Photography is so subjective its often difficult to really offer specific c&c. With the samples you've posted I get the impression you are billing yourself as a documentary photographer. Some of the posed shots don't really come off as very flattering and its not due to the subject matter but the flat lighting. Mastering this one aspect will go a long way in helping you sell your services.
best,
marc
I just called our web host and the server we are connected to is having memory problems. Our home page normally loads very quickly, less than two seconds.
What struck me as odd was to see your pricing list mentioning you shooting anniversaries, fund raisers, parties, and so on, yet your front page is an image of a cactus, the next few images are equally irrelevant, the image galleries are nested and hidden away, and when we go to the photos to purchase section (again, looking for samples of your work and services), only the very last section has anything to do with your services. If I'd be looking for someone to shoot my party, I wouldn't click on the image that has to do with a motorcycle. It came as a shock to see that section labeled events.
It was strange to have certain links attempt to pop open into a new window while others didn't. After a little browsing around, I had a bunch of tabs (I have Firefox set to open new windows as tabs) open of your site for no good reason.
When you left click on the main page image, like if you were trying to click through a splash page, you get an annoying copyright warning. When you right click, as if you were going to actually steal the image, it works out just fine with no right click protection.
The website overall looks like something I'd hack together. (Meaning an unprofessional attempt.) You may want to consider getting a more professional design, even if you have to pay up the $$$.
Ohboy. I'm sorry, but you should scrap the site design and start it over. This one feels like it was put together with no real eye towards the business you hope to do with it.
Where's the wow factor? The punch and impact that should make me want to hire you? Opening with a shot of a cactus? Is that really your most impressive and relevant shot, and if not, why is it your opening shot?
The "galleries" need to go. I just don't understand the thinking behind putting up what look like unedited and unorganized proofs, hundreds of images at a time, with no thematic organization...that don't seem to have anything to do with the types of photography you say you're available for. If you're going to list your services and display sample images, they need to be related! But to have galleries full of redundant shots and images that would never be the selects from a shoot, let alone hundreds of them at a time, is killing your site. I clicked two links and was driven from your site by it...I'd guess that the same thing is happening with potential clients. If you aren't comfortable editing your own work down then you need to hire someone else to do it - you should have, at most, three or four thematic galleries that each contain 10-20 images that are your best work, carefully-chosen and presented.
Has anyone ever bought an image or print from your site? Even if so, you shouldn't be offering every image from every shoot you've done. It looks like you've shot the same band a bunch of times, for instance - offer three images from them. And if you don't have at least 10 other subjects to offer images from, then wait until you do to sell images. But certainly don't use public galleries to double as proof galleries for your photo subjects - it's horribly amateurish.
Ty,
The site loaded fast. some website layout critique:
When i click on photo for purchase, it opens a new window which has the header "Main Gallery", most pop up blockers will block the new page.
I like the layout of the "main gallery" better than the layout of http://www.tyholland.com/albums/samples/samples.php
Once i'm looking at a photo in the landscape on main gallery, there is no way for me to go back to home page, just thumbnails or slideshows.
you shoudl probably limit the amount of clicks the user has to do to go back to home page.
I took a look at the site and agree you would appear more professional with a better site. You can buy flash ot html sites from $100.00. They are ready to drop in images and make clean professional looking galleries. The week I started using one of those sites my email questions about bookings increased 3-4 times. All due to a more professional look using my same images.
I would remove all the images from the site and place the unfinished in a password protected area to be used as proofs. Pick out 5-10 in each catagory and finish them. The images I see on line need a lot of post processing work. Many are nice pictures but lean toward the snapshot look. You need to take them to the next lever in photoshop or another processing program. More creative cropping,( focus on the subject) modify the light by adding shadows and highlights( gives depth and feeling, set the mood). Enhance the colors, the sky, the green grass etc. You need more "wow" factor to set yourself apart. The cactus image could be amazing with the right processing.Enhance the colors, do some burn and dodge and contrast adjustment. The girl with her elbow in front....is it broken, photoshop out that knot-bump, hurts looking at it. In fact the image need to be a tight crop as her elbow draws the attention away from her face. This is what I mean by finishing the images. Make the changes and you will see calls increase.
(Meaning an unprofessional attempt.) You may want to consider getting a more professional design, even if you have to pay up the $$$.