Website Critiques

[new hobby]

Looking for website critiques. Be honest, I can take it

Thanks

[new hobby]

Well my first response would be...what is the site...duh.
darn computer keyboard haha

www.jennylynnphotographystore.com

[CarissaLyn]

Honestly my first thing, before I even get into it, is I would really highly recommend against music that starts automatically playing. If I was a potential client, it would turn me off to a site right away. 10 Reasons Websites Should Not Play Music - ZigPress

Also, if I stop the music, it restarts every time I change a page. Which means I can't even finish reviewing it right now.

[graciousness]

Good Morning Jenny,

Am afraid I have to be honest here. About the website:

- that music turns me off. I really don't like the use of music with websites and it's not necessary. I would highly recommend taking it out, or at least leaving an option to have it off.

- did you use flash or jquery? If it's flash, I would recommend NOT to use flash as your portfolio won't be seen on many mobile devices.

- It took a while for the page to load. People with slower internet speed will get irked waiting for the page to load.

- Your pricing as a professional photographer is way low. I always believe, however, that self confidence is always reflected with the way people price their services.

Aside from that, the site is clean and not difficult to navigate. So good on that

I don't know if you also asked critique on the photos. But I will give it, anyway.

Your photos have focussing and white balance issues. The composition is not quite there, either and a bit all over the place especially with groups. Everyone is always dead centre and I haven't seen a bit more creative and more please composition with your subjects. The colours, aside from white balance, are flat. The black and white photos are a bit more gray, really, than black and white.

I actually don't think you are quite ready yet to be offering professional services - but I do think that with more practice and hard work that in a year, you will get there.

I apologise if I sound too straight forward and harsh.......I'm really genuinely wanting for you to reconsider waiting for several more months, at least, until you start offering your services. Especially weddings. Your reputation is at stake and if you continue to offer services at the level that you are at now, you won't last long. I do think it's better to have a little bit more patience and practice, wait until your work gets to an 'amazing' level and not just 'good' level that friends and family tell you they are.

I hope this helps somewhat. I know it's going to be a disappointing response, but I had to be honest.

Grace.-

[dakwegmo]

We should probably implement rules for website critiques similar to the photo critique forum. It would be very helpful if you could tell us what, in particular you want critiqued. The template is fine, but looks like just about everyone else using a blue domain template. It's flash based, which works to your disadvantage for a number of reasons, but I'm sure others will point those out. Just be aware that Flash and Music playing on your website are things that people tend to have very strong opinions about. Personally, I don't like either, but I'm not your target audience. I will say that you will need a commercial license to use any most music on your website. Using an MP3 to sell your photos is the same as having someone else take one of your photos and put it on their website to sell your services without your permission.

Also, the only place on your website that I get any clue as to where you are located when you give your phone number on the contact page, and even then the only thing that I know is that you own a phone with a 205 area code

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by graciousness

Good Morning Jenny,

Am afraid I have to be honest here. About the website:

- that music turns me off. I really don't like the use of music with websites and it's not necessary. I would highly recommend taking it out, or at least leaving an option to have it off.

- did you use flash or jquery? If it's flash, I would recommend NOT to use flash as your portfolio won't be seen on many mobile devices.

- It took a while for the page to load. People with slower internet speed will get irked waiting for the page to load.

- Your pricing as a professional photographer is way low. I always believe, however, that self confidence is always reflected with the way people price their services.

Aside from that, the site is clean and not difficult to navigate. So good on that

I don't know if you also asked critique on the photos. But I will give it, anyway.

Your photos have focussing and white balance issues. The composition is not quite there, either and a bit all over the place especially with groups. Everyone is always dead centre and I haven't seen a bit more creative and more please composition with your subjects. The colours, aside from white balance, are flat. The black and white photos are a bit more gray, really, than black and white.

I actually don't think you are quite ready yet to be offering professional services - but I do think that with more practice and hard work that in a year, you will get there.

I apologise if I sound too straight forward and harsh.......I'm really genuinely wanting for you to reconsider waiting for several more months, at least, until you start offering your services. Especially weddings. Your reputation is at stake and if you continue to offer services at the level that you are at now, you won't last long. I do think it's better to have a little bit more patience and practice, wait until your work gets to an 'amazing' level and not just 'good' level that friends and family tell you they are.

I hope this helps somewhat. I know it's going to be a disappointing response, but I had to be honest.

Grace.-

My thoughts as well, you beat me to it!

[AceCo55]

Originally Posted by CarissaLyn

Honestly my first thing, before I even get into it, is I would really highly recommend against music that starts automatically playing. If I was a potential client, it would turn me off to a site right away. 10 Reasons Websites Should Not Play Music - ZigPress

Also, if I stop the music, it restarts every time I change a page. Which means I can't even finish reviewing it right now.

+1 Couldn't stand having to turn off that darn music whenever I went to a new page. Lasted three pages and had to navigate away from the website.

[RyanSandsPhotography]

This will be a quick and easy review

1. Flash is a NO NO...iPads and iPhones can't view your site and thats all that matters. Flash is a battery hogging, resource sucking piece of crap and should never ever be used for any reason whatsoever.

2. Music on a website is just awful. What happens if someone is listening to their own music on their computer or if they are at work secretly viewing your website. Take that music off your site when you ultimately redesign.

3. Where are you even located? Not once on your site did I find a piece of information that could tell me where you work out of. How do I even know you are near me if I don't know what state and town you are in.

4. You need a better bio and a few photographs of yourself on your website. Clients wants to see what their photographer looks like. In your new bio talk about things that matter to the client. Nobody cares that your passionate about photography. Clients care about you adding value to their lives and their photographs. Talk about that and not about yourself.

5. Your photographs are just fine. No need to worry about those at this point. It's your website thats truly hurting you.

6. Your portrait session prices are insanely low. Again I'm not even sure where you are located but I'm about 100% positive you turn no profit with those prices. When you really do a business plan and count up all the hours and expenses you have your probably losing money. For instance I charge $375 for a 1-2 hour session with a DVD and 15-20 "facebook ready" images. And even my prices are on the low side for my area. Your at $125 for the same thing and I bet with the "1-2 locations" your doing WAY more work then me.

7. Same goes with your wedding coverage pricing. Just way too low. Figure out a way to work less and make more. Your only going to run yourself into the ground.

So yea if I sound harsh I'm really not trying to be. Just as honest and helpful as I can be

-Ryan-

[new hobby]

thanks for all to comments, good and bad .

I will make the adjusments to the music, etc.. as far as a flash site, there is a mirror site that works with all apple product etc. so it can be seen on ipod, ipad and iphone.

the about me, I will re-organize.

As far as the pricing, I am trying to market myself to those people who want a session with a photographer, but are unable to pay $300 -$400, like myself. I am looking to raise pricing some when I get more experience under my belt. I have doing this 1 1/2 years so I admit I am still learning.

As far as the photo quality, I know I have some more to learn, but I think I'm doing pretty darn good so far.

thanks for all the input !!