Web Site Review and Critique

I have just built a web site for a fellow photographer, it is the first site i have built for someone else. Would appreciate any critique about the style and applicability for a photographer. http://www.viewscenes.co.uk

Many thanks for looking in

Mike

Looks like a very clean and simple site, easy to navigate, and loads quickly.

Two small points: I wouldn't mind seeing the images a little bigger when I click on a thumbnail. What makes a landcape shot is detail, and you really can't see much at the size they are being displayed.

I had to search around for the prices. They should be displayed either with the photos or on the order form page.

All in all, a nice job.

-john

Jihn,

many thanks for looking. Points noted.

Mike

The photographs featured are very nice. I don't think this site is up to the same standard... the white backgrounnd is too bland and the title section at the top is too messy and complicated.

Maybe a light pastel coloured background would be an improvement and I think a wide sweeping landscape across the entire width of the top with the image strongest at the top slowly fading out as it comes down. The photographers name across and over the image and the title below this in smaller size.

Well thats my idea and also the standard type for all that writing, details seems to normal(like a typewriter).

At the end of the day its down to what your current abilities are and obviously with certain budget.

Hope I did not sound to ruthless.
Good luck

Michael,

many thanks for your comments. Appreciate the time and effort for you to look.

Mike

I would change your font to something from the Arial, Tahoma font family. These are easier to read then the Times New Roman family on a computer screen.

That is about the only thing I can see from the quick look. Other then that nice web site. Clean and simple (I develop sites on the side to my normal job).

I like it and I'll go back later to have a betterlook at Ken's pictures.

Photographer is not a proper noun and does not need a capital P. But other than that....

Very nice, indeed, after just a quick glance.

I have not done an economic analysis.

BAK

Brian and Clay,

thanks for looking in. As a photographer i am particulary keen to get feedback from other photographers on the aesthetics and more knowledgeable web designers on the code. Looks like more work to do

Mike

Many thanks for the replies, i have made some of the changes as suggested, would appreciate any other feedback.
Mike

Hey, great web site, simple and clean design

Im agree about the white background of the gallery ... a gray probabily is better.

The gallery probabily is made with simpleview; I would to share with you an other gallery like simpleview: http://billwadman.com/photofolio/ .

The same kind of flash of simpleview but this one has a nice navigation between the various albums or categories; (Im using Photofolio at my personal site..)
Bye
--
JakeLM
http://www.jakelm.it

Taken on board all the comments and help and have rewritten as much as possible using CSS, to the best of my abilities. Have just added Paypal functionality. Any input looking at this as being a photographers site is appreciated. The photography is not mine, i have just put the site together. http://www.viewscenes.co.uk/index.htm

Many thanks for looking in.

Mike

you're a photographer and you are designing a site for a photographer, but the emphasis in your site is the text.

I come to a photographer's site to see the pictures. Big, bold, displays of pictures are what I expect---not lines and lines of text explaining something or other (didn't even bother to read it--what's the point?).

Your site is like the shy amateur photographer who might just maybe show you a corner of one of his pictures because he doesn't want to appear too eager (read lack of confidence) to show his genius (read second-rate, hackneyed, images). I'm not saying your photographer is second rate, but your presentation makes him appear so.

Show me the pictures!!!!!

Then, when you have given me a reason to want to learn more about him and his services give me an opportunity to read the text (several pages into the site, with links labeled for easy access).

It's either words or pictures, you can't successfully do both on your opening page. And since this guy is a photographer, it might make sense to emphasize the pictures.

Good luck!

Not trying to be rude, but you did ask for C&C.

The site is very basic and amatuer looking. The quality of the images should be reflected in the quality of the site.

To ask someone to buy a print from looking at your site is a stretch. Maybe the actual photos are gorgeous but you have wrapped a Godiva chocolate in a tootsie roll wrapper (grin).

Look at some of the sites of the other photogs in these forums. There have also been many threads that link to some very nice, yet simple sites. do a search on these forums and also look at other posters who want their sites critiqued and learn from the comments.

My own site is pretty simple and uses the much poo-poohed Flash, but I have not received any complaints about the Flash not loading fast or being distracting. I am not advising that you use Flash because there are some legitimate issues and a simple HTML site with good design is just as effective.

Robert
--
http://www.streamlinestudio.com

I think you may be misreading the issue with the background white.

I think there is nothing wrong at all with using white. I think the problem here is the lack of interest in the layout and total lack of interest in the verbage and mundane 'logo'.

I would lose 80% of the words, hire someone to design an appropriate logo and then design the pages with a little more sophisticated layout. The images need to be larger and the type smaller.

As for the photos, my only beef at this point is the crooked horizons and converging verticals on the architectural images. But that's because that's all I shoot...

--

'Hmmm, I wonder what deep thought might convince these guys I am some kind of artist...'
http://www.jimroofcreative.com

I think it is an improvement on the original you showed before. that guy has a good point about less text and more image on the first page... maybe large and singular to attract attention... not loads of small images.

Mike,

Trying this again...but very limited.

I just replied with a 3 page reply and it did not appear. Obviously, there are bugs in these forums. I'm not going to retype my three pages. If you'd like my response, feel free to send me a PM and I'll revisit and review again.