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Hi @bandannaman I think a lot depends a bit on:

- how original/creative you want you want/need your website to be from day 1

- whether you're prepared to pay someone develop and maintain your website

 

Starting out, a website builder that you can use yourself is probably the best way to go.

 

If you google "photography website builder" you'll find a number of recent reviews, for example at:

- webcreate

- creating a website today

- website builder expert

- superb website builders

 

I've never used Wix but it seems to top the list in each of these reviews. Squarespace comes in the 2nd or 3rd place.

 

I don't have any experience in building websites with photos except in Wordpress. The Wordpress.com version is quick and easy, has free plans, includes 'hosting' but can be a bit inflexible for some things. Most website hosting sites also offer a free 'custom' Wordpress installation. This has no restrictions and enables you to take full use of the many free/paid themes and (gallery/e-commerce) plugins that are available. But the learning curve is probably longer than with other website builders.

 

The minimum facilities you'll need are:

- facilities to make well laid out text pages (intro, bio, references) that also allow you to include images where you want them

- photo galleries, each with a visual 'featured image', that allow both thumbnail browsing and step-forward/back image browsing

- a contact page that - in addition to your contact details - perhaps also includes a configurable fill-in contact form, the contents of which are automatically e-mailed to you

-'Responsive themes' through which your website is automatically 'translated' to different devices such as phones, tablets, laptops, large-screen desktops, etc. A theme is essentially a layout 'template' which has varying degrees of customization options. Most themes these days are 'fully responsive' but not all. So before using theme, check that it is 'fully responsive' and what your website would look like on a phone or tablet.

 

Bottom line: I would first try out Wix (demo) and if it looks as if you can do everything you want to, go for it. Above all, buy a custom URL! If - after a couple of years - you decide to move to another platform, you can take your custom URL with you.

 

Hope this helps, Mike

Edited by William Michael
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What are you planning to do? I've used www.photoshelter.com and GoDaddy. I'm currently looking into using www.PhotoDeck.com. PhotoShelter and PhotoDeck offer Self-fulfillment and Licensing/Stock options. If you are doing Portraits, Weddings, Sports etc. then you have plenty of others to chose from too. You would need to see what the actual selling fees would be. They all vary anywhere from 0-15% If you'll be offering more of the Fine Art, Art Fairs, and Licensing of images then I would consider PhotoShelter or PhotoDeck. They would also give you the opportunity to have your own Stock Library and they have pricing info for usage fees. Also, these two let you pay annually at a discount, or by the month so you can test the waters first.
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  • 2 weeks later...

I just set up a website for my travels which features photos and travelogue using Squarespace. You might find it useful to take a look. My goals are different than yours, I think, as I have no intention to sell images. It is pretty straight forward to do what I did, but you can see that I was just looking for something that is simple and clean.

 

www.neurotraveler.com

 

Any comments or critiques are welcome! Cheers.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
Hi @bandannaman I think a lot depends a bit on:

- how original/creative you want you want/need your website to be from day 1

- whether you're prepared to pay someone develop and maintain your website

 

Starting out, a website builder that you can use yourself is probably the best way to go.

 

If you google "photography website builder" you'll find a number of recent reviews, for example at:

- webcreate

- creating a website today

- website builder expert

- superb website builders

 

I've never used Wix but it seems to top the list in each of these reviews. Squarespace comes in the 2nd or 3rd place.

 

I don't have any experience in building websites with photos except in Wordpress. The Wordpress.com version is quick and easy, has free plans, includes 'hosting' but can be a bit inflexible for some things. Most website hosting sites also offer a free 'custom' Wordpress installation. This has no restrictions and enables you to take full use of the many free/paid themes and (gallery/e-commerce) plugins that are available. But the learning curve is probably longer than with other website builders.

 

The minimum facilities you'll need are:

- facilities to make well laid out text pages (intro, bio, references) that also allow you to include images where you want them

- photo galleries, each with a visual 'featured image', that allow both thumbnail browsing and step-forward/back image browsing

- a contact page that - in addition to your contact details - perhaps also includes a configurable fill-in contact form, the contents of which are automatically e-mailed to you

-'Responsive themes' through which your website is automatically 'translated' to different devices such as phones, tablets, laptops, large-screen desktops, etc. A theme is essentially a layout 'template' which has varying degrees of customization options. Most themes these days are 'fully responsive' but not all. So before using theme, check that it is 'fully responsive' and what your website would look like on a phone or tablet.

 

Bottom line: I would first try out Wix (demo) and if it looks as if you can do everything you want to, go for it. Above all, buy a custom URL! If - after a couple of years - you decide to move to another platform, you can take your custom URL with you.

 

Hope this helps, Mike

Thanks for the list Mike! Pixpa seems to be a perfect platform for my photography website.

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Hi [uSER=10965550]@rikaguite[/uSER], I'm really glad that list was useful to you. Pixpa looks (from my first impression) an excellent choice! It seems to be very flexible in terms of customised menus (or not), gallery layouts and text. I've only quickly looked at 2 (menu/text/gallery) example sites (Harriet Esther Muntean and Gul Garg) but both - to my eye - look very attractive and very professional.

 

Perhaps - at some stage - you'd like to add to this thread what attracted you to Pixpa rather than something like Wix or Squarespace (neither of which I know much about) and what your experience has been using Pixpa.

 

You're certain to know people (customers, colleagues, etc) who'll gladly take a look at your 'draft website' and give you their personal feedback and any suggestions for improvement. If you indirectly (family or friends of family and friends) know a good website designer, you might want to ask her/his opinion too. There are of course independent website designers who you can pay to review your website. To honest, I wouldn't.

 

If you think that any feedback from photo.net (professionals) might be helpful, just post a link. Post a link here too anyway, if you would. I'd be interested to see how you've used Pixpa and how your website looks.

 

I wish you the very best in using Pixpa to create an awesome website that displays your best work attractively and professionally!

 

Mike

Thanks for the list Mike! Pixpa seems to be a perfect platform for my photography website.
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