Have I Covered ALL of the Bases?

I just (re)launched my web site with the intent of finally moving forward with

my passion for photography, art/design, and software as an actual business.

Because my business, though completely "creative," has several facets, I hope

I've integrated them well here:

<p>

<a href="http://www.debwire.com">http://www.debwire.com</a>

<p>

Please provide any feedback about anything relating to how I am presenting my

business via my site. I have included a category for my designs and imprinted

products, a category for my software (coming soon) and one for my photography

(including a gallery of samples and services purchased through a shopping cart).

Prints and novelty products will be sold separately. Additionally, I've also

created .PDF files for my prospective and current clients to download (my

pricing sheet, releases, etc.). I am also prepared with other forms such as

reprint rights/license forms (for more commercial endeavors) and a wedding

agreement. I've even created an online appointment scheduler indicating my

availability.

<p>

Whew. I'm tired. ;-)

<p>

Have I missed anything? Is it too much? I believe in providing as much

information to the prospective/current customer up front as possible.

<p>

Feedback is appreciated.

<p>Deb, tired? I would expect that from the work. It doesn't appear you've missed

anything, and my initial impression is that it's very good and it's busy, and takes the user

awhile to sort out what all is there. Have you had some people review it? If not, I would

have some folks go through it with several intents in mind, such as a new visitor just

finding it, one each with specific goals or interests, etc. In short, put them in the mind of a

user and test drive it.

 

<p>It looks very professional, and one of my initial questions is, is the ad on the top

necessary or should be a place for sample photos? If you're a business, do you need to

advertise other products? Just a thought because I found it a little distracting, diverting

my attention and wondering why it's there.

 

<p>The multi-column design is a good design for getting lots of information to users,

similar to other media and often used by corporations. I'm wondering if it's what you want

users to see. It will take them a short while to sort out things. See Adobe's tutorial about

Web site design and use at:

 

<p><a href="http://studio.adobe.com/us/search/sort?

sort=date&product=7&topic=0&type=all&level=all#">http://studio.adobe.com/us/

search/sort?sort=date&product=7&topic=0&type=all&level=all#</a>

 

<p>Another thought is the right column. Why announce cuts in prices if it's a "new"

business. Why not say "reasonable rates" or "more information" and let the user go there

for more information, in short invite them into the next page where you can explain the

work and costs? Why not the photo and catagory "Boudoir Photography"? If people are

interested they'll go there without the additional information.

 

<p>What I would also suggest is have people who have never visited your Web site, look

at it with you and have them tell you exactly what they see in the order they see it, in

short, find out how they're looking at the Web site after the initial overall view. This might

help understand if they're finding the stuff you want them to.

 

<p>Just some thoughts and likely you've already done this, in which case, sorry. I'm more

a simplier approach person (but I'm not a business either) for my Web site. Although I find

them cumbersome to navigate at times, I like the front door approach which gives the user

an invitation (the "eye candy") with links to stuff. It helps the user to immediately see

what's there and where they can navigate.

 

<p>I might put boxes around the top navigation bar than fading into the background. It

would put them in the user's vision and remind them it's always at the top of the Web

page. The other navigation bars can replicate links but often are used for additional links.

For example before I retired I helped design the pages at:

 

<p><a href="http://wa.water.usgs.gov/">http://wa.water.usgs.gov/</a>

 

<p>and managed the content of some of the pages at

 

<p><a href="http://wa.water.usgs.gov/nwis_imgs/">http://wa.water.usgs.gov/

nwis_images</a>

 

<p>We chose the two column design after the front page to focus users on the content

(right column) and provide top and right navigation links. We also had 508C compliance

considerations which limits some options in designs. It also gives more space for stuff

about the Web pages and organization.

 

<p>I think repeat visitors will find the Web site useful with lots of immediate information

and choices. My only concern is the initial visitor, it's a lot of stuff at first. And remember

many people bookmarks sub pages for specific things.

 

<p>Just some thoughts. Good luck in the enterprise.

 

<p>--Scott--<br>

www.wsrphoto.com

There are different genres of aerial photography. Let me address one that I've monitored for sixteen years. There is a local chap who photographs family farms and rural estates all over the midwest USA.

 

His work is not stunningly good, technically, but certainly adequate.

 

His MAJOR key to success is his sales people. You see, for the most part he photographs on speculation; he makes the pictures and then one of his agents visits the site with samples to make the sale.

 

Who are his sales people? For the farms, it's his elderly mother or family member who is a farmer (three generations on the same farm), and they have a rapport with farm owners that cannot be beat. It's all about the rapport. For estates, I believe his wife does the contacts.

 

He makes a great living, has a comspicuous estate (which helps with the estate clients).

 

I'd not fret reprints, fears that the clients will have them copied on their own. It is infrequent enough that enforcing it (if you find they do it) just spreads ill-will.

I noticed some changes already(?). Remember you Web site is an evolutions and iterations,

and keeping it updated will take more work than creating it. Have you accounted for that

in your work and schedule? Just a thought, because people often bookmark a site and

come back to see new and updated stuff, especially for photos and business offers.

 

Good luck and keep up the work. Keep finding people to troubleshoot your Web site and

make suggestions. You need to keep focused on the customer and how they use the Web

and your Web site.

 

--Scott--

Hi Deb,

 

Just a thought - to me your website looks more like a blog than a photographer's/designer's/etc site. I'd bring your photos to the fore - have a photo or two on the main page and when people click on 'Photography Services', say, lead off with sample photos rather than text. It's good to have prices on the site but I suggest you need to establish the value in someone's mind before you discuss pricing. And value probably comes from sample work.

 

Hope this helps,

Andrew

Thank you everyone for your feedback -- and as I continue to tweak my site (e.g., find a template that is more conducive to a design/photo site, perhaps), please feel free to continue to critique. I really appreciate it!

<p>Following up on Andrew's comments, I agree, there's a lot of stuff on the Web site but

not enough product (photos) that invites the prospective customer to consider your

services. I would take a survey of the other photographers for ideas on presentation of the

Web sites and the photographs. It's a very busy Web site with lots to offer and not enough

to show what you do and can do.

 

<p>For example you offer wedding portfolios but don't demonstrate any. For example

another Web site about gowns at:

<a href="http://www.owndesigns2.com/projects/elysereuben/index.htm">http://

www.owndesigns2.com/projects/elysereuben/index.htm</a>

shows very quickly what the product and service are. And one of my favorite is

<a href="http://www.mountainlight.com/">Mountain Light</a> established by the

Rowell's. Very inviting Web design.

 

<p>It's the front door approach where the visitor initially comes into the Web site from

seeing the business through the window. Also, consider some of jakob Nielsen's ideas

about how people view/use Web pages (no comment on its design - who says knowledge

and creavity have to match - personal view). His books are interesting and offer good

evaluations of Web sites.

 

<p>I guess I would consider a front Web page with second layer pages defining your

work, products and services where the pages can be managed independently but still tied

together through links and parent pages. Anyway, just some thoughts, and as they say,

that's the beauty of the Web, it's all personal choice and perspective.

 

<p>In short, in answer to "Have I Covered ALL of the Bases?", you have but there isn't

much content behind the bases. I like the photography service content (center column)

which explains what you do, why not design the Web site from the inside out? Define what

you want to present, the build the Web pages around that. Build the Web site in iterations

as you build the portfolio.

 

<p>Just some thoughts. Good luck.