New Web Site Feedback

mknphotos

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DanielB

mknphotos wrote:

Hi. I am in the process of starting up a sports photography business. I've just finished up with the web site, and I would love it if I could get some feedback from the experts on the forum.

The site is: http://patalessiphoto.home.comcast.net/

Just two quick things. First, I know that the link to the sports photos on the home page is dead. Ultimately (when I scrape together the $99 to get it up and running) the link will lead to a folder on shutterfly where parents can order prints of their children in action. Second, please don't shred my portfolio to bits. I am just starting out, and I am not done working the images in there. Those were just the images that I could easily throw up in a hurry just to get the concept of the portfolio down. I intend to only put my best work in there (obviously).

Any advice and comments are more than welcome, as I would really love to improve the site, and hopefully, get the business off the ground.

Thanks for all of your help in advance.

Patrick Alessi

if it were me... i would center your slideshow and all of your typing... its distracting sitting there on the left side of my screen....

ivar

Just two short notes; First, If it is going to be for a business, maybe make a banner with your name showing all through your site for recognition and give them a phonenumber?

Second, your styling needs some work, you've created it for one browser (internet explorer?) but it shows up differently in different browsers.

in FireFox


in Internet Explorer


any spefic reason for choosing shutterfly? smugmug can host everything at once...?

DavidTO

Why not put it all on smugmug and be done with it? No need for an external site or linking to another. Just set up a custom name, and you can do all your styling and customization in one place. And get great service with no ads!

Just sayin'.

mknphotos

thanks...
...for the comments so far. I hadn't considered smugmug, because I didn't realize that they have a pro service.

Is it possible to password protect individual galleries? I foresee there being a need to do that, and that was a selling point for me with shutterfly. Also, I've got tons of prints from them in the past and have been happy with the quality.

Andy

mknphotos wrote:

...for the comments so far. I hadn't considered smugmug, because I didn't realize that they have a pro service.

Is it possible to password protect individual galleries? I foresee there being a need to do that, and that was a selling point for me with shutterfly. Also, I've got tons of prints from them in the past and have been happy with the quality.

Hi mkn welcome to Dgrin!

Sure, you can password protect a gallery, or a site, no worries:

http://www.smugmug.com/help/private-albums
http://www.smugmug.com/help/image-protection

Here's more on our print service, and why we chose them:
http://www.smugmug.com/prints/digital-prints.mg

BTW, here are some examples of how I help our pros every day

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=31754
http://blogs.smugmug.com/pros/2006/03/04/pop-this/
http://blogs.smugmug.com/pros/2006/01/03/get-the-red-out/
http://blogs.smugmug.com/pros/2005/12/26/better-black-white/
http://blogs.smugmug.com/pros/2005/12/03/learning-to-fish-part-1/
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=23533

See the link "pro tips" and "pro resources" in my signature. I'm here to help if you have any qeustions!

All the best,

DanielB

mknphotos wrote:

Also, I've got tons of prints from them in the past and have been happy with the quality.

i just ordered about 6 images from smugmug... all about 16x20's and above... one is a panoramic 2 on one sheet of 24x36. mostly all were lustre for the B&W finish... i'll tell ya what i think when i recieve them. in the meantime. i know andy can vouch for the B&W Lustre treatments on ezprints *who smugmug goes through*

twinbnj

Hello mkn - I set up my smugmug pro little over a month ago. I ordered prints and buttons to see how they would look -

I have had orders for prints, key chains, t-shirts and buttons - no complaints!