New photographer do's and don't when creating a web presence/business

[BigFuzzy]

Have had this topic on my mind for a while, so now that I'm on my way to the airport, I have a bit of time to post my very quick thoughts.. please forgive any babbling!

I see so many websites and comments here that make me think that some people (myself included) don’t realize how amateurish they seem (in my humble opinion) when we do/say some of the things we do/say.

Tips to keep in mind to help minimize your looking like an amateur before you consider building a website and calling yourself a photographer.

So, besides taking awesome photos, here are a few thing you can consider that will help you start to minimize your amateur-ness in the eyes of the outside observer/client!

I’ll keep adding to this post as I think of/see new things that need to be addressed!

• Don’t have an @hotmail or @gmail address as your ‘business’ address. If your business is “awesomephotos.com” you better have a joe@awesomephotos.com address. Jprb1920054@hotmail.com pretty much screams, “I suck”

• Please please please don’t talk about “capturing memories” “freezing moments in time” “special moments” yadda yadda yadda.. you and every other amateur use this language.. Tell (or more importantly, SHOW) the client what you’re actually going to do to make your photos better than others, none of this vague “don’t lose your cherished moments” crap. That’s exactly what you’re being paid to do.. it’s like a mechanic saying, “I’ll fix your car”.. no sh!t, really?

• Get an actual website that isn’t a cookie cutter one that everyone can get for free. Do you want your clients to think the best you can do is an obviously free website? And if you do use a service, make sure their logo isn’t on your site. If your website is free, but allows you enough customizing options to not make it look like every other schmuck with a camera’s website, then it’s allowed.

• Don’t tell us in your “about me” section that you have a bunch of degrees in stuff other than photography.. that’s like saying “I do something else for a living, but I do photography when I can” That translates into “amateur” or “guy/gal with camera who wants to be a photographer when I have time” Don’t talk about “I just got my camera and am learning how to use it” Do you really want someone to know you just got a camera and are beginning. Let your actual work speak for your skill. Your words should only enhance the confidence the client gets by looking at your images.

• Don’t ever ever everuse white vignetting around photos, that was left behind in the 80’s Be careful with selective coloring.. it’s really difficult to do well. If in doubt, just avoid it. (disclaimer: these two are my personal taste, ignore at will) And if you cut and paste a portrait and put it in a champagne glass, put down your camera and step away from it, you don’t deserve it.

• Put prices on your website. You have no idea how many potential clients you’re losing by not having them listed so the client can compare/consider whether you’re worth calling in the first place. (guilty of not having it myself, working on it!)

• As much as I love it, Flickr is NOT good enough to be your “portfolio”

• Do not use your website (cookie-cutter or not) as a depository for ALL your images.

• Avoid using watermarks that take away from the viewing pleasure of your images.

• Do NOT use “we” when it’s obvious there is only one person in the business. If you’re business is Joe Smith Photography, don’t use WE sounds pretentious especially when nothing else on your site makes note of there being someone else other than you employed there. If your business is “Awesome photo studio”, then you might be able to get away with it since it’s not obvious there’s just you taking photos.

• If your website says you are a “portrait, family, wedding and event photographer” make damn sure you have a portfolio showing you can actually take all those types of photos.

• Perhaps the most important thing!!!: Get your portfolio right. Don’t have your “portraits” section have 30 photos from the same photo shoot. Have variety. Show you’ve done more than just a few candid snapshots of your fam/friends, chances are, they aren't that good no matter what your mommy says. Read on the web about building a nice portfolio and use other actual professional photographers websites as a clue on what to do with your portfolio.

• Keep the portfolio numbers down. It’s rare that people want to see a portfolio with more than 20-40 images in each category. Put only your best.. if you don’t think it’s an amazing shot, neither will your client.

• Don't have a section, say "sports," with only one shot of a sporting even. I think 10 different images is the minimum. Different = not obviously the same shoot.

• Don’t have a blog and then never/rarely post on it! (oops guilty again!!)

• Remember, it’s all about your photos. Hit them with you best and leave them wanting to see more. That means the most important thing on your website is your images and how you present them. 400x600pixel images unacceptable.

• Have a photo of you somewhere on the site. A client will connect more with a face than simple some pretty words and promises.

I’d love to see this thread as clean as possible, so please, if possible, stay on topic if you comment. It's especially useful if you have something specific to ADD.

[NicoleScraps]

These are great tips. As a new photographer, thank you for posting this!
The only one that I mildly disagree with is this one.

