Flash Webpages ?

Just wondering how many of you shooters with websites write up your

websites from scratch, get a web-design company to do them for you

or buy a Flash template and basically modify those yourselves ?

 

With my limited knowledge in web-design and almost non-existent

skill in HTML, XML and very slight FLash knowledge, I was thinking

of buying one those those pre-made templates to create a basic

website to display my images. Can anyone with some experience using

those comment on them ?.......and possibly with suggestions of which

companies make good Flash templates for sale ?

 

Thanks as always.<div></div>

Hi Wee-Ming. I am in the process of making mine. I bought a flash template from Creative Motion Design. I decided I wanted it to look good, and I did not have the time and energy to put into learning how to do it my self. I couldn't afford a totally custom design. The reason I chose Creative Motion Design is because I could pick one of thier templates, then buy 5 hours of customization to go with it for a reasonable amount. I found other templates cheeper, but if I wanted to customize them at all, it cost a lot more. I know Colleen Donavan had trouble with the company, but I have had none. They have been great to work with, and have done everything I have requested in a timely manner. My website is not live yet, I am still waiting for the person who is writing my Bio, and checking all the rest of my type. If you want to check it out before it is done, email me and I'll send you the link.

You might want to take a look at: http://www.winkletwebdesign.com/index.asp

Oh, I am in Melbourne, Australia, if that makes any difference with web design companies. Don't think it matters these days, with cyber-everything now.

This is an incredible product.

 

http://www.slideshowpro.net/

 

the guy that wrote it is totally grass roots and this thing is so flexible with wide open coding that comes with a pdf that encourages and supports it strengths in doing just that. There's coding in there that he has future plans for and sends out updates and such. What's amazing is the preloader for the slideshow. People are raving about it. You can even load photos into the slide show from another site, like flickr or pbase. You'd still need someone to do a site, but the hard part, this part, is done.

Some of those $69.99 templates seem nice, but require additional software to edit. For the HTML end, something like FrontPage or Dreamweaver, and for Flash, the Macromedia Flash editor MX or in some minor cases SwishMax.

 

I've been maintaining my own website for nearly ten years now, and I kind of see it as a curse. I wish I didn't know the first thing about it so I could hire it out instead.

 

It's a lot of work when you have limited skill/knowledge. It's even more work when you know what you want to do, you know it can be done, but you have to learn yet another piece of code to do it.

I am not a fan of templated websites for several reasons.

 

Your photography or other work that you want to post online is a unique creation and by using a template you are saying your work is not worth the extra effort of creating something that would display your work better even if it might cost and take a little bit more time and money.

 

Anytime you want to upgrade your site or add on a new feature, lets say a mailing list or forum you are going to have keep paying someone else to do it.

 

By not learning about web design/programing who knows if you are being charged a fair amount.

 

You would not want to share a similar logo design or mailers as a competitor why would you want to share the same web page design. Even if you are only intersted in showing your work in galleries you want your work to stand out and a custom web site that enhances the style of your work might be the thing that does it.

 

I do a lot of freelance web/interactive/ui design and it may seem intimidating at first but start w/ basic HTML, CSS and Javascript and within a week you should have a decent looking site up and running. There are so many free tutorials on the web right now that you prob wont have to buy a book. Then as you learn more about the web and programing your site will grow with you.

Hi Wee-Ming. I just wanted to let you know (and Kari and Dusan) that what happened with my site was a mistake and Creative Motion Design did fix it. One of their techs had made the HTML site live before it was supposed to be. I don't really have any reservations about the company other than from my experience you need to be really patient. They do have really great templates and they are easy to use. The advice I would offer anyone is to check out as many different companies as you can and make sure you know what you are getting into. (Like you are by asking about it here) If you'd like to look at my site it's right here. Good luck!!

<p/><a href="http://www.colleendonovan.com" >Colleen Donovan Photography</a>

I have had good luck with bludomain (www.bludomain.com) It is a template flash website, but the good thing is they only allow 4 people per state to own that template. The prices were reasonable and the service and response from their design team was exceptional, plus it was very easy to uplaod images and text. They even offer a password protected proofing gallery, which my clients love. Here's my website:

www.azphotograph.com

Thanks very much for your input into my question. I'll definitely lookup those companies that you all have recommended, and alo the plugin that Eric recommended. I have still got a lot to learn, as far as web design and getting a website up is concerned and that is why I am weighing up the options before getting into something that is totally frustrating or very expensive/time-consuming. I'll definitely post the link to my site when it is up and running. Thanks very much again and have a great day !

www.livebooks.com expensive but looks great

I find it pretty hard to change template, I dunno is it coz I d/l template from bt site and didn't actully buy it.