New front page for my site - opinions?

Fenster

http://www.newworldphotos.net/front2/

Not all of the links go places yet...

Tallon

looks like a site for a creche TBH
Have you any other pictures other than babies or is that what you do?

The layout is nice though, I really like it

Fenster

Tallon wrote: »

looks like a site for a creche TBH
Have you any other pictures other than babies or is that what you do?

The layout is nice though, I really like it

It's where I've been focusing, for sure. There's a market for childrens photographers here (Las Vegas, USA) who are willing to get out into the great outdoors.

Tallon

In that case I think its an excellent site.
Looks like something a kid would love but also the parents
Very colourful and simple

DaireQuinlan

I think it looks really appalling to be brutally honest. Who cares if kids like it, you're trying to get the PARENTS to shell out here, so you want something slick and professional looking. Instead it looks as though it was put together by a child.

Placebo

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

I think it looks really appalling to be brutally honest. Who cares if kids like it, you're trying to get the PARENTS to shell out here, so you want something slick and professional looking. Instead it looks as though it was put together by a child.

i disagree completely, it definitely does not need to be 'slick' and 'professional', it looks good for the subject in matter and as op mentioned its the front page, only problem is rendering a similar [not the same by all means] menu on other pages of the site

Cabaal

I see the angle your coming from but I'm not a big fan of the layout, its not totally clear whats a link or whats not,

I'd agree. I like the idea but I think a bit got lost in the execution.

Tallon

Cabaal wrote: »

its not totally clear whats a link or whats not,

Don't mean to be rude, but are you serious?
I actually don't think it could be any clearer which ones are links.

Perfect fit

i get what your going for but personally i dont like it, i prefer sites to be simple and i feel its a bit over complicated, although i get what you were going for i feel is to much hitting you at once

DaireQuinlan

Placebo wrote: »

i disagree completely, it definitely does not need to be 'slick' and 'professional', it looks good for the subject in matter and as op mentioned its the front page, only problem is rendering a similar [not the same by all means] menu on other pages of the site

I'm going to disagree in turn
If the OP wants to present a professional presence on the web then this front end is a complete failure. This doesn't exist in isolation, presumably there are a ton of photographers in Las Vegas all schilling for business, so it makes sense for your very first port of call, found through a google search or something, to look really really good. This doesn't.

I'll bet that if I did a search I'd come up with a rake of sites, some with shiny exciting looking flash front ends, some with understated but still snappy looking design, and then this. I'd discard it in a heartbeat.

This has come up a few times here with people asking for C&C on their websites. For personal stuff I'd say just go nuts, whatever you're into, stick it up, nothing to lose. For a professional business the bar is quite high in terms of presentation of your web front end. I would say to Fenster that good photographer <> good visual design skills. I'd shell out whatever it takes as a one time expense to get at least the front end done up, or have it mocked up by someone whos existing work on the web looks good.

Cabaal

Tallon wrote: »

Don't mean to be rude, but are you serious?
I actually don't think it could be any clearer which ones are links.

I can see which are links but I'm thinking other people, alot of boxes, some with txt some with not and not all the one's with txt are click-able.

Overall though none the less the layout ain't great though I can see why Fenster designed it the way he did

Tallon

Cabaal wrote: »

I can see which are links but I'm thinking other people, alot of boxes, some with txt some with not and not all the one's with txt are click-able.

Well the ones without txt are clearly not links, I wouldnt even think of clicking them and as for the ones with txt and no links, read the OP

Tallon

Tallon wrote: »

Well the ones without txt are clearly not links, I wouldnt even think of clicking them and as for the ones with txt and no links, read the OP

I had to stop to think about that when I saw that site. Thats a no no. Clarity is very important for a site like this because your average punter will be flicking through lots of different but similar sites. Path of least resistance in the face of confusion is just to move on.

Fenster

Thank you for the feedback, all!

AnCatDubh

I think it has potential. I think there is a cultural thing. I think there is a mamas and papas going on but you are typecasting yourself down a particular avenue (which may be fine if that's what you wanted).

Longshanks linked this site yesterday. Initially my reaction was yeuch, but it grew on me very quickly and the light bulb came on over my head in an aha moment where I thought it was a fresh approach - wasn't just another xyz theme. It was unusual. So is Martin Parr's web site and not everyone will like it.

When I saw your site first I thought back to the Longshanks linked wearethemastersons (what a long domain) and while it didn't immediately grow on me, I think if cleverly done and with a simple navigation then you might be on to something.

So, while it doesn't quite work for me just yet I think as a draft / work in progress and absent of a coherent navigation at present, it has potential.

Many/most of the points made by posters above have validity however I don't think you were trying to get a standard professional look and feel - rather trying to create something new, fresh, interesting and eye catching.

But I could be wrong

Nebezpeci Mys

I like it a lot. It's simple, colourful and playful. Definitely prefer it over loadza websites designed in the same way... Like to have an easy access to all the necessary information and if it's conveyed in a fun way, I like it even more. So, it's definitely thumbs up from me...