If you build it, they will come..

[wedding-photography-denver]

Ok, I know its a rather silly subject line, but here is why I posted it this way.

 

I am considering redoing my site and the site name (since my current one is to close to another photogs

site name). I want to go to simply using my name for the site. I.e. www.nyname.com. Is there a down side

to this type of site (using my name rather than a 'brand')?

 

The other part of this, is that I want to have control of the build. Should I just do it myself?

 

BTW, I don't mind spending on the software, or whatever it may take to do this.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Best, D.

[hector_olivieri]

I'll be completely honest with you: DON'T create your own website. Your clients can't

create the photos that you can provide. They don't have the skill and creative eye that has

taken you years to craft. Websites are the same thing. Unfortunately, I'm contradicting

myself with this advice. I created my own website. HOWEVER, I have years of experience

and the one thing I learned is that it doesn't take one or two pieces of software to make a

beautiful site. It takes a great deal of understanding basic layout, navigation, image

compression, and most importantly - time.

 

Get a professional who is willing to work with the parameters of your needs. Good luck.

[jeffc1]

I disagree. You can do your own website. My wife did mine. The one that is being used now isn't the one that will be there hopefully next week. Sites are not hard to create, and does take a little time, but you will save alot and be in control of changes additions. It was trial & error for me to figure out the layout I wanted, but I am there now. Mine now is a bit wordy, and the images and such on there were picked out by my wife, but everything will be updated how I want it to be very soon. Just keep it very simple, make it easy to navigate and avoid clutter. Wish my new set up was there now for you to see, but check late next week. All that really matters about a website to clients, in addition to keeping it simple, is being able to see prices and sample images. Again, my new site will have both soon. There's alot of website creating software out there. Good luck.

[anner]

$500 Site Sale Today... check it out at <a href="http://www.bludomainhosting.com/">Blu

Domain Hosting</a>.

[vlad khavin]

David, I am stuck in between the advice given by the previous two posters. The real answer really depends on whether or not you are comfortable with website design, and what kind of a site you want.

 

From looking at lots of photographers' websites of late, I've noticed that there are a great many sites that are implemented in Macromedia Flash (now owned by Adobe). I work with Flash as my day job, for certain projects. It's a great tool that is capable of yielding outstanding results, as evidenced by the many sites out there built with it. That being said, it takes some learning, and a whole lot of work to get to a point where you can get it to do what you want, how you want it. That investment in time is likely worth more than the money you would have to invest in purchasing the product to do it with. If you do not already have the software to build your site with, this tells me that you will have to do quite a bit of learning to get what you want out of a site. If you want to do this, it's very doable, and very rewarding, but if you just want a website sooner than later, I would suggest finding a professional and having a site built for you. Depending on who you go with to build your site, you may be able to provide them some screenshots created in Photoshop of what you want the site to look like, and they can work from there, and help you tweek the design to make the site as effective as it can be.

 

If you are looking to make a simpler HTML-based website, it's somewhat easire to do, and can be achieved with another Macromedia (now Adobe) product called Dreamweaver. Please not that, while the actual development of the site is greatly simplified by going with straight-up HTML, the design principles as far as the layout and navigation of the site, still have to be solid for the site to work well and be appealing to the people who visit it.

 

If you decide to go the DIY route, and need to ask questions and pick someone's brain, feel free to email me, and I will do my best to answer questions.

[timberwulf]

I'll blend between Hector and Jeffrey. Consider building your own site, but seriously consider paying someone to do it for you. There really is a lot to know and understand with web site design, and while some folks are inherently able to do this, many folks are not.

 

Using your name for a domain. If your name is fairly easy for people to spell from memory, use your own name. If it is not, use something else. :)

 

As for having control over the build, this is a pro and a con depending on what you mean by control. Think about a portrait session. The client can indicate they'd like to do it in studio, or out in the park. That's something that is personal preference and many photographers don't mind a client dictating that to them. Then there is customerzilla - don't use those brand of lights! You really need to use f16, my son the camera expert said you should always use f16 or it won't be right!! ;) Think of web sites the same way. A designer will work with you on your preferences as to general colors, images you might want to display, etc. But the designer may know more about navigation items and layout, what should be where, and what shouldn't be on the site for usability reasons.

