Website C&C

challengemaster

It's about time I got around to this

Crucify me.... although not about silly things. I still know half of the information on the site is latin auto-generated garbage, which i'll fix when I think up crap to put there instead, so aside from that....

*steps into firing line*

www.callumconroyphotography.com

melekalikimaka

I really really like it. well done mate.

red_ice

Its a nice style, but flash sites just dont do it for me.. full flash sites are very 2000 imo, but thats just me. Personally i only use flash in a site for a banner, menu or advert. In an extreme case for a scrolling menu/display.

The logo is great and it works very well with the text, sans serif is what its all about really imo. I think its simple, but for some reason it looks crowded to me. Maybe make a better separation for the thumbs on the right of the screen? Obviously the idea is to promote your photography, so i wouldn't have the first image loading up to be in black and white, it fades in and the visual weight is automatically drawn to the top right menu bar leaving the key subject in the back burner.

I would have used bog standard HTML for a site like yours, there are still people out there with crap connections. Music playing on a site without my permission makes me angry also, if i was you i would get rid of it right away.

Is that a template you downloaded?

Again, with the pros, the colour works, and i like the logo. Nice style. Overall, i would have to say its good.

decimal

Agree with red_ice. One important lesson I've learnt is that if you're showcasing content, create a standard website, nice and simple, all I can remember from having a quick look at it is the rollover click sounds, the animation to present the photo and the music. Looking at the design of the site, words that spring to mind are cold, construction, technology, sci fi, games. I can't really match those words with your style of photography.

The website itself is distracting the viewers from what you want them to pay attention to. The less you have on the site, the more attention that can be paid to your photography.

charybdis

I have a powerful hatred for Flash websites, especially ones that immediately play a background track upon loading.

I don't know if you've used a Flash template or have the dubious honour of actually knowing Flash, but I would suggest rebuilding the site without Flash.

I can't really pass comment beyond that as, although it looks OK, your site is a user experience nightmare.

If possible, could you please explain your reasoning behind building it in flash? I have noticed an alarmingly high number of photographers seem to think Flash is an ideal platform for their portfolio/personal website.

Deliverance XXV

It does like nice but there is a couple of issues you might like to address.

As previously said before Flash can be a nightmare. It looks good but usability can be an issue. If you are treating this like a business you would expect some business from Google but that's where Flash will kill you.

Your SEO/Search Engine Optimisation on the website is nil. People are going to find it hard to find you, without having your direct address/URL.
Main issues involved in this are:

• Flash Based website
• No title tags
• No meta tags
• No main content in HTML

I know it's probably not your final draft at the wording in the site but I would probably change the wording in your "about us" page. Firstly, the page should be "about me". I would change the second paragraph and reword it completely. It screams amateur and you don't want that, especially when you are far, far better than that.

I see you are using your gmail email address, from the customer's point of view it might look more professional if you used your own domain's email, something like - info@callumconroy.com

When I saw the title of the page for 'Contacts', I immediately thought website links rather than actually contacting you. I would change that to something like 'contact me'.

You have no page title so when I have your site opened in a couple tabs in FF or IE all I see is http://www.c...graphy.com/
To change that just edit the html title tags in your code to something like:

[HTML]<title>Callum Conroy | Photographer | Westmeath</title>[/HTML]

Images as always look stunning. Hope this helps

ThOnda

I agree with above - no flash, no music, faster, no background picture when uploading new one, won't fit my laptop screen (too tall page layout and I have to keep klicking on the page to scroll), "about us" - "us" like company?, don't let yourself down with mentioning lack of qualification - who cares? The pictures is what counts. And reliability of your services and pictures.

Those are just few details. I like the visual style of the page, although it is a little busy and the thumbnails for pictures are getting a little lost.

Over all, if I had bigger screen, faster internet and louder music playing on my radio, I'd be almost happy to go through all the page :-)

Cabaal

First off get rid of the music,
The site is very slow loading and I'm on my work connection at the moment so it shouldn't be an issue.

The selection of photos looks great, but the speed of the site is a very big issue

zdooldreb

Im in work and have a very good connection but it appears quite slow to load a new picture.
Personally I would seperate out the thumbnails from the main photo because
1. it hides some of the main photo from the viewer
2. the thumbnails loose clarity and the page seems cluttered.

