Ready For Website Critique

[DivotMaker]

Ok, finally got my website to a point where I feel it is worthy of some constructive critique.

I value the opinions here, and would like to hear all you have to offer.


Spontaneous Creations



TIA for taking the time.

[Jim Poor]

It took a full minute before I even started seeing a picture, then the transitions were choppy as the files loaded.

Is there a portfolio there other than the home page slide show?

Personally, and I know a lot of folks will disagree, but clicking on a word like "boutique" and then being taken to a very NOT boutique site like Zenfolio or SmugMug really kills it for me. Boutique is special, unique, high end - Zenfolio is none of those things.

Openly soliciting TFCD work on your site screams amateur.

[katia]

music on websites makes me want to kill things.

yes, there is a mute button, but when i'm listening to music i don't want to think..."hey, what the hell is up with these weird noises! it sounds like something is playing in the background, must be one of those darn popups!!!"

and call me lazy, but no. i don't want to click a mute button for music that should not be playing in the first place.

other than that i think it's a decent website. a little bit slow but of course that could be my internet connection. my website is a little slow, too.

[AnonymousKiwi1]

I like the look of your site. I think the Love Notes idea is cute.

I have no problem with the Zenfolio site. I'm in the process of creating one myself. Though I might suggest you pay the $90 to buy the pro account so you can use your own domain.
I really think that unless your clients have trawled 100 sites looking for you, they are unlikely to be troubled by the template.

I also found loading very slow - but that's only because my kids have used up our bandwidth for the month and I'm now working at dial up speed.

I had my machine muted, so didn't get the muzac. If it's there, I'd suggest loosing it.

I like the images that I saw. I don't have the patience to wait while dial up produces any more.

[DivotMaker]

Thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate the feedback.

I will make some changes....

Jim, (and others), can I ask what browser you are using?

Thanks again, I really appreciate the feedback.

[SusanH1970]

The pictures were taking forever to load for me, too. I'm using Firefox.

[DivotMaker]

Thanks Susan. I appreciate the time.

Firefox is one of the browsers I haven't tried.

I will work on it.

Thanks again.

[BigFuzzy]

Some thoughts after a quick glance.

Don't like the Login Form on the left of the main page, it's distracting to me. My eyes went there before every going to your images, which for me also load slow.

Why say "contact us" and then "about me"? It's either US or WE, but not both. Not to sound harsh but I personally find it cheesy to refer to one dude as a "we" as if that makes people thinks it's a large studio or something.

You say "I am "for hire" for any number of projects. Portraits, Corporate Media, Product Roll-outs, Portfolios and many more. See my "Services" tab, or contact me directly for rates." but your "Services" section only notes that you do portrait/wedding work. Yet you have two photos of people and not a single one of weddings (though I may have missed it). Nothing about your site says to me you take portraits.

Maybe you're not done yet, but if you're going to sell yourself as a portraitist/wedding photog, you must have images showing what you can do in those genres. Your front page slider shows nothing in terms of the styles you say you can do (at least the images I saw). Not saying they're bad photos (in fact they're nice), just they have nothing to do with selling you as a photographer that does the things he claims in the "Services"

Same goes with "Corportate media" and "product roll-outs" and "portfolios" as there's nothing showing me, the potential client, that you can actually do those things. Same goes for your Zenfolio page where you note you're a digital artist.. i don't see anything that I think of when I think Digital Art, but granted, we may have different ideas of what that means.

Not sure how the following statement fits into a professional selling his services:
"I appreciate the time and interest others take in my work, and value opinions, positive or negative. Through such communication I am able to further enhance my skills and, hopefully, bring more enjoyment to others."
It just seems a bit out of place, but maybe others don't feel that way.


In the end, it's not a bad website, but I just don't feel that what you claim to do is backed up by what the client is able to see from your site. I'd not hire or even call you to do my portraits or wedding with not one image to back it up.

I hope that helps?

[DivotMaker]

Thanks BigFuzzy

Great advice. You brought up some great points.

I did some tweaks.


Can I ask about load time, browser?

[BigFuzzy]

You're welcome.
I'm on IE 7, but on a large network with not always blazing connection speed.

I just looked at your site again, and the images on the slider would move onto the next one before even fully showing the previous image. How many images are on the slider? I don't think you should have more than 10 or so because, how much time do people spend sitting there looking at your homepage slider? It's somthing I have to work on as well. i want to limit it to 10 "boooyah" in your face images and hopefully they'll move to the portfolios next.