it.
new lightbox rules. but share button... maybe actually have it say share. that icon means nothing to me, heh.
CSS Block To Flow Down To Children Folders/Pages/Galleries
[URL="http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug/suggestions/1104583-a-bulk-
gallery-download-button-for-my-visitors"]bulk download option for clients[/URL]
I wouldn't advocate taking square thumbnails away from those who like them, but if I say I don't want them I would like my decision to be respected.
While I'm here I would like to point out one positive that I noticed(aside from the overall look, which I like), that is the little icon on the thumbnails that indicates which pictures are hidden. I don't know when they were added, but it's a nice touch!!
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
1. Most improvements are good.
2. Whenever the UI can allow fewer mouse-clicks, it should. Here's some places where it should do that:
a. Hide Photo -- should be one click under the main photo, the way it is now when we've customized for that option. Going to a menu makes no sense & makes extra work. Our visitors won't see this, so why not just put it in the obvious spot for us?
b. In Lightbox, choices of size shouldn't take an extra click on that "size" icon. Just keep it simple the way it already was-- sizes lined out & one click.
3. I still see no reason why the "comments" section is below the main photo.This creates problems where there were none. Problems:
a. Comments are often below the fold
b. If not, they're distracting from the main photo. We want less clutter there. Thumbs are already clutter, so keep comments over there.
c. Creates a space problem because everything else is already under main photo. Why create a space problem when there's room under thumbs?
4. Captions are too small. Keywords have gone too far in the "small" direction now. Just keep 'em the same size they were in the old version of Smuggy. Don't fix what's not broken, please please please!
5. Size of Gallery Title seems decent, but I still wonder: why not just keep the title in line with the breadcrumb? That would give more vertical real-estate for 2 or more lines of description, and vertical stuff really needs to be thought through so that we can have as large main photos as possible. It would also make less clutter near the thumbs & look very tidy in-line with the breadcrumb.
6. Same old suggestion from myself & others: Let the space allocated for the main photo take up about 2/3 of the gallery space, horizontally. Then just leave 1/3 for the thumbs. Or let people choose that & what side the thumbs are on. The number of thumbs & resulting thumb-clutter, as well as the 50/50 split is still obnoxious imho... simply not artistic. Golden rule, rule of thirds, Golden mean... take your pick. They all mean: stear clear of 50/50!!
7. Arrange Photos: Keep the Arrange by Number capability, or whatever it was called. We need that. But find a way to describe the one that just says "Arrange Photos". Drag & Drop is described. Surely we can describe that one too! Ideas, anyone? ("Arrange by Selection"?)
8. Make all the Settings dialogue boxes pop out the same direction (on the Right). Currently, one has a Right-arrow, but instead pops out to the left. It's disconcerting.
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
Somehow I missed that in the reading of this thread.
I still have not seen an acknowledgement that navigation arrows that allow navigation from one picture to the next(like the ones in lightbox, just find a good place for them in the gallery) are noted as a desired feature. Did I miss that too?
I like the collect photos feature. This could be related but it seems everything associated with a single picture is now gone. Tonight I went to a gallery to collect some photos for a featured gallery and found that now it all goes to all pictures in the gallery, a contact sheet like choice, rather than the single shot for me to choose from. While I can see the convenience of having like a contact sheet to choose multiple shots at once, my eyes are no longer what they used to be... I need to larger size to see the attributes of the picture to make my choices. Can we have both options?
When view the daily photos popular with the new 'theme' I see the page nav box (page 1 of 13) in it's somewhat typical form on my 17"Dell, but when I zoom out, I set dots representing the pages to be navigated to. I think it should consistently be one or the other & SM clients should be able to choose which they prefer. Although I like the dots, it's too complicated for the average viewer & I certainly wouldn't choose it. I also prefer having this page navigation above the photos, otherwise it's not visible unless/until I scroll down.
As for the thumbs up/down - mixed feelings whether it should stay or go...
Definitely against a person having to have a FB acct to comment or even forcing someone to leave their name and/or email address to comment. Ans, as I said before, the comment should be the lighter/bold font instead of the name of the person commenting...
Tom
I agree. The icons that are already under the share bubble would do just fine.
Malte
Malte
Here is one good example of a very effective, classy looking minimal layout from Squarespace: http://www.jamesklotz.com/
Note how easy it is on James' site to get to photos and how little clutter is present in doing so. The larger thumbs going right into a single larger image would be a really nice, clean change for many on SM including myself.
My Smugmug Gallery