Also Id correct the sizing of either the background or the newly opened photo because as it is now when you open a new photo you can still see the background underneath along the bottom.
Music is also annoying, could you default it off and leave the user turn it on if they want.

Other than that I like the header and the page layout (bar the thumbnails) and the colours.

Balfey1972

Agree with Cabaal,
get rid of the music
The site is very slow loading and I'm on my work connection also
Photos looks great but the speed will stop people browsing, as many are on basic broadband packages with slow speeds.

anoble66

agree with the others, go html if you can...its not for photography but I have a full flash site and its a pain....very slow and painful to update....google and other search engines will also find it difficult if not impossible to index.

Cabaal

In saying my above comments I do believe flash sites have their place and there is nothing wrong with flash in general for photo sites but they need to be fast loading or people just won't stay looking at your site

Rb

Personally I like everything bar the sound when you click on an item/new page. I see it can be turned off but it got quite annoying after clicking through a few pages.

Apart from that I'm really impressed with it

challengemaster

red_ice wrote: »

Its a nice style, but flash sites just dont do it for me.. full flash sites are very 2000 imo, but thats just me. Personally i only use flash in a site for a banner, menu or advert. In an extreme case for a scrolling menu/display.

The logo is great and it works very well with the text, sans serif is what its all about really imo. I think its simple, but for some reason it looks crowded to me. Maybe make a better separation for the thumbs on the right of the screen? Obviously the idea is to promote your photography, so i wouldn't have the first image loading up to be in black and white, it fades in and the visual weight is automatically drawn to the top right menu bar leaving the key subject in the back burner.

I would have used bog standard HTML for a site like yours, there are still people out there with crap connections. Music playing on a site without my permission makes me angry also, if i was you i would get rid of it right away.

Is that a template you downloaded?

Again, with the pros, the colour works, and i like the logo. Nice style. Overall, i would have to say its good.

Lol, order of images on the site isn't permanent. I just wanted to put in my own ones in no particular order before uploading it.

Yep, it is a template Unfortunatly I've other things to worry about than learning flash.

charybdis wrote: »

If possible, could you please explain your reasoning behind building it in flash? I have noticed an alarmingly high number of photographers seem to think Flash is an ideal platform for their portfolio/personal website.

Was easy for me, looks nice, easy to use, and its damn near impossible to steal images from the site. Might be a few reasons 'togs use them.

Deliverance XXV wrote: »

It does like nice but there is a couple of issues you might like to address.

As previously said before Flash can be a nightmare. It looks good but usability can be an issue. If you are treating this like a business you would expect some business from Google but that's where Flash will kill you.

Your SEO/Search Engine Optimisation on the website is nil. People are going to find it hard to find you, without having your direct address/URL.

I see.... So, how does one fix that without getting rid of flash

Main issues involved in this are:

• Flash Based website
• No title tags
• No meta tags
• No main content in HTML

I know it's probably not your final draft at the wording in the site but I would probably change the wording in your "about us" page. Firstly, the page should be "about me". I would change the second paragraph and reword it completely. It screams amateur and you don't want that, especially when you are far, far better than that.

Yeah, it's not, was just something I threw in quickly so everything wasn't latin

I see you are using your gmail email address, from the customer's point of view it might look more professional if you used your own domain's email, something like - info@callumconroy.com

Yup, I thought about that alright. Must check if I set up an email at that host yet or not...I cant remember lol. Anyway, @gmail is much shorter than @callumconroyphotography.com :pac:

When I saw the title of the page for 'Contacts', I immediately thought website links rather than actually contacting you. I would change that to something like 'contact me'.

Done.

You have no page title so when I have your site opened in a couple tabs in FF or IE all I see is http://www.c...graphy.com/
To change that just edit the html title tags in your code to something like:

[HTML]<title>Callum Conroy | Photographer | Westmeath</title>[/HTML]

Also done.

Images as always look stunning. Hope this helps

Very helpful Thanks

ThOnda wrote: »

Over all, if I had bigger screen, faster internet and louder music playing on my radio, I'd be almost happy to go through all the page :-)

Hehe

Cabaal wrote: »

First off get rid of the music,

Music is gone..

