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Archive 2013 · critique my new site please

  
 
SeanP
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · critique my new site please


hello all,

i haven't posted in a long time but still been lurking occasionally. hoping to get some feedback on my updated website-- i used to have a separate domain for my wedding stuff but considering i do virtually no commercial work anyways (and i didn't want to pay for another aphotofolio site) i decided to consolidate everything.

I also raised my prices (first to 3k + then wimped out and brought them down a bit) and i was really selective about the main section of photos, but also included a featured wedding for some breadth-- at least this was my intent.

any feedback and/or comments welcome. i still need a nice pro photo of myself in the about section which I realize, and i'm considering doing a FAQ but I'm not sure yet. thanks in advance

wwww.seanperagine.com



Feb 25, 2013 at 09:02 PM
jneilosu
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · critique my new site please


1) the grain is distracting in my opinion, especially at such large image sizes. but that's just preference (i do like grain, for the record)

2) move image 3 to 1st.

3) move the image of the flower girl smiling way up

4) move the "other work" tab to bottom after contact. Most brides will only be distracted by it. it's totally different than your wedding style

5) remove the about tab until you have an image or something that gives it more life. looks like an image isn't loading it's so blank.

6) the pictures showing by your pricing tab in no way relate to the brand shown on the homepage. ditch them.

7) contact tab is good. consider combining with pricing tab text but keeping contact tab images.

intentionally critical. take it properly.



Feb 25, 2013 at 09:16 PM
hardlyboring
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · critique my new site please


it did not load for me...


Feb 25, 2013 at 10:51 PM
jcolman
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · critique my new site please


Not loading for me either.


Feb 25, 2013 at 10:56 PM
maxwell1295
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · critique my new site please


Loads quickly and looks really clean and easy to navigate.


Feb 25, 2013 at 11:08 PM
johnrg
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · critique my new site please


It's loading fine for me. I think Josh made some helpful points.


Feb 25, 2013 at 11:22 PM
jforkner
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · critique my new site please


I'd give some consideration to using HTML5 vs. Flash. Some Apple products (and there are a few out there) will not run Flash.


Jack



Feb 26, 2013 at 08:13 AM
SeanP
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · critique my new site please


Great advise jneilosu, noted. And thanks to everyone else.

Wondering if anyone else is distracted by the grain? The website applies somewhat aggressive sharpening which makes it stand out more than usual I think.

I would prefer HTML 5 but it's aphotopholio template so I don't think I have a choice. Something I plan on lookin into though. They do offer a new template in HTML 5 but I like the design of the one I use now



Feb 26, 2013 at 08:25 AM
DigMeTX
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · critique my new site please


I like the grain on the opening photo. In my own processing I don't add grain to color photos and if it were me I'd feel like it was overboard to deliver but my gut reaction was that it gives it a nice texture and a warm fuzzy feeling. Also, for that reason I think it's a good opening photo.

brad



Feb 26, 2013 at 08:47 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · critique my new site please


Loads fine on Internet Explorer, which is the most popular web browser in the United States.


Feb 27, 2013 at 12:15 AM
JonMold
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · critique my new site please


Navigation was a little funny. Loaded fast but trying to click and flick through the images on the homepage was slow to respond, maybe loading images in the background?

Loved you 'other work' portfolio, very nice use of studio light




Feb 27, 2013 at 10:52 AM
NYstyles
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · critique my new site please


D. Diggler wrote:
Loads fine on Internet Explorer, which is the most popular web browser in the United States.


Firefox and Chrome are used the most. Google it, Chrome is the highest from multiple sources by a large amount. IE blows.

It loaded fine for me on Firefox.



Feb 27, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Ian Ivey
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · critique my new site please


It's a common oversight: you don't tell the viewer where you are (where you live, where you work) either on the home page or on the contact page. I think we sometimes miss this because we know where we live, so it doesn't occur to us that others finding our web site might live a thousand miles away.

You should recite your location (and desired shooting locations, if they differ or if you have a target range of locations) as many times in text on your site as you can.



Feb 27, 2013 at 11:23 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · critique my new site please


NYstyles wrote:
Firefox and Chrome are used the most. Google it


I did:

http://gs.statcounter.com/#browser-US-monthly-201201-201301

When you look at worldwide, Chrome is in the lead. But looking at just the US, it's Internet Explorer.


And I must say, those stats (from StatCounter) that I linked above closely match my own website stats:

Internet Explorer: 44% (my site), 41% (StatCounter US)

Chrome: 20% (my site), 27% (StatCounter US)

Safari: 14% (my site), 15% (StatCounter US)

Firefox: 10% (my site), 17% (StatCounter US)



Feb 27, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Ian Ivey
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · critique my new site please


I noticed the grain, but I can't rule out the possibility that I noticed it only because I glanced at the first response saying it was distracting, so I'm not sure I would have called it out. I don't think brides are going to shriek in horror, run to the corner, sit down on the floor, and mutter "the grain, the grain, the grain" while they rock and suck their thumbs. But it does seem to be a prominent aspect of your processing style based on that sample.


Feb 27, 2013 at 11:27 AM
sfr002
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · critique my new site please


Page looks great! My only comment is to word wrap the text on the about me page.

Like this:
Thanks for visiting my website. I'm a native New England photographer, having grown up
in southern NH, and I studied photography at Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls,
MA. When I photograph a wedding I look for great light, emotion, and unexpected moments--
I want your photographs to be natural and to tell a story that you can relive whenever you look back at them.
I try not to take myself too seriously, but I am serious about taking superb photos of
your wedding and making it look easy.

I'm available for a limited number of weddings a year and will travel just about anywhere.
Please contact me if you have any questions.

As oppose to it running the length of the screen kinda difficult on widescreen just my 2 cents.



Feb 28, 2013 at 03:57 PM
jefferies1
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · critique my new site please


I like the site and really like your chef photo. You do have nice images showing. Really think you need to be seen on Ipads and phones. Drop the flash and find something in HTML. Over 50% of my clients are using Ipads/phones. Face it if someone has extra money they already have an Ipad and are using it. Those are your future clients.


Feb 28, 2013 at 04:15 PM
SeanP
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · critique my new site please


thanks everyone.

I'm going to look into getting this converted into html5, if that's possible. i agree mobile is just going to become more important



Mar 01, 2013 at 12:59 PM
abadass
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · critique my new site please


right off the bat, I thought your website was broken, but it finally loaded after 10 seconds. could be a deal breaker. I'm not a fan of flash sites but it looks great; simple, clean, easy to navigate.

you could look into a wordpress.org site and purchase a portfolio theme from Graph Paper Press. They have a lot of clean themes and they are responsive for mobile devices.



Mar 01, 2013 at 02:51 PM





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