• Don’t have an @hotmail or @gmail address as your ‘business’ address. If your business is “awesomephotos.com” you better have a joe@awesomephotos.com address. Jprb1920054@hotmail.com pretty much screams, “I suck”

Not because of me and my experience but because of my husband. He has run his own drafting business for over five years using ourlastname@ourinternetserviceprovider.com and has been just fine. In fact, most of his clients who are contractors of some sort have the same kind of email address, aol.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com, verizon.com, comcast.net, etc.
I don't think that part is as big of a deal as some of the other things you mentioned.
Again, just mildly disagreeing here. I think that anything that you can do to say "I don't suck" is a good thing.

Edited: I thought about this some more. With my husband and all of his clients that I mentioned, it is always their name or business name @ whatever domain.com. I can totally see how using an email address like onehotmamawithacamera @ yahoo.com might make you look at tad unprofessional.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

...And if you cut and paste a portrait and put it in a champagne glass, put down your camera and step away from it, you don’t deserve it.

Dang it that was my niche!

Seriously nice write up.
I'd add one more...
be sure and indicate where you are. I've looked at sites ony to find the studio is on the other side of the country...

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

These are great tips. As a new photographer, thank you for posting this!
The only one that I mildly disagree with is this one.


Not because of me and my experience but because of my husband. He has run his own drafting business for over five years using ourlastname@ourinternetserviceprovider.com and has been just fine. In fact, most of his clients who are contractors of some sort have the same kind of email address, aol.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com, verizon.com, comcast.net, etc.
I don't think that part is as big of a deal as some of the other things you mentioned.
Again, just mildly disagreeing here. I think that anything that you can do to say "I don't suck" is a good thing.

Edited: I thought about this some more. With my husband and all of his clients that I mentioned, it is always their name or business name @ whatever domain.com. I can totally see how using an email address like onehotmamawithacamera @ yahoo.com might make you look at tad unprofessional.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

[Photologyst]

Make sure that your site is professional looking in its design. Avoid weird colours like barf-green and pink, etc. or an all black site with difficult to read white blog text.

Keep it elegantly simple. Greys, blacks, beige, taupe with a spot of colour red or blue work well. Think primary colours. Use a colour chart if you need to.


Be consistent in your design. Less is more.

Wiggling Flash text or “click to enter” are annoying. Most people want to get in and out. If they have to fiddle too long, they will leave.

Do not use annoying music! If you must have music make sure there is a large, visible button on every page, so that people can turn it off.

Have a photo stream at the left with larger pix option in the center including a slide show.

Make sure that people can always get back “Home” from whatever place on your site.

Have your contact info on every page.

[aprillove20]

hi BigFussy,

i am very thankful for the wonderful info that you have shared.

indeed it help me a lot, im looking forward for you.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by aprillove20

hi BigFussy,

that's precious....

[nickbedford]

I pretty much agree with everything here! Great post.

Also, the bit about learning your camera etc. I just quickly went and deleted that :P I don't say I'm a pro but I don't I'm an amateur. What they don't know won't kill them if I can deliver on the most important part, the photos!

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by NicoleScraps

Not because of me and my experience but because of my husband. He has run his own drafting business for over five years using ourlastname@ourinternetserviceprovider.com and has been just fine. In fact, most of his clients who are contractors of some sort have the same kind of email address, aol.com, hotmail.com, gmail.com, verizon.com, comcast.net, etc.
I don't think that part is as big of a deal as some of the other things you mentioned.

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Agreed wholeheartedly.

Nicole - I agree that it's not a big element, in fact one of the smallest, but, to me at least, it's all part of the bigger image.
Os - I was surprised to see you didn't have superstud@os-am.com to be honest.

Originally Posted by zona5101

Dang it that was my niche!
be sure and indicate where you are. I've looked at sites ony to find the studio is on the other side of the country...

hehe and yes, good point.

Originally Posted by Photologyst

Avoid weird colours like barf-green.
Keep it elegantly simple. Greys, blacks, beige, taupe with a spot of colour red or blue work well.

hehe good to see you never give up. And yeah, I guess it's better to look just like every other cookie cutter website out there. So, didn't you say you were working on your own site a while back, care to share?

Originally Posted by aprillove20

hi BigFussy,

Originally Posted by zona5101

that's precious....

If she/he only knew how close it was to the truth.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by BigFuzzy

Nicole - I agree that it's not a big element, in fact one of the smallest, but, to me at least, it's all part of the bigger image.
Os - I was surprised to see you didn't have superstud@os-am.com to be honest.

You'll forgive me if I take offense to that.

I don't use e-mail all that much: most of my clients come from face-to-face meetings.