Cabaal wrote: »

The site is very slow loading and I'm on my work connection at the moment so it shouldn't be an issue.

The selection of photos looks great, but the speed of the site is a very big issue

zdooldreb wrote: »

Im in work and have a very good connection but it appears quite slow to load a new picture.

I've no idea why there's issues with loading speeds tbh. All the large pics are 500-600kb max, the small ones are 11-12kb, with the exception of maybe 2 files, they're all quite small.

Loading times seem fine for me, and I've tried on a widnows XP pc, vista laptop and macbook. I can't really understand why there'd be any slowdown there.....

Personally I would seperate out the thumbnails from the main photo because
1. it hides some of the main photo from the viewer
2. the thumbnails loose clarity and the page seems cluttered.

Yeah, When I learn how to use flash I might just do that....

Also Id correct the sizing of either the background or the newly opened photo because as it is now when you open a new photo you can still see the background underneath along the bottom.

Fairly sure the site was made that way tbh.... When I figure it out, I'll change it

Music is also annoying, could you default it off and leave the user turn it on if they want.

Could, if i knew what I was doing. It's gone now anyway.

Balfey1972 wrote: »

Agree with Cabaal,
get rid of the music
The site is very slow loading and I'm on my work connection also
Photos looks great but the speed will stop people browsing, as many are on basic broadband packages with slow speeds.

As above...

Thanks everyone

Cabaal

Deliverance XXV wrote: »

I see you are using your gmail email address, from the customer's point of view it might look more professional if you used your own domain's email, something like - info@callumconroy.com

Couldn't agree with you more, if you have a domain use it as your e-mail address it looks farrrr more professional then some free e-mail addy.

You can still use gmail for your e-mail its very easy setup gmail in away as to show that e-mail sent from gmail is coming from your domain.

First forward info@yourdomain.com to your gmail account, next log into gmail, click settings > Accounts
In accounts click "Add another email address you own"
Input your details and follow the instructions, when you get the auth code follow the instructions.

Once thats all done every time you click compose e-mail you'll now have the option to either send from you@gmail.com or info@yourdomain.com.

You could also use Gmail for your domain as well by changing your MX records to google but the above forwarding method is easier setup

challengemaster

Right, info@ is now in place

Dublin_Gunner

Like the colour and layou (mostly), but dont like the sounds.

Just IMO, but I feel it would be better having an opening page, with links to your albums, rather than having the home page open up your automotive shots. Just my opinion, but some people might open your site up, not spot the links and think you only shoot cars.....

Shots are great though, and like the logo.

Another thing, mouse scroll wheel doesn't work in the text based area's such as 'about me' 'latest news' section.

And I've only noticed it on the lanscapes section, but your images aren;t filling the image area, so when you move past the first image, the rest all have a B&W cobble stone along the bottom.

**edit, you need to use smaller versions of your images for the web, they should load instantly pretty much.

**yep happens in other sections too. You must have the initial image set to go as bakcground, but the rest of the images arent as tall.

red_ice

challengemaster wrote: »

Lol, order of images on the site isn't permanent. I just wanted to put in my own ones in no particular order before uploading it.

Yep, it is a template Unfortunatly I've other things to worry about than learning flash.

apologies if i came across as slating your site, i saw C&C and i gave a crit I might not be able to talk photography, but graphic design/programming/web interfaces and web technologies are what i do to make ends meat, i thought you would have preferred that stuff being pointed out. It is your online representation after all.

challengemaster

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

And I've only noticed it on the lanscapes section, but your images aren;t filling the image area, so when you move past the first image, the rest all have a B&W cobble stone along the bottom.


**yep happens in other sections too. You must have the initial image set to go as bakcground, but the rest of the images arent as tall.

As I said earlier, that's the way the site was made. When I figure out how to change it, I will... And all the images are uploaded at the same size.

**edit, you need to use smaller versions of your images for the web, they should load instantly pretty much.

Smaller versions? How much smaller can you get than 500-600kb per large image

red_ice wrote: »

apologies if i came across as slating your site, i saw C&C and i gave a crit I might not be able to talk photography, but graphic design/programming/web interfaces and web technologies are what i do to make ends meat, i thought you would have preferred that stuff being pointed out. It is your online representation after all.

