New Website Feedback

[nickbedford]

Hi guys,

Thanks to @toddowyoung's post about a great WordPress theme site for photographers, I consequently revamped my website from the static Portfolio only site to a full blown WordPress driven photography site with articles and notes about each shoot and whatnot.

I've posted a bunch of previous shoots to the site to fill it up with content and they'll keep coming.

What do you guys think?

Nick Bedford, Photographer

[Niresangwa]

I liked the homepage, i liek how simple it is.

couple of things though...

(re)move the "gear" tab - is that important that it has to be in there, especially as the second section? I've never liked gear lists, especially displayed so prominently...maybe write a blog post about your gear, so its there if someone really cares to look, but thats about as far as i would go...

secondly, i kind of wished it was easier to see all posted images in one shot, rather than getting the the gallery then having to scroll through them with a click each time... if they can't all be displayed at a decent size as in most blog posts, can you get a simple slideshow script or something?

while i realise youre probably going to re-vamp and elaborate in your "about me" section, it left me feeling a little cold... compared to how much personality comes through in your DPS posts, it was absent here. again, maybe just a placeholder, but still... i didn't really get the second paragraph either - how does being a fan of both color and black and white equate to thinking outside the box? Sorry.. square. Given the absence of an image on that page though, i'm probably jumping the gun and you havent done much work on this page yet, however.

as far as your text content goes, there really isn't a call to action for the reader.. its very passive in its tone.

I wasn't a fan of going to your portfolio, and despite the great banners for each section, then being shunted off to Flickr...

..speaking of that, if i click a link i know if going to take me somewhere else (facebook, flickr) i prefer it to open in another tab, not the same one i'm in... thats just my preference however..

overall, i like it alot Nick, i just think it needs some moderate tweaking. it didnt feel all that intuitive to use... the only other gripe being the scant content, which i'm sure you'll address once you have a good grip on it and nail the functionality side..

[nickbedford]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

I liked the homepage, i liek how simple it is.

couple of things though...

(re)move the "gear" tab - is that important that it has to be in there, especially as the second section? I've never liked gear lists, especially displayed so prominently...maybe write a blog post about your gear, so its there if someone really cares to look, but thats about as far as i would go...

secondly, i kind of wished it was easier to see all posted images in one shot, rather than getting the the gallery then having to scroll through them with a click each time... if they can't all be displayed at a decent size as in most blog posts, can you get a simple slideshow script or something?

while i realise youre probably going to re-vamp and elaborate in your "about me" section, it left me feeling a little cold... compared to how much personality comes through in your DPS posts, it was absent here. again, maybe just a placeholder, but still... i didn't really get the second paragraph either - how does being a fan of both color and black and white equate to thinking outside the box? Sorry.. square. Given the absence of an image on that page though, i'm probably jumping the gun and you havent done much work on this page yet, however.

as far as your text content goes, there really isn't a call to action for the reader.. its very passive in its tone.

I wasn't a fan of going to your portfolio, and despite the great banners for each section, then being shunted off to Flickr...

..speaking of that, if i click a link i know if going to take me somewhere else (facebook, flickr) i prefer it to open in another tab, not the same one i'm in... thats just my preference however..

overall, i like it alot Nick, i just think it needs some moderate tweaking. it didnt feel all that intuitive to use... the only other gripe being the scant content, which i'm sure you'll address once you have a good grip on it and nail the functionality side..

Thanks. I definitely know the couple of issues with ease of use. I may go back and include the images directly in the post, not as the "Gallery" in a post as Wordpress puts it. The problem is that the theme (the best one out of the lot), doesn't have any sorta sidebar in posts which makes it all align to the left. Kinda bummed about it. I'd rather not post 950px wide images, just medium sized versions.

As for text content, I will probably go back and add more notes and what not. It's mainly to get it up and running and out there.

As for the portfolio, I agree. I just haven't figured out a way of having some sort of viewer or something.

Agree that the about page needs more work.

[nickbedford]

About page updated.

Nick Bedford, Photographer About

I don't really want to go on for too long on my about page. Just a couple of paragraphs is enough for me. The real meat is always in the portfolio. Granted, I need to get around to doing a new self portrait!

[nickbedford]

Portfolios are updated. Large crystal clear samples of my best work via sub pages. Works for me!

Also, I managed to find the Lightbox gallery plugin which changes galleries (the ones you were talking about) into easily viewable galleries using the Lightbox image viewer.

[OsmosisStudios]

Hate to say it, but looking through your portraits feels, to me, like looking through your best party shots.

The rest of the site is fine. I'd add your location on the Contact page. I'd also remove everything below the "comments" box on your pages. They serve no purpose. I realize its a common navigation trick,m but really only works on HUGE websites where its necessary: Your site isn't that big

[BK553]

I like the site. I think your portfolio is fine, more magazine alcohol ad than party pictures. I like the bright colors too, Mine is crazy dark right now, as soon as I have time it's next on my to-do list.

[nickbedford]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Hate to say it, but looking through your portraits feels, to me, like looking through your best party shots.

The rest of the site is fine. I'd add your location on the Contact page. I'd also remove everything below the "comments" box on your pages. They serve no purpose. I realize its a common navigation trick,m but really only works on HUGE websites where its necessary: Your site isn't that big

That's fair, but then a lot of my work isn't in a studio. And what about candid? Can people not showcase candid photos? I do more than just photographs of people sitting in front of a backdrop.

I do parties, gigs (including shots backstage), and a lot of my subjects/bands are my friends too. For what I photograph, I think my portfolio selection (read below) is just fine and I'm quite proud of it. It shows I can take good photos in a variety of situations.

I must admit I have left out vertically orientated shots as they would be quite large to fit the width of the site. I'll look into maybe doing some landscape crops of my best vertical "people" shots.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by nickbedford

That's fair, but then a lot of my work isn't in a studio. And what about candid? Can people not showcase candid photos? I do more than just photographs of people sitting in front of a backdrop.

I do parties, gigs (including shots backstage), and a lot of my subjects/bands are my friends too. For what I photograph, I think my portfolio selection (read below) is just fine and I'm quite proud of it. It shows I can take good photos in a variety of situations.

I must admit I have left out vertically orientated shots as they would be quite large to fit the width of the site. I'll look into maybe doing some landscape crops of my best vertical "people" shots.

I understand where you're coming from, but the problem is the way the party shots are interlaced with what look like planned photoshoot photos. If you're trying to show that you can cover events, then make a new section in your portfolio for "commercial" or "events" work.

[nickbedford]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I understand where you're coming from, but the problem is the way the party shots are interlaced with what look like planned photoshoot photos. If you're trying to show that you can cover events, then make a new section in your portfolio for "commercial" or "events" work.

You make a good point, thanks. I like the way the main categories are separated (bands, people in colour, people in black and white) but will separate them under titles, "Portraits", "Functions/Parties" and the like.

I guess the main thing is that my portfolio doesn't yet have a great deal of "magazine fodder" simply because the opportunities haven't arisen yet (I've only been photographing altogether since July). Some of those non-party portraits were also done during band shoots too, such as the first B&W portrait (http://www.nickbedford.com/wp-conten...awr_122422.jpg).

I've been stocking up on flash lighting gear (2 wireless Yongnuo Speedlites and a soft box to be precise) and the next six months is where I really hope to branch out into to those types of shoots, using the soft box and back lighting my subjects/bands.