Please I need all the CC I can get!

erikadorie · April 21, 2007

I'm trying to be the best I can be! Please take a look at my site and tell me everything that needs fixing! I mainly want my users to be able to navigate easily. I want a nice presentation (I need advice on what to do for the home page bc right now I just have a slideshow of "my" personal pictures) I don't like the slideshow idea anymore. Any suggestions on homepage replacement. If you know any really good websites please share the links so I can jump my creative juices! Thank you in advance for taking the time to view my website!

erikadorie · April 23, 2007

Why?
Could someone tell me why there's 51 views and no posts?

dragon300zx · April 23, 2007

erikadorie wrote:

Could someone tell me why there's 51 views and no posts?

If you can tell me why theres 460 some odd lurkers on the board right now and only 91 registered users.

DavidTO · April 23, 2007

erikadorie wrote:

Could someone tell me why there's 51 views and no posts?

These very general types of requests tend to get less of a response than a targeted approach. Your question is too broad. Post specific links, ask specific questions, you'll tend to get more specific responses.

dragon300zx · April 23, 2007

Sorry if the earlier comment came off rude but as David said your question was very broad and that can take time to answer and people may not have enough time to clearly research it and write a well thought out response. Plus as I pointed out there are allot of lurkers who don't respond at all. That said.

I took a quick look at your site and I'll give ya some feedback. First I think your pictures are good, and your idea for a simple site is great. That said you are after constructive criticism so lets get started.

My own personal feelings about the header is that it is too big. It takes up to much space at the top of the page so I would shrink it down a bit.

Second I think your basic layout for the homepage is good but it isn't consistent throughout the whole site. Both the portfolio and pricing pages do away with the header all together and the navbar. This will really screw up some of your clients (not everyone thinks of the back button right away, and if they click on portraits it takes it to a community) if it is left this way.

Well there’s a couple quickies for ya, hope it helps.

Gary

Allen · April 23, 2007

erikadorie wrote:

I'm trying to be the best I can be! Please take a look at my site and tell me everything that needs fixing! I mainly want my users to be able to navigate easily. I want a nice presentation (I need advice on what to do for the home page bc right now I just have a slideshow of "my" personal pictures) I don't like the slideshow idea anymore. Any suggestions on homepage replacement. If you know any really good websites please share the links so I can jump my creative juices! Thank you in advance for taking the time to view my website!

A few comments

Contact gallery
- turn off the cart
- probably don't need comments on either

Pricing gallery
- turn off page nav
- turn off the cart
- puts link to the "Need Help With Ordering?" gallery on the page
- clicked Professional in breadcrumb and taken to Professional category (see next)

Professional category
- make Slideshow, Contact Me, About, Bio, Information,"Need Help With Ordering?"
galleries private so they don't show. Most can be linked directly to.

Just some observations

denisegoldberg · April 24, 2007

I agree with Gary that your banner is too big (tall). The banner should not force the user to always scroll down to see your page content.

I also believe that you should use your banner on all pages. I find it very distracting to go from your banner to the smugmug default and back again. Plus - when you're on a page that doesn't use your banner, there is no easy way to see who the photographer is.

In the same vein, I would like to see the same footer on all pages. You have links to your blog and email plus the small smug footer on the pages with your banner, but the other pages show the large smug footer and no way to contact you.

Your Portfolio gallery is in journal style, but there are no descriptions with the photos. I'd recommend either adding descriptions or using a different style for that gallery. I know that's my personal preference and that you may not agree, but I feel that having the alternating side to side orientation without descriptions isn't the best presentation for your photos.

Clicking Portraits took me to a community site. Can you remove that link? I would think that you want to keep your clients on your smugmug site.

I noticed in your blog that you provided a link back to a smugmug gallery but that the link wasn't live. That is, the user would need to copy the link into their browswer address in order to use it. You can put live links in your blog pages by using the <a (anchor) tag in your blog. Here's an example:

<*a href="http://erikadorie.smugmug.com/gallery/2740609">Race for the Cure 2007<*/a>
You'll need to remove the pink * to actually use this. (And if you want to see these in use you can look at my blog, this entry http://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com/2007/04/photographer-smiling.html includes links back to my smugmug galleries.)

Also on the blog front - although you didn't ask for comments - you might want to alter your blog so that it contains a link section that more obviously links back to your galleries. Again, look at my blog (published using blogger, same as yours) for an example. Note that my Photo Galleries link in my blog takes you to my smugmug page.

I enjoyed wandering through your photos on the way to building some feedback on your site...

--- Denise

urbanaries · April 24, 2007

i think the others have given you some great feedback on the navigation,
I wish I could comment more on your shots, they look like they might be great, I just can't see them well, because they're just very small in the journal style -minus the border - minus the watermark.

Your watermark is busy and large, and the varying levels of opacity and curly-cues hurt my eyes. Combined with the white backgrounds it doesn't make for a pleasant viewing experience.

Maybe place them inside the white borders?

one or the other though, IMO.

erikadorie · April 25, 2007

Thank you very much
I really appreciate all the responses. There are so many things I don't know and especially don't think about the usablitiy just because I know how to navigate. Tons of great comments and now lots of things to work on!!!! Thanks! I'll repost when I have gotten all these done!

erikadorie · April 25, 2007

So I fixed what I knew how to fix, but there was a LOT written to me that I don't really know what I'm doing. I tried searching a few things in the forums but no success. I'm sorry I'm new at this. I haven't been at home to make a new banner so don't worry about that part. I'd appreciate if you posted to tell me how to do what you posted? Thank you very much.

saurora · April 25, 2007

Erika, I looked at your gallery several times before commenting. It seems the number 1 problem is your over-sized banner, which you are already aware of. It over-powers your slide-show which is small. While I like seeing your personal photo, (because you are a very attractive gal for one thing) it also competes with any other photos you would place on your homepage (whether you use a slide-show, collage or one simple image). It's just my opinion, and others may not agree, but I would tend to use my photo in my bio and not as part of my banner. It makes the page too busy, especially with the very flowing font you have selected.

It appears you have all personal photos (mostly of yourself) in your slideshow. These photos are not probably directed at your target customer. You have some nice images (more appropriate) in your portfolio, although not a lot of them and as has been mentioned, they are very small. I would use some of them, maybe 4 for a slideshow, or even just a static image. I like the one "adorable" of the 3 girls and the one of the girl lying on the grass. These images are more professional and would be more likely to entice me to enter your site.

Regarding your slideshow, I noticed some of the photos appear to be scanned, and the edges are ragged and not filling the space. This looks tacky and unprofessional. You need to make sure if you continue to use the slideshow that this is corrected.

You have had numerous replies with good advice and yet you are still asking for explanations of how to "do what you posted". You still need to be more specific......who are you addressing this vague question?

My advice: Take one step at a time. Fix one thing.....if you can't, then ask one specific question and be detailed about what you can or can't do. After that is fixed, attempt another. You sound overwhelmed and frustrated. There are some great mods and members here to help you, just post the right question and you will get the answer! I know fixing your site is a long process as I am working on mine, too!!!

erikadorie · April 25, 2007

Saurora thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it! I think that by going along with what you've suggested I will get more accomplished.

Please I need all the CC I can get!

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