Creating a Photo website for the first time.

[cyril_jayant1]

<p>Hello, There!<br /> I am looking for help to create a Photo website.<br /> I am having an Idea about Square Space or Wordpress. Word press provides a domain address while you get registered and Square Space too.<br /> If I get Wordpress free version as the beginning stage, I get the Domain and is that not valid enough later, onto upgrading your Site to a higher level?<br /> So is it necessary to buy the Domain from the very beginning? and going forward?<br /> Thanks for the help and giving me the answers. These question could seem a bit silly. But it is something complicating to me as I know nothing in this area.<br /> Thanks a lot again.</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>I purchased my domain names before building any web site. Once you own a domain name, you can host multiple web sites, blogs, etc. I have my charleslwebster.com which is my very old photo site, and it also supports charleslwebster.com/teardrop which is my travel blog. I went with my name because it was available.<br>

When I wanted a professional gallery site, I purchased another domain name, guitarphotography.com and had a professional site built for me.<br>

My travel blog runs in Wordpress hosted by by service provider, and I use the free version of WP. <br>

Once you own your domain name, you can host it almost anywhere.<br>

Hope this helps<br>

<Chas></p>

[cyril_jayant1]

<p>Thank you, Charles. Now I got the clear picture and Now I got the clear picture and understand how the domain name works and what's it roll is.So I must get the domain name, go for that. perhaps find a provider and purchase it to run on the WP.<br>

Thank you for the information, Charles. </p>

 

[Spearhead]

<p>You have it backwards. You need to run WP on a host, in particular, you should look for a managed WordPress account. While domain names can be purchased separately, if you end up splitting it you will have to make sure it gets pointed at the host correctly.</p>

<p>The WordPress "free" account runs on a WordPress server and, like all domains of that type, makes it look like you are not committed enough to pay for your own host and domain.</p>

<p>There are alternatives. You haven't said what you are looking to do and it may be simpler and less expensive to run your site a different way. I have a WordPress site that is fairly complex and goes way beyond my own photography (it's a music site with about a dozen photographers and writers besides me) but for my personal site, which isn't a commercial site, just a showcase, I use a tumblr with my own domain name. There are a lot of themes at tumblr, and probably other blog-type sites, and I picked one that is simple and linear. There are more complex ones. (Mine is bangbang.photo)</p>

<p>If you want to do commerce from your site, i.e, sell prints or downloads or services, you can use WordPress or SquareSpace with the appropriate themes or plugins, or you can go somewhere like SmugMug for a highly integrated solution.</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>@Jeff, my Wordpress free acct is hosted on my ISP. But perhaps it's part of the "bundle" like email accts, FTP, etc. I've never used the WP-hosted version.</p>