Website feedback welcome

Helvegr

I've been tooling on my website on and off for a long time and thought it was time to get some feedback from those of you more experienced with the website side of photography. First if I may let me clarify a few things to give some context as to what I'm trying to achieve with the website and what I am not.

What I'm trying to achieve:
1. I really want to explore new things with photography and see where opportunities may take me. While I'm not a professional, I don't want to look like somebody that doesn't take their hobby seriously.

2. I wanted a blog that I could use at the very least as a journal of my own discoveries. I don't expect to have a lot of readers, but I'd like the information to be well organized.

3. I want a place to serve as a portfolio of my work. Even though that portfolio is rather slim right now, I feel that by having a portfolio, it will challenge me to improve on it.

What I'm not trying to achieve:
1. I'm not looking for a lot of SEO type of things. I'm not expecting random people to find me and what to hire me. Pretty much all the traffic to the site will be because of word of mouth, Facebook, G+ etc.

2. I don't want to look like something I'm not. I'm not trying to fool people into thinking I want to be hired for work. However, like I said, I want to stay open to new opportunities and projects that will improve my skill.

A couple of questions:
One thing that I go back and forth with is how I've got the domain structured. Is it better that people hit my portfolio first, and then have to click for the blog? Or do you like it how it is, where you hit the blog, but then click the portfolio? Some people I've seen also do totally separate domains for this. Thoughts or suggestions?

Ok, if you actually read all of that, you are ready for the link!

www.garrinball.com

CWSkopec

Garrin,
Overall, I think you've got a great site. A couple thoughts:

• I think your logo at the top is too small. And it's not very noticeable, partly because of it's size and partly because it's predominantly white on a white background. I say blow it up to the full width of that left hand column, really let people know where they are and whose website it is. The larger size would also help define it against the white background.
• The background image of the smoke/abstract pattern is cool, but it really pulls attention away from your images. It's the first thing I notice because it is so high contrast and (on my 23" monitor) takes up about half the screen size. I would recommend lowering the opacity on that image and/or making it smaller so it doesn't dominate the eye's attention so much.

You've got some gorgeous images, let them be the focal point of your site!

I would say, neither to your question of "Portfolio" or "Blog" first. When I click through to your portfolio, it's using an alternate theme and it's as if I'm going to a different site. You may want to consider a page like your "My Gear" or "Gallery" page for your portfolio that way everything meshes together and you have a consistent look.

But more about my "Neither" you definitely want to hit people with an "impact" image as soon as they look at your site, that's what's going to grab their attention and get them to look around more. But, if your portfolio doesn't match the blog, it won't do any good because they're going to feel like they're off on another site anyway.

And while your blog has a nice look to it, imagine a day when you post an "Oops" type image, because sometimes sharing an error and why it was an error helps you learn. But a visitor may not read that much, they'll see the not so great image and be gone. Consider a static homepage for your wordpress install, that way you can have a consistently high quality image (or slideshow of images) right on the landing page to really grab people's attention.

Some of that starts to cross your goals of looking to share and learn from your own blog and starts to get into attracting a larger audience, but I feel like it's good practice for all web sites.

Hope that helps!

Helvegr

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such great feedback! You are totally right about the logo, in fact it used to be on a black background, but I haven't really gotten around to switching it up. I think I was waiting to make sure I liked the white first.

Thanks for the comments on the background graphic. I struggled (and still do) about it, because I can see your point. Part of my reasoning at least it I wanted to add a little bit of flair to try to separate myself from the default template type of look. Trying to express a little bit of creativity. Perhaps your suggestion of toning it down may still accomplish that, without making it the focal point.

Thanks again for the honest thoughts about the portfolio. Part of me is in total agreement, and I think about ways of merging it closer to the blog. However the other part of me wants to maintain a bit of separation for when (if) the time comes I want to focus more on the portfolio. For instance if I were to hand a contact card to somebody that I wish to shoot, I may want them to focus on my portfolio, where I attempt to put my best foot forward, and focus less on the blog. Good stuff to think about.

Thanks again!

colinpurrington

I think CWSkopek's comments about logo and background image are important -- I had the same opinion before reading his/her comments. I think the whiteness of the logo gets lost on site a bit. And I think your images get diluted a little bit because of the background image. The design of the logo and background do, indeed, add some flair, but I think your _images_ offer that.

Amazing work on that leash, by the way.

Helvegr

Thanks for all the feedback. While its still a work in progress, I'm playing around with some of the ideas. I've tried to make the background a little less intrusive, while making the logo more intrusive. A few of these revisions are up.

http://www.garrinball.com/

denisegoldberg

Helvegr wrote: »

...I'm playing around with some of the ideas. I've tried to make the background a little less intrusive, while making the logo more intrusive.

I think you've taken the logo too far. Now it draws my eyes away from your content. Somehow I don't think you want that to happen.

--- Denise