Website Critique Wanted

Light Seeker

I'm starting a photography business with my brother and his wife and they put up a website for us but I don't think it looks very professional. I expressed this and they said "we've gotten compliments on it so I think we should keep it." First off the colors are just awful but that's just MHO. But the main thing is that I don't think someone should have to scroll on our main page to see the slideshow. So if you could, be it bad or good, check it out and leave a comment on the website itself please. Telling us what looks good and what doesn't. Thank you so much for your time! www.picturethisphotographydfw.com is our site address. And remember, we are still in the process of adding information to it.

Darla

Hikin' Mike

I agree, the colors are terrible. I like the background colors, but the "logo" colors clashes something terrible. I don't care for the logo either, but that's for another thread. I see no navigation bar and the buttons on the bottom are too random-looking. What is "Certified by Starfield" and why should I care? What is 'Photography DFW'?

I think there is way too much wasted space on top and below of the logo. I would like to see a short "bio" on the home page. Something telling my where you're located and what you do.

ThatCanonGuy

There is so much wasted space at the top. I agree that you shouldn't have to scroll down for the slideshow. Where are your galleries? Is this just a one-page site? I can't figure out how to get to any gallery. Why "2011/2012"? Just having 2011 is fine, you can change it to 2012 next year .

I don't think you're gonna get many clients contacting you because of your website. Why should a client contact you instead of another photog? Make it personal, give them a reason to choose you. It's more than being able to take a good photo. Having an unprofessional website isn't going to do that.

Oh wait, I just figured out that I have to click on the slideshow. Hey--a navbar! That navbar should be on every page. When I click on one of the links, say pricing, on the following page there's no navbar. It's the Smugmug navbar. If I'm a client, I'm thinking, "What's Smugmug? How do I get back?" I have to click the back button in my browser. Counterintuitive, and if it's confusing for a geek like me, how are clients going to manage? Your galleries don't have the navbar at the top either. Every page on the entire site should have the navbar. The top of every page should be the same.

Sorry for being blunt. Just trying to help. There are professional web designers on this forum that can get you a really good-looking site, if you want.

Sam

Darla,

The others comments are spot on. This site needs a lot of work.

The bigger question here is, are you sure you want to be in business with your brother and his wife??

Lets forget what wonderful people they are and how much you love them.

If your gong to be and odds over the very first project the future does not bode well. Business partnerships are like marriages and but have a worse failure rate.

Think about keeping your family, family, and your business, your business.

You can still help each other out, but when the are helping you, you the boss and when you are helping them, they da boss.

Sam

denisegoldberg

You're right, it doesn't look professional at all. It is using what looks to be two very old smugmug themes. At least one of the two does not customize well.

I'd recommend stepping back and designing a look for your site. If you want to give the image of professional photographers, think about what you would look for if you were looking to hire a photographer. I'd take one look at your current site and assume it was a site meant for sharing family photos. I wouldn't consider hiring a photographer who put their name on this site.

--- Denise

Hikin' Mike

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

There is so much wasted space at the top. I agree that you shouldn't have to scroll down for the slideshow. Where are your galleries? Is this just a one-page site? I can't figure out how to get to any gallery. Why "2011/2012"? Just having 2011 is fine, you can change it to 2012 next year .

I don't think you're gonna get many clients contacting you because of your website. Why should a client contact you instead of another photog? Make it personal, give them a reason to choose you. It's more than being able to take a good photo. Having an unprofessional website isn't going to do that.

Oh wait, I just figured out that I have to click on the slideshow. Hey--a navbar! That navbar should be on every page. When I click on one of the links, say pricing, on the following page there's no navbar. It's the Smugmug navbar. If I'm a client, I'm thinking, "What's Smugmug? How do I get back?" I have to click the back button in my browser. Counterintuitive, and if it's confusing for a geek like me, how are clients going to manage? Your galleries don't have the navbar at the top either. Every page on the entire site should have the navbar. The top of every page should be the same.

Sorry for being blunt. Just trying to help. There are professional web designers on this forum that can get you a really good-looking site, if you want.

Good eye. I never saw it/tried. I bet other potential clients would have left (just like I did).

Since I found the rest of your (brother and wife's) site. I must say, it's terrible. That brick/stone background is distracting and just plain ugly. I clicked on your "About" page and I see another theme. Goodnight...pick one and stick to it.

If you want to look professional, hire a web designer (and graphic designer too).