 

That said, web designers are like photographers. You have experts you're going to pay a good amount for, you have hacks that you'll pay good money for that will leave you with crap, and you have Uncle Bobs. Demand to see a portfolio and evaluate their work online. Click through the sites on their portfolio with an eye towards how easy it is for you to maneuver around, how appealing the overall design and colors are, and how clearly and easily the information you'd need to know are presented.

 

Have fun! :)

[yves_jalbert]

David,

 

I'll leave the subject of doing your website to others. As far as the name goes, I think having your own name as the domain name is the best thing you can do. Especially for a photographer. My web site yvesjalbert.com sucks :) There isn't even a single photo for people to see (only clients have galleries or proofs they can access - they love it). If anything, it's just an on-line business card that people can use to get my coordinates.

 

But you know what? It is soooo easy for anybody (and clients) to remember you this way, and to reach you. If you do a good job and they remember your name, they will never ever forget your web site's name which has coordinates to reach you. Finding your email is easy and most important is the infrastructure you set in the background of your web site to give clients the best service (galleries, direct privileged contact information and more).

 

Your name is how a somebody recognizes you from another photographer. Use your name as your brand name and get it out there so you are recognized. If you have a great attitude and give an excellent service to your client, they will remember you, they will talk about you, and the web site will be visited and you will be contacted for work, or at the minimum an exchange of service such as more visibility or publicity. At the very least, it will be a very easy way to remember you.

 

As for the web site, well I agree that to some extent it's your image, so better have something nice than something that really looks bad. But going out there, having guts and the drive to be the best is what will make your phone ring and probably even turn down some customers because you're too busy.

[stacy]

David- If I were you I would sit down- go through all the websites you can find and figure out exactly what you want (that's the hardest part for me- deciding)but then you can determine if it's something you can do yourself or something you need to pay to have done. Personally- I would not build a website myself if someone paid me, but you might be more capable in that area.

 

I've found buying websites similar to buying tripods. You think you can get by with a mid priced one- but then it crashes...buy the good one and save yourself much aggravation in the future :)

 

I've seen your website from the wpja so I know what you mean about it being close to another name- but if you have a lot of time wrapped up in that name won't it be hard to change? Do you have tons of materials with that name already on it?

[colleendonovan]

Hi David,

 

Yay! A subject I know a little bit about! As for the name, I think it's easier when you use your own name for people to find you. htey hear your name somewhere, type it in the search bar and there is your site. I've had a lot more traffic to my site since I changed the name of my business to just my name. Also, I tried to build one myself and I failed miserably. (Although I am still trying to build one in Dreamweaver just to prove to myself that I can!) I have to tell you it was really fun to call up the company I use, give them my credit card, and start uploading my pictures 5 minutes later. Do lots of research like Stacy said and then decide.

[wingnut]

I am in the same boat in many ways. I had my site built a couple of years ago by someone in Argentinia. His other sites were slick and the price was great. however, I was unaware of the potential pitfalls of using flash. I would like to redo my site now, but know that learning html WILL NOT fit into my schedule - despite how easy it might be. I have heard some interesting things about JAlbum template software, which is free, but have not looked into it yet.

www.jalbums.net

Does anyone else have any experience with it?

[wedding-photography-denver]

Wow, I stepped out for lunch and get some great and very helpful responses. Thanks so

much to ALL.

 

Now it's time to read them all :-)

 

Best, D.

[rob_m.___portland__or.]

Regarding the website, one of your main considerations should be your target market. Bargain shoppers are less discerning when it comes to design, they just want to see some pictures and your pricing. If you are targeting the bigger budgets than unless you are very skilled at web design I would suggest having someone design it. Image and impressions play a big part at the top (so I've heard.)

 

Good luck,

 

Rob

[timberwulf]

Something I forgot about in my original response:

 

Do the new site with your name as the domain (you have checked to make sure it's available right?) and then keep the old domain with the address auto-forwarded (this is done through your registrar) to your new site address.

 

That way the folks that know you now will still get redirected to the new site without ever realizing it, and you can market under the new address. :)

[wedding-photography-denver]

Garry,

 

Yes I did get the possible domain names I wanted. That's a great point about the auto forward too. Thanks.

[gmahler5th]

As long as the domain name is short, does not contain any hyphens or underscores, and ends in .com I think you will do fine. You can always automatically (silent) redirect visitors from your old domain to your new one. I wouldn't want a business card with a domain name that required two lines. And by the way, using www.firstnamelastname.com is one of the most used domain names that I see used by pro photogs today, so it can't be all that bad?