Nah it's cool I appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to C&C

Dublin_Gunner

challengemaster wrote: »

Smaller versions? How much smaller can you get than 500-600kb per large image

Considering the size of the pics on screen, roughly 746x528 (just by measuring a screen grab), at 72ppi, it should be closer to 100kb jpeg. This for instance, is a screen grab (.png) of your pic, converted to .jpeg (at highest quality with PS), and its 125kb.

If I drop the compression down to 10 in PS, its under 80kb........... and on a web page, looks pretty much the same.

challengemaster

They're actually 891x594px .png's at the moment

Dublin_Gunner

challengemaster wrote: »

They're actually 891x594px .png's at the moment

So if you change them to .jpeg's....................

And your dimensions would be without the bottom being chopped off each one, and include's the picture / menu list space on the right.

challengemaster

Alright, converted to jpeg @ quality 10.

See if that's any better so.

challengemaster

Righto, any noticable speed changes since reducing file sizes?

Dublin_Gunner

challengemaster wrote: »

Righto, any noticable speed changes since reducing file sizes?

Hi, just checking there.

The pics do appear to be loading a bit more quickly alright. What sort of file sizes are they now?

Really love the picture of the reflection in the glass ball on the end of a staff or something, great shot

challengemaster

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Hi, just checking there.

The pics do appear to be loading a bit more quickly alright. What sort of file sizes are they now?

Really love the picture of the reflection in the glass ball on the end of a staff or something, great shot

Thanks for that

File sizes average around 160kb, but there's one at 350kb and one 240kb...the rest are all around 140-160.

That shot was taken during Paddy's day parade in Dublin, was a golden ball on the end of a pole on one of the floats. Thanks

charybdis

challengemaster wrote: »

Was easy for me

Fair enough.

challengemaster wrote: »

looks nice

Yeah.

challengemaster wrote: »

easy to use

I heartily disagree

challengemaster wrote: »

its damn near impossible to steal images from the site. Might be a few reasons 'togs use them.

Not so, I can get all the images from your site extremely easily. Efforts to restrict the technical ability of a browser to access certain resources under different conditions are doomed to failure without some kind of login/authentication system. I suggest you forget the idea of making your images theft-proof, at least from a technical standpoint.

Ricky91t

Why would you spend that much on a template??:eek:

You would of been better making one from scratch or editing a free one....

Looks well though

Dublin_Gunner

Best thing to do is put up low res versions (which has been done) and/or watermark them

challengemaster

Ricky91t wrote: »

Why would you spend that much on a template??:eek:

You would of been better making one from scratch or editing a free one....

Looks well though

Procrastination, Richard....

I was using it to get my mind off the LC, that said, I wasn't going to go and learn flash the day before the LC started!

gary82

You're doing the LC?! Get off the internet so!! Ah then again, you do have tomorrow off now!

xia

I like your site.
Just one thing I didn't like that much in the about me part.
There are links to the sites of Al and Paddy (Phyllis?). But you only realise there are links when you move over the names. And if you click that site opens over yours. I personally always prefer it in a new tab. I'm using FF btw. And as links sometimes open in new tabs sometimes not I presume it has to do with the site I'm on not my setup (I have no clue about creating a website:o...but if you want to change it maybe someone else here knows how to do it)

challengemaster

xia wrote: »

I like your site.
Just one thing I didn't like that much in the about me part.
There are links to the sites of Al and Paddy (Phyllis?). But you only realise there are links when you move over the names. And if you click that site opens over yours. I personally always prefer it in a new tab. I'm using FF btw. And as links sometimes open in new tabs sometimes not I presume it has to do with the site I'm on not my setup (I have no clue about creating a website:o...but if you want to change it maybe someone else here knows how to do it)

Thanks for that

I've fixed that now. Links are now underlined and in white, and open in a new window/tab depending on browser Hope that helps

xia

Thanks! Looks like I still have the old version but will check again later. Sorry for assuming you might need help for that:o

challengemaster

xia wrote: »

Thanks! Looks like I still have the old version but will check again later. Sorry for assuming you might need help for that:o

Hehe. It's grand. I did google I know enough HTML to code a website from scratch, or atleast I did, but not a very decent website :pac: