Don't want full screen for the Slideshow, other issues ...
pekr
Registered Users Posts: 54 Big grins
Hi,
new to Smugmug. And as always, I like things which just hit me in the eye. I was considering several online gallery systems, kind of settled between Smugmug, Zenfolio, Flickr. I was almost imediatelly decided for Smugmug, untill ....
... until I realised, there are some things, I don't like much. Some of the following issues don't bother me much, but there is at least one, I can't believe noone else complains about:
1) When I try to select a Slideshow, I was really disappointed, Smugmug takes me into the full-screen mode. This method of hijacking user space is absolutly uncacceptable imo. It might be perceived as being fine on some mobile streamlined interfaces, but not on desktops. And NO - the Slideshow theme is not the answer. I want regular gallery slideshow to NOT take over my screen. I can't believe there is not a reverse option - a full screen mode dedicated icon.
2) Comments - I have read that comments are allowed only for registered users or facebook users. If so, that is another obstacle I can hardly live with. I am not looking for ultimate solution to work with clients and friends, but I want to allow them to comment the photo they want me to work upon. Any such gallery will be password protected, so why to not allow clients to comment freely? This is big obstacle for me
3) Localisation - we are headed in Czech Republic. Some of clients don't know a bit of an english. Why I am quite shocked about the lack of localisation support? Because - the interface of Smugmug is nice, minimalistic, so there is not much to translate. I am not asking to translate whole configuration interface, but at least the sections which talk to visitors. A big minus, actually ...
4) Embedding the Slideshow. Not sure I do care about that feature much, but anyway - Flash? Really? Nowadays? Not to mention that the result looks really awful, actually a big joke, when I compare with the rest of the Smugmug design :-(
Well, I can forget 4), but hardly can live without 1) and 2) sorted out, and 3) would be a big win. What I actually think is, that I found almost perfect system, but that anyway, I will have to move to some other solution ...
Thanks,
Best regards,
Petr Krenzelok
new to Smugmug. And as always, I like things which just hit me in the eye. I was considering several online gallery systems, kind of settled between Smugmug, Zenfolio, Flickr. I was almost imediatelly decided for Smugmug, untill ....
... until I realised, there are some things, I don't like much. Some of the following issues don't bother me much, but there is at least one, I can't believe noone else complains about:
1) When I try to select a Slideshow, I was really disappointed, Smugmug takes me into the full-screen mode. This method of hijacking user space is absolutly uncacceptable imo. It might be perceived as being fine on some mobile streamlined interfaces, but not on desktops. And NO - the Slideshow theme is not the answer. I want regular gallery slideshow to NOT take over my screen. I can't believe there is not a reverse option - a full screen mode dedicated icon.
2) Comments - I have read that comments are allowed only for registered users or facebook users. If so, that is another obstacle I can hardly live with. I am not looking for ultimate solution to work with clients and friends, but I want to allow them to comment the photo they want me to work upon. Any such gallery will be password protected, so why to not allow clients to comment freely? This is big obstacle for me
3) Localisation - we are headed in Czech Republic. Some of clients don't know a bit of an english. Why I am quite shocked about the lack of localisation support? Because - the interface of Smugmug is nice, minimalistic, so there is not much to translate. I am not asking to translate whole configuration interface, but at least the sections which talk to visitors. A big minus, actually ...
4) Embedding the Slideshow. Not sure I do care about that feature much, but anyway - Flash? Really? Nowadays? Not to mention that the result looks really awful, actually a big joke, when I compare with the rest of the Smugmug design :-(
Well, I can forget 4), but hardly can live without 1) and 2) sorted out, and 3) would be a big win. What I actually think is, that I found almost perfect system, but that anyway, I will have to move to some other solution ...
Thanks,
Best regards,
Petr Krenzelok
0
Comments
1. The slideshow icon in the gallery opens up a full screen version of the slideshow. To not get that to happen you would need to choose the slideshow gallery viewing style for that gallery. I know that is not what you want to do but that is the work around to get a slideshow that does not take over your full screen.
2. I am sorry but we only allow other SmugMug users and Facebook users to comment on photos and galleries at this time.
The feature you should look into is 'favorites,' associated with 'market events.' This is a GREAT tool, and EXACTLY what you are looking for > set up the gallery as an event, and your customer can HEART their faves - viola! These are placed in a secure gallery that they and you can access and print from!
http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/83125
3. I apologize that we don't have support for the translation that you need at this time.
4. Are you trying to embed a SmugMug slideshow onto another site or a slideshow onto SmugMug?
SmugMug Support Hero
So, played another hour with the Smugmug and the competition. Unfortunately, both Zenfolio and Flickr are a mess under the hood. During the hour, I got a testing template almost doing what I want:
http://2zone.smugmug.com/
Satisfied with the design - Facebook guys could learn, how to make header logo section transparent, easily done with Smugmug, well done!
As for Events - those are part of Business module, which we don't plan to use. It is more expensive, contains even more English terms, and as for print services, I am not sure it is convenient for ppl in Czech Republic, to use abroad services. Well, some of my friends used Blurb in the past, but I am really not sure.
But - I will investigate it furtner. No matter what guys, kudos, you created one of the best photo related systesm ever!
Best regards,
Petr
1) It requires business level of an account - more expensive, especially in the case, when I am 100% confident, I will never print via Smugmug service, from Czech Republic
2) It is most probably designed to allow clients mark their favorites and buy a photo or send directly to print? What I am looking for is the system, which allows me to export from LR and allow clients to mark candidates, allow them to comment and eventually rate. If you comment via events, even on custom client page, the comment is system wide, which is imo wrong. Second - even if I can see all per client market favorites - now what? :-) Pity there is not back-sync to LR, transferring the rating, so that I could continue to work on images, clients wishes to finish
3) Email sent to participants just bounced. There needs to be setting allowing smugmug smtp server to send via/on-behalf-of our smtp server
I think, that in above case, simple private gallery with private access is sufficient - allows star rating and comments. The other option is to use LR to FB publishing to some private FB gallery. FB allows chat, sharing, comments, it is just that the image quality on FB is quite poor in some cases, and does not solve collecting of favorites along with the back-sync to LR either ...
I will have to give it a more thoughts ....
Petr
Perhaps that is something that would solve your problem?
www.acecootephotography.com
OK, I will give it a few more tests to see, if the module is any usefull. So far I need to solve mail sending problem, as it tries to send via our mail server, and we allow it only from our IP adresses, so target domain refused to accept the mail delivery. And also - the need for users to register to comment, is pretty obtrusive, somehow I continue to dislike it ...
Petr