 

If you are just now buying pro level web development software, you gotta know that there is going to be a learning curve. As a web developer myself, I could just as easily create my site using Notepad, but to save time I used Dreamweaver. I don't want you to think that buying a $300 web development software will make your site any nicer. Software is just a tool, it doesn't magicaly create amazing websites. Although I prefer simple over complex, HTML over Flash, providers like Bludomain can get you into a new stylish Website quickly, you may find that you are limited in your ability to customize their packages for your needs. I don't want to heat up the Flash debate, and only you can decide if that is right for your business, but that is what Bluedomain offers.

 

I have done some custom site development for a few PNers, including for Stacy Newgent (although she switched to a canned Flash site, grrr) :-) and Thomas Herron. I have just enough time to take on some small projects while I wait for my next photo shoot, so feel free to contact me if you are intrested in discussing this further.

[stacy]

ouch Steven!

 

But my "canned flash site" has brought me a lot of new 2007 clients- so I don't mind if you make fun :)

[gmahler5th]

Just giving you a hard time, Stacy :-) Your new website is very professional, and I certainly don't speak for your customers when I say I don't like Flash websites. And I am one of your biggest fans, I love your work! I will suffer another Flash site long enough to admire your images :-)

[35mmdelux]

I think I'd use your name on the URL. Truly successful brand names are heavily researched by marketing companies and are expensive. If it can't be done on a high level, don't do it.

 

One of the techniques in marketing/advertising is repetition. Make sure your name comes up in every way, fashion, and form, repeatedly. Having your name on the URL is just the start. Instead of backing away from using your name because someone else has a similar one, I'd power up and let the other guy back away. Best - Paul

[twmeyer]

I use my initials for my "brand" and incorporate them into my website name and into the design of many of the pages on my site. My email address is appreciated by many people just for it's brevity (twm@mindspring.com) or at least the prefix is short and the suffix is familiar in my area, so it's easy to remember. <p>"Wegwart" might give people with phoenetic thinking an occasional short circuit, depending on how you pronounce it (and just how <i>do</i> you pronounce it?).Maybe DWWphoto.com, as if Weg Wart were two names, if you pronounce it with equal emphasis on both syllables. Just trying to get outside the box, without getting too cool for school... t

[ryangonzalez]

Here is a link to some nice customzable flash templates for websites.<br>

<a href=http://www.winkletwebdesign.com>Winklet Web Designs</a>

[Jim_Tardio]

You can build your own if you take the time to learn some basic html. <a href="http://www.jimtardio.com">My site</a> was all done on Windows notepad. Once I had the basic pages, it was just a matter of cutting & pasting.

<p>

I built mine to be search engine friendly...and it is. But then again, I don't shoot weddings but can understand that a wedding site is used more as a showcase.

[wedding-photography-denver]

Thanks again you guys/gals. You are a real help and giving me lots to consider.

 

I don't mind spending the $$ to either use a designer or web designer. I am stuggling mostly with the fact that the sites I see just don't do what I want. I want a large image (like 1024x760 or whatever that size is in screen terms) as the constant backdrop. Also, to have the menu items be overlaid on that image with an opaque strip and bold contrasting words. I don't want a pro telling me not to either. It's more that I know what look I want and the flow and want to make it happen. If it costs $500 from Bludomain or $5000 from custom-web-guy.com, is not that important to me. It's far more important to get the thing I have a vision for.

 

As for the flash vs. HTML, I am happy with flash.

 

I am truly grateful for the pointers on the name thing too. That is a big help. I have long since considered using my name and the idea of intials aas the key, really helps (esp. with ~pronounced~ WEG-WART) considering my sirname.

 

Thanks so much again. D.<div></div>

[wedding-photography-denver]

I don't mean that particular image either. I just happened to be in that folder.

[stacy]

Here are some websites for inspiration:

 

http://www.musarium.com/photoannual2006/websites.lasso?-database=photoannual03&-response=&-table=main2006&-sortField=sortnumber&-sortOrder=ascending&-op=bw&category_num=websites&-maxRecords=1&-search

[wedding-photography-denver]

That's a great link Stacey. Thanks so much.