by the guys at RAWFolio yet again. Tim has done a bit of work for guys here at FM and I decided to post the site they just launched for me. I haven't posted to FM in a long time but thought I'd kick their name around for those interested in working with a group of talented designers for a new site. This was a move from BluDomain and a ProPhoto blog.
Website is amazing, the images aren't on par yet so don't fault them for that.
hey man. im happy that you're happy with the site I dunno what it is, but I'm usually only half impressed with
the work Rawfolio puts out.
regardless, here are a few tweaks that I think would improve your site currently
- the scrollers on the home page, if you can make them endless loops, I think that would be better
- the mouseover work on your buttons, the gaps between the lit sections are pretty large, it makes
it look thrown together imo.
- when you click portfolio, the category buttons up top are VERY hard to see. I missed them the first time.
I like the rest of it for the most part. I like the personalized about me page, and the contact me page looks
nice as well.
Maybe it's just me... but that's not inviting at all. I don't see potentials on it more than 30 seconds - mainly because of the home page; but if they go to a port, it's just as busy. The scrolling and back-to-back images are just too much going on.
The blog and contact layouts are simple and cool. They work. Get rid of the scrolling on the home page, make the front page top like the blog/contact with a simple slideshow below and I think you have something.
I wouldn't want big green arrows all over my images. On anything bigger than an iPad (ie: computer), I can't concentrate on a single image with everything going on. The side-to-side stuff is just not working for me. On the ports... a single shown image would be better.
Most people here will tell you; the more simple, the better.
Visually I think its distracting, sooo many images on the screen at once. I'd have the non-focus images grayed out or something, there's just a lot thats pulling me away, and I never really know whats the focus.
This is more of an information critique, but I didn't find the "about me" tiles very inviting. I thought it cheapened the presentation of the brand a bit. Especially how it starts with a blank page...just my opinion though.
Thanks Jason, I'll look into the loop and having the buttons stand out a bit.
Yes Jayson....go VCU
AM: Totally fine for your thoughts, appreciated. We all have our own likes/dislikes, it's what makes us who we are. I appreciate your thoughts though and input.
Spencer: Thanks for the comments. There is an investment button with price information.
It's always nice to see a fellow VCU alumni! Anyway, looking at your site on my iPad, the home page slideshow is a little clunky, like it seems to shake around and just isn't as smoothe as when I checked it out on the Mac with chrome.
Also, when I go to your info, blog, and other pages it automatically scrolls the top links out of the frame. I actually didn't even know they were there until you said something about it in response to SB. Again, when I looked in chrome it was fine. Maybe it's just my iPad but the site seemed a little clunky overall and I could see you loosing some visitors because they can't see your navigation links.
I do like the design and colors. Few tweaks for ios and you should be set.
JLinkowitz wrote:
Spencer: Thanks for the comments. There is an investment button with price information.
Yes and no. When I checked out your website initially, I looked at a few things and clicked on the Info link, and I remember thinking, "Ah, investment info." Went through your "About Me" section and then thought I'd check out your pricing. Couldn't find it. I remembered seeing it, but everywhere I looked, it wasn't there.
When I saw Spencer question it, and you said it was there, I went back -- and that's when I realized what happens. When you click on "Info", it defaults to "About Me", and automatically scrolls down to the slides about you. In doing that, the link to "Investment" disappears above your screen. True, if you look to the side you can see that you can scroll up.
But if some wedding photographers are having a hard time finding your Investment info, then I'd have to say it's a problem. We're usually pretty good at finding info on wedding photog sites.
I am not a fan of Rawfolio's work I have to say. For one thing, it's buggy (navigate the portfolio, click the arrows, use your keyboard arrows, pretty quick it will speed way up and it's suddenly like you're watching the portfolio version of Speed). I also find it distracting and feel like it tries too hard to impress with gimmicky BS nobody really cares about. There was a time when I would have thought it was awesome. I've grown up I suppose.
The sub-navigation is not intuitive at all as it moves outside of visible space and you have to scroll up to see it.
Image selection could probably be improved too - for example, shot of girl for 'Portraits' section she looks drunk with eyes half-closed, mid-blink or something.
TTLKurtis wrote:
not a fan of Rawfolio's work I have to say. For one thing, it's buggy
There's a fellow here [initial "h"] who has a Rawfolio site and, when I tried to go there a couple times, my Internet Explorer browser locked up both times.
I think their are a few bugs to work out still...but overall the site is consistent from page to page and I think clients will enjoy it.
