Would anyone be willing to critique my site?

Bryans12v · February 24, 2012

Hello everyone! I have put together my website myself (with the help of fellow Dgrinner's) and was wondering if anyone can tell me what I can do to make it better. Im relatively new to photography (about 4 years now) and even newer to the business behind it. I primarilly shoot weddings to help pay the bills and lately havent been rich enough to pay someone to do my site for me. I know my site is in desperate need of an overhaul and am not sure where to start or what to change.

Would you kindly take a look and pass some much needed judgement along my way?

www.bryanbargerphotography.com

Thank you so much!

jbakerphoto · February 24, 2012

I can take a stab at it.
The homepage slideshow has a bunch of landscape pics (which are very nice by the way!). You say you shoot weddings mostly. You need to show weddings in the slideshow if that is what you want to sell. In other words, show what you want to sell on the homepage.

The guest book takes you into la la land and there is no return to the homepage. A menu would help.

Hope that helps!!

eoren1 · February 24, 2012

I'll echo what Jon said. Great landscapes but there is a disconnect when you intersperse people and landscapes in the slideshow - are you are a landscape photographer or are you a for-hire portrait/wedding guy?

I would consider two websites for the two sides of you. For a portrait person, I'm looking for a bright (white) background with photos of babies, couples, seniors and weddings. I want to easily figure out a pricing page (and IMO a smugmug gallery for that doesn't work well). I would rename the Guestbook to an About me page. Consider a new headshot so people can see your face - that way they will recognize you when they see you.

For landscape work, i think what you have works fine.

Hope that helps.

klickingkat · February 24, 2012

I would set the view size so viewers can't see the full size pic. If I can see it I can steal it.

denisegoldberg · February 24, 2012

If you're using your site as an introduction to the services you offer then I'd recommend adding a page describing your services. Placing your wedding pricing as a caption on the first photo of a gallery is not a good sales tool.

Your guestbook page is set to hide owner = yes, which removes all traces of you. At a minimum, set it to hide owner = no. If you're going to use a standard gallery style change from Journal to Journal (Old). That shows a smaller photo on one side with text next to it. And change the photo that you're using. If, as you indicated in your initial post, you are after wedding business, I would think a more formal photo would be better - or at least one where your face is visible.

You have a Google+ button in your footer that takes the viewer to a g+ page saying that you haven't shared anything with the viewer. Either start posting on g+ (and make your posts public) or remove the link from your smug site.

--- Denise

Bryans12v · February 24, 2012

You all are the best!!

denisegoldberg • Feb-24-2012 05:42 PM
If you're using your site as an introduction to the services you offer then I'd recommend adding a page describing your services. Placing your wedding pricing as a caption on the first photo of a gallery is not a good sales tool.

Your guestbook page is set to hide owner = yes, which removes all traces of you. At a minimum, set it to hide owner = no. If you're going to use a standard gallery style change from Journal to Journal (Old). That shows a smaller photo on one side with text next to it. And change the photo that you're using. If, as you indicated in your initial post, you are after wedding business, I would think a more formal photo would be better - or at least one where your face is visible.

You have a Google+ button in your footer that takes the viewer to a g+ page saying that you haven't shared anything with the viewer. Either start posting on g+ (and make your posts public) or remove the link from your smug site.

--- Denise

Denise, thank you so much for your time. Youre so helpful and such a sweetie to everyone, always! Im going to get working on a services page this this weekend. Lets hope the guys over in SM Cust. can lend me a hand to get the page in my navbar.

I was feeling the same way about the guestbook and it has made the world of a difference, thanks sooo much!

klickingkat • Feb-24-2012 04:09 PM
I would set the view size so viewers can't see the full size pic. If I can see it I can steal it.

Thanks for being honest, Ive changed the size. Its something that I knew I was doing but couldnt help it. I know that when I see images I like alot, theres just something in me that wants to see it BIG but in the name of business, its just not worth it to leave it open to larger sizes. Thanks Kat!

eoren1 • Feb-24-2012 03:08 PM
I'll echo what Jon said. Great landscapes but there is a disconnect when you intersperse people and landscapes in the slideshow - are you are a landscape photographer or are you a for-hire portrait/wedding guy?

I would consider two websites for the two sides of you. For a portrait person, I'm looking for a bright (white) background with photos of babies, couples, seniors and weddings. I want to easily figure out a pricing page (and IMO a smugmug gallery for that doesn't work well). I would rename the Guestbook to an About me page. Consider a new headshot so people can see your face - that way they will recognize you when they see you.

For landscape work, i think what you have works fine.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Eyal! Im actually both. Like many of us, landscape is my passion. Weddings/portraits are what actually fund my passion and for most of the year keeps me afloat. I totally know what you mean about having two seperate sites, I looked into this a few times with searches but met with no success. I wanted to have my 1st page be a place for visitors to decide what they wanted to view Landscape/Wedding and have a brighter edge to the port/wedd side. Im almost positive that this is possible to do with the SM layout. Im going to have to start another thread now!

I cant thank you enough for pointing me in a better direction.

I think it already is coming together. Thanks so much everyone!

dclphoto · May 29, 2012

Awesome imagery. I agree with displaying more of what it is you are wanting to sell to your clients.
Just two more cents: Some images have watermarks and some dont. I would keep this consistant. I lean more toward not watermarking as they know they are looking at your site and if you right click protect the image, they cant copy them very easily. If you do decide to keep the watermark on the images, I would make them all the same. Some images have a little different watermark than others.
Great thread, learned some insight I can also apply to myself.

Lemur Lover · June 2, 2012

No doubt about it, you have some great images on your website Bryan, particularly like your landscapes and baby shots!

Pretty much everything I would have pointed out has already been pointed out by others above, so no point in me pointing them out again

Keep up the good work and best of luck with your business

Would anyone be willing to critique my site?

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