Please critique my web site - DPChallenge Forums

09/25/2008 03:32:43 PM · #1

I've had my web site up and running for a couple of months, but just finished a overhaul of it..What do you think?

I'm hosting on GoDaddy, using exposuremanager to sale prints, and wordpress.org for blogging. I've tried to integrate all 3 into a seamless web site and have done all the work myself.

My web site

Don't be easy on me...I need your critical dpchallenge eyes!

AJSullivan

09/25/2008 03:34:59 PM · #2

My only thing is a simple style thing...in the header (great shot by the way), the font just seems to plain. You want your name to stand out just as much as your images do, so maybe try doing something with a little flourish to it?

Jason_Cross

Nikon D50

09/25/2008 03:36:39 PM · #3

It looks good, and the main page is nice and clean. The gallery that takes you to full screen has the header a bit messy. You can see the line where it looks like it was stitched together and blended maybe?

Mind if I borrow some of the sweet textures?

timfythetoo

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

09/25/2008 03:40:34 PM · #4

Looks very nice. One issue I have is when you open a print to order. The list of sizes and prices are so tiny I cant read them.

And your header ROCKS!

ETA - Yeah - the header text could be something a bit more dramatic - but the image and the way you strecthed the sky is a thing of beauty.

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 15:41:19.

09/25/2008 03:48:30 PM · #5

Thanks all....I fixed the tiny text. The problem with the stitching on the gallery site is with how exposuremanager deals with the header...I'm gonna have to work on that.

I'll also think about how to make the text a little more "fancy".

Jason, you can have any texture you want. If you need full res just let me know and I'll send it.

Jessi

Mamiya 645Pro TL

Mamiya 80mm f/2.8

09/25/2008 04:09:08 PM · #6

I like it! The only thing I would change is to reverse the header so that it's more balanced.

Jason_Cross

Nikon D50

09/25/2008 04:12:37 PM · #7

Thanks! I love textures.

09/25/2008 04:37:53 PM · #8

Thanks Jessie, I agree it needs some balance on the header, but I can't put Samuel on the other side because I have to be able to extend the background to the right for high resolution screens. I thought about moving the text over to that side, but it doesn't look as clean.

Jason, the best place to get my textures is right here on dpchallenge. I have right click disabled in the galleries so you wouldn't be able to get them (easily) over there. My texture gallery is at:

//www.dpchallenge.com/portfolio_mgr.php?collection_id=26151

I've done very little with textures, but I did play around the other day with one and made this:

I used "dirt"

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 16:41:29.

Jessi

Mamiya 645Pro TL

Mamiya 80mm f/2.8

09/25/2008 04:42:07 PM · #9

Originally posted by jasonlprice:

Could you tell it to align-right and then extend the background to the left...? I don't know what your code for this looks like...hmm.

ETA: Looked at your source. I fail at tables, but I'm pretty sure it's possible with

.

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 16:44:17.

Jason_Cross

Nikon D50

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

09/25/2008 05:01:35 PM · #10

Very cool.

Nathanael_G

Nikon D300

09/25/2008 09:37:42 PM · #11

I like it! The first thing that jumps out at me is the fantastic banner image. The next thing that draws my attention is the featured image (also very nice). Your photography stand outs.
The only thing that I saw that you might want to change is in the gallery "Art" all the image titles are i.e. IMG_23497. But other than that, it's a nice page. Love the shot 'Expectations', btw. FANTASTIC.

_Nathanael

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

09/26/2008 09:37:53 AM · #12

Thanks Jessie, that is a great tip....I'll have to give it a try and see if it will work. I don't see why it wouldn't. The only thing I'm not sure about is with Samuel on the right side of the banner it would be on different parts of the page in different areas of the site. In other words, in my galleries that are full page and wide the image would be moving around whereas it can be anchord on the left...does that make since? Anyway, I'm definately going to try it and see what it looks like.

Nathanael, thanks so much for the compliments and suggestions. I'll fix the titles in the art gallery asap. I'm going to have to start uploading more photos in there anyway and possibly dividing it up into sections as it grows.

Thanks again for everyone's comments, they have all be very helpful.

david_c

Canon EOS-7D

09/26/2008 09:51:48 AM · #13

mailto:jasonlprice@yahoo.com

not

mailto://jasonlprice@yahoo.com

I like the simplicity. The image on your banner is awesome, but you've had to save at too low a quality level, there's some JPEG artifacts. The image currently on your from page (In Mother's Arms) looks like you constrained the image to a size other than the original...i.e. the img tag tells the browser to put a 640x480 image in to a 560x380 space, and any browser has a hard time rendering that correctly. Either make the image to the size that will fit in your table, or don't constrain it at all.

Message edited by author 2008-09-26 09:52:06.

mchalmers

Nikon D90

09/26/2008 10:20:34 AM · #14

I like the simplicity of it. It's nice and clean.

I would echo the statement about your header font. It's much too plain and clashes with the great photos.

I would suggest in your Gallery section, giving the user an indication that it's a locked password protected section BEFORE the user clicks on it.. Even if it's as simple as a lock icon in the corner of the wedding image. Users don't typically like performing an action, THEN being told that they're not allowed to.

My only other suggestion would be to change your E-Mail address on your site. Not sure about your web hosting package, but typically you're given the option to set up a forwarding address from your domain to an existing E-Mail address. If you set up, say, 'jason@jasonlprice.com' which forwards to jasonlprice@yahoo.com, it would look MUCH more professional. Free E-Mail accounts on business websites look amateurish.

My $0.02CAD.