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Need advice on reworking / rebuilding two websites...


macpherson

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<p>I could really use some advice on how to go about re-working two websites. Here's where I am.</p>

<p>My old (nearly dormant) website is a Zenfolio site at http://www.macphersonstudios.com. It formerly had everything I do or ever did on it. Portraits, commercial, wildlife, tours, workshops, classes. Way too much on one site.</p>

<p>And ZF has some big weaknesses - it's flash based, so doesn't index in search, nor does it display on iPhone / iPod / iPad. It has some great strengths too - especially the shopping functions. But the weaknesses overwhelm them.</p>

<p>Even more unnerving is the discussion of search failure in the ZF support forums, which consists of lots of users asking ZF when they are going to fix this major flaw. The response is near total silence from ZF. I don't think it's a place that I'm willing to stay.</p>

<p>So I split it into two new sites that are my main points of focus: </p>

<p>http://www.thewildinfocus.com (wildlife photography and tours)<br>

http://www.theamazingimage.com (photography classes and workshops)</p>

<p>These sites both live on the Squarespace platform and are weekly blogs. As blogs they're fine. But like ZF, SquareSpace also has some serious shortcomings. Rudimentary photo gallery, no native slideshow. And the templates look like, well, templates. </p>

<p>I also need a lot of additional functionality - image sales, licensed digital downloads, calendar of events, booking events, support for ads, e-book sales. All that can probably be done on the SquareSpace platform, but it requires a professional.</p>

<p>Like a true non-coder, I put ads out on Craigslist and Freelancer.com. And now I'm buried in responses from all over the world. Prices for both sites range from $3000 to $55,000. No kidding - $55,000.</p>

<p>I'm ready to make a substantial investment to get both of these sites working right, but I can NOT afford to get this wrong. I'm not sure how I can feel safe in selecting a programmer on a different continent, or if I should even consider it.</p>

<p>Worse yet, I suspect that as a non-programmer, I probably have not specified my needs in an industry standard format. I fear that's going to lead to budget-creep and hard feelings as things that I assumed were included are later added to the specification.</p>

<p>I'd be really grateful for any advice you can offer on how you would proceed - and especially if you have seen a site or service with the functionality that I need.</p>

<p>THANKS in advance.</p>

<p>Charlie MacPherson<br>

http://www.theamazingimage.com<br>

http://www.thewildinfocus.com</p>

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