How to build a professional website?

[cohencapture]

<p>i want to build a prof. (at least looking) photo blog/website.. with my own domain name "_______.com" without all the advertisments or somethign like that.<br>

i honestly have no idea what i'm doing and dont know where to start (other then go daddy, where i already have an email/domain name)<br>

but that one is not the one i want to use<br>

i want to run a small website... hopefully with a store section. a nice layout of my photos and smooth transitions to my seprate albums.<br>

links to my other pages. and such</p>

[howard_m]

<p>have you checked existing professional photo hosting sites like smugmug or zenfolio ?</p>

[robert_k1]

<p>It is difficult to offer any suggestions without knowing your site's objectives, or what you meant by "professional" or "small".<br>

For my own site's design, I started out with my objectives written down, and then visited numerous photo sites with similar objectives and noted my likes and dislikes. Then I research what it would take to build such a site without all my dislikes and with all my likes, by myself, by a hosting site, or by a designer. Except for those with great skills or deep pockets, we probably all end up with some comprises. Not unlike owning our first home.<br>

Let us know your site's objectives and some sites that you like, and you may get better answers.</p>

[richard_king2]

<p>We are professional photographers and website designers. As much as it grates, it may be worth paying a professional, and getting the job done right</p>

[kenneth_englade]

<p>Guess it really depends on how much time and effort you want to put in. I got a pro site at Smugmug and decided to build my own site. It took a l-o-n-g time to get it in reasonable shape, but I'm retired so I could put in the effort. If you have a day-job and are looking to get set up quickly, I'd consider professional help. To get your site operating in Smugmug you will have to learn quite a bit about HTML and CSS and that might not appeal to you. There is no manual so I built my own -- so far it is about 3' thick.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

 

[gordonholman]

<p>Go to Wordpress.org and start one with them they have a free web instructional video archive, and it is one of the new hot web blogg desighn sites, And there are tones of instructional video's on you tube for you as well.... </p>

[lennert]

<p>I agree with Richard, get a pro!</p>

[dracolli]

<p>You can find Gallery engines ready to install if you have your own ftp account. I am using php gallery designed in France. I am fortunate to have a good web designer as a friend who helped me get started. With this one I upload images through ftp client FileZilla. It is easier and faster.<br>

here is a link to the gallery engine:<br>

http://piwigo.org/<br>

You can share photos, videos even audio privately with family and friends. They need a user account.<br>

This is my gallery with a custom built graphic theme.<br>

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