Take a look at my site? Pretty Please! :)

[PixelGun]

It's facebook and zenfolio - I don't review those.
But when I clicked it, it did appear slow to load - before I left

What exactly was meant by that statement about you dont review zenfolio?

[Biomech]

Basically, I don't bother critiquing peoples "websites" when they are just accounts on established web services.

It would be like me buying a new Audi and then asking everyone to critique its look and performance.
Or asking people to critique my facebook profile.

[Aatos]

Hi all!

So i have been on and off these boards for about a year now and feel like I have improved in my photography by leaps and bounds. If anyone could please check out my pages and leave some constructive criticism I would greatly appreciate it! and feel free to like my facebook page if you wish! PLEASE and THANKS!!

https://www.facebook.com/ReneeAshPhotography

http://reneeashphotography.zenfolio.com

It is clear where your love lies. Every photo I saw is about joy in people, and you have captured that very well. Lighting is great, but I would have not clipped some of the edges quite so closely - my eye is drawn to the missing bit of an arm or ear too often. The only criticism I can find.

Have you considered looking at the unhappier moments, drawing out different emotions? Perhaps that is not your thing. I do both. I look for love of life, or everyday humdrum, or great sadness, always trying to tell the story.

I hope to see more of your work.

[PixelGun]

Basically, I don't bother critiquing peoples "websites" when they are just accounts on established web services.

It would be like me buying a new Audi and then asking everyone to critique its look and performance.
Or asking people to critique my facebook profile.

Oh ok, I forgot Word Press websites are so original!

[Biomech]

Same with wordpress templates. If someone else made it, you can't really ask people to critique it as your own work.

I'm guessing you're not, but if you are referring to the last website critique I requested, I hand coded the site and then designed and hand coded the WP skin to match

When I replace my other site later this week with a premade theme, I won't be asking for critique

Things like "Are there enough photos", "does it show a good range of photos" etc, that's fair enough.

[sarahashleyphotos]

Basically, I don't bother critiquing peoples "websites" when they are just accounts on established web services.

It would be like me buying a new Audi and then asking everyone to critique its look and performance.
Or asking people to critique my facebook profile.

Sure they are not from scratch websites but they are very customizable so why not critique them? Text, link, and border colors can be changed. You can add your own image for a background. You can even create custom pages and add your own iframes and html. There are several layout choices which I see the op has not really looked at since the gallery pages are default. Websites should be critiqued on color choice and layout design both of which are customizable with zenfolio.

[Biomech]

But only customisable to a degree, after you've seen 20,000 wix or zenfolio sites, they all look the same and it's just something I get bored of looking at

[MattEthan]

Whilst I don't quite agree with Biomech, I would tend to agree that it would be a good idea to have a 'proper' self hosted site, as you fully own it, and are fully in charge of it - your site can't then put prices up, or change the way it disseminates your marketing efforts I'd advise to do this as soon as you can.

I think your logo is really nice, and your images seem to work together. Just watch out for text formatting in Firefox, OSX the text is not centred.

Hope that helps!

[PixelGun]

But only customisable to a degree, after you've seen 20,000 wix or zenfolio sites, they all look the same and it's just something I get bored of looking at

Something like your photography?

So why make a umbrella statement basically insulting the 20,000 Wix and Zenfolio users/customers?

Using a word press engine and pre-designed template is the same thing as using Zen or Wix but apparently editing the css or using an HTML editor makes it a hand coded in your head.

funny sh@t

[PixelGun]

Sure they are not from scratch websites but they are very customizable so why not critique them? Text, link, and border colors can be changed. You can add your own image for a background. You can even create custom pages and add your own iframes and html. There are several layout choices which I see the op has not really looked at since the gallery pages are default. Websites should be critiqued on color choice and layout design both of which are customizable with zenfolio.

Well said Sarah