The scrolling images are a little much for me but it is consistent on the site so I do not think people will mind it that much.
A few of the images in the top left right scroller are not sized right or are being weirded out by the window size...not sure what that is about.
Also I would make the investment section a little easier to get to.
I for one really like the work Rawfolio does.
Everyone needs to understand they for the most part make a completely custom site. The design elements he has are ones that he decided on. Not something rawfolio stuck him with just because. I have a RF site coming up pretty soon and mine is 100% different from his. Normally when you look at someones (a designers work) you can see trends etc. between pieces...in the case of RF their are some similarities but they are absolutely minute.
As far as navigation and buttons etc. go that can all be changed. As well as the blanked out image opacity on each side. I am going to throw down for RF because they have done HELLA good for me.
Anyway, I like the site. Not my style at all but I think clients will enjoy it. Making certain types of info easier to get to will help but overall it is consistent and "fun".
Doug
On an iPad in landscape orientation, The whole top row in portfolio is not visible and impossible to navigate to even, inless you tap the top of the screen. I didn't know the top row was there until i read the other comments here. Also the slide show goes in racing mode after a while....
Another thing is you may reconsider the portraits picture in top top row....
my first thought was "pretty neat homepage. i like it". I think that might look better centered than justified to the top of the screen.
i then clicked 'portfolio'. my first thought was "what just happened...where did all this 'stuff' come from?". I feel like while its relatively consistent with the homepage, its WAY busier. i also dont like how the page 'resets' from the homepage to the portfolio page. i think that having the images at the top of the page really distracts from the portfolio images. also, is there a way to turn off the auto slideshow in the port?
i then clicked 'info'. my first thought was "ok, its consistent, but its still too busy." on the 'getting to know james', is there suppose to be text there that you just havent added yet? i found the other slides (except for the one of your children) to be very cheap and very cheesey.
then i clicked 'blog'. my first thought was 'that looks good!'. i feel like the header helps here. my second thought after i scrolled down was 'ok, where is the rest?' i didnt realize that the header wasnt a header at all...it was weddings that had to be clicked in order to view other blog posts.
i'm an internet surfing nerd and see a lot of websites and photographer's websites. i think yours needs some work in terms of user interface. i think a simpler approach would help people get crucial information that they need from your site.
Thanks again everyone for the comments and buggy type of issues with it.
Having RF check into the page setting issue and why the scroll down is necessary on page as it does remove the top bar/navigation too far to the top. Also for the blog, having the name/date not be rollovers on the top.
Thanks everyone, this was all kinda expected and necessary once it got placed on my server so I could get input from others when it comes to the navigation/bugs.
hardlyboring wrote:
I think their are a few bugs to work out still...but overall the site is consistent from page to page and I think clients will enjoy it.
The scrolling images are a little much for me but it is consistent on the site so I do not think people will mind it that much.
A few of the images in the top left right scroller are not sized right or are being weirded out by the window size...not sure what that is about.
Also I would make the investment section a little easier to get to.
I for one really like the work Rawfolio does.
Everyone needs to understand they for the most part make a completely custom site. The design elements he has are ones that he decided on. Not something rawfolio stuck him with just because. I have a RF site coming up pretty soon and mine is 100% different from his. Normally when you look at someones (a designers work) you can see trends etc. between pieces...in the case of RF their are some similarities but they are absolutely minute.
As far as navigation and buttons etc. go that can all be changed. As well as the blanked out image opacity on each side. I am going to throw down for RF because they have done HELLA good for me.
Anyway, I like the site. Not my style at all but I think clients will enjoy it. Making certain types of info easier to get to will help but overall it is consistent and "fun".
Doug...Show more →
I pretty much agree with everything Doug said here.... most importantly, don't listen to any of us in terms of style... the style has to match your needs and what you deem as important to your brand. None of us really know that... all we are qualified to comment on is "ease of use" and "navigation ability". In that regard, I think there is some work to be done... to me it seems based on screen size... on my MBP, I didn't see several of the options when I first clicked a link.
Thanks Richard! You said it great. The design and style of it was on me, I like it. Do I expect everyone to? Not at all, that'd be impossible. I am really glad I posted here though and as you said, for the "ease of use" and "navigation ability" which is what I really wanted.
The screen size is my biggest concern right now, other things can be tweaked if desired but the screen size is def. causing some issues. Thanks
I dunno what it is, but I'm usually only half impressed with