Ten Common Website Design Mistakes On Photography Sites

At the end of the year, I always spend time looking through my marketing materials and make changes for the coming year. If you’ve created a site months, or even years ago, its time for you to take a second look. shopper

When you look at your own site, you look at it through your eyes. You know what you do. You know what you offer. But does your client? When they enter your site, can they navigate around and get exactly what they are looking for?

Take a look at these 10 common design mistakes, and take a second look at your own site.

1. The Home Page Website. Do you look at your home page as your front door? Think again. If people are finding your site through search engines and referrals, they are just as likely to enter on one of your other pages. Is every page welcoming?

2. Poor design. Maybe you’ve fallen in love with a particular look. A ton of photographers love the Flash presentation sites. But is it the most beneficial? Do you stand out from your competition? Or do you look like all the rest, with only a color and name change? It’s good to have your visitors say WOW.

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Photography Just For Fun – Make Yourself A Comic Book Character

Last night I decided to spend an hour or so surfing to see what new things I could find in the photo area. And I found a new site you have to check out.

Made Up Memories

Made Up Memories is a fun way for people to share their photos and videos with family and friends. When you click into the site, you find a room with several different frames, each with a different choice for your photos. I decided to turn Andrew into a super hero, and laughed as he rode across my screen saving the world from the evil spaghetti monster. So of course he had to come and see what I was laughing about!

As a professional photographer, watch out for fun ways your clients are using photographs. Photographs aren’t just for displaying as a wall portrait or in a professional album. They are for having fun with and being creative with.

How can you use a site like this for your own business? Share it as a tip with your clients. If you send a newsletter or blog, this is a great item to include. If you’re photographing families, babies or children, the mom’s are looking for fun things to do. And I guarantee this site will bring a smile to their faces. And they’ll look to you as a resource for more than just great photography.

HDR Photo Gallery – A Great Place to Look and Learn

Are you inspired by HDR photography?

If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know that’s my newest passion. (read more about HDR photography)

If you’ve ever tried your hand at HDR, its time to see your work.

A new site, HDRcreme allows you to share your work, look through the photo gallery, and vote on your favorites. I’ve added their feed to my favorites – I just love the look. Let me know if you post anything – I’d love to see what you’re doing.

HDR Photo Gallery

The Power of a Testimonial

When you surf the Internet, what captures your attention?

If I’m out looking for a new product or service, for me its a great testimonial.

I may get excited about the product, love the benefits it has to offer, or relate to the different options it provides. But then I always turn to testimonials – what do other people have to say about it?

Now I surf a lot. And I’m often on sites where they are dedicated to selling, and have dozens of different testimonials trying to sway my purchase power. And for some products or services that works.

But for a photography studio, you don’t have to have a ton of them. One or two heart-felt messages, with a photograph of the client and their name is enough.

For a testimonial to work, it needs to be more than:

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10 Things To Inspire Your Photography

How many times a week do you take a few minutes and just start surfing? Some say that’s a big time waster, but I use it as inspiration. I start with an email or a link from a friend, and just start following things.

So here’s my list of 10 cool sites to inspire your photography.

1. FlakPhoto is a photography blogzine that’s filled with photography projects from every corner of the world. You’ll find photo essays, book projects and gallery exhibitions.

2. Rocktographers has the most amazing images of, well, rocks. The diamond kind that is. This will help you think outside the box when trying to come up with that unique photo at your next wedding. (Or for your commercial shoot.)

3. MCP Actions has a lot of cool Photoshop actions, ready to help you make your photography more saleable, and shorten up the time you spend on your computer.

4. Want to see what the Canon EOS 5D Mark II can do? I was amazed.

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Go Social with PictureSocial

So you’ve heard all about MySpace and Facebook – and LinkedIn, and Twitter and …

Maybe you’ve tried some of them. But are you staying active with them?

The idea behind joining a social network is to meet people that can ultimately help you achieve whatever it is you have in mind. Want clients for wedding photography? Join places like Facebook and get active with wedding groups.

Want to become a better photographer? How about joining PictureSocial?

picture social

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Photoshop Tutorial – Auto-Blend CS4

Richard Harrington shows you how to use auto-blend to combine multiple exposures in Photoshop CS4

Wedding Album Design – Is It Up To You Or Your Customer?

Most wedding photographers concentrate on the photographs. They design their packages to provide a certain number of photographs. And the client can choose what images to place into the album.

A typical package may be:
·    Up to 8 (eight) hours of time
·    Unlimited 4×6 images (Average 550 – 900 images) All yours to keep!
·    Wedding Album (To hold your unlimited 4×6 images)
·    Enlarged Images:  8 – 8×10 prints + 4 – 5×7 prints + 20 – 4×6 prints

The problem with this type of package is you put the emphasis on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on your presentation, you’re focusing on a stack full of pictures.

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And this is where true professionals are separated from the amateurs.

As a wedding photographer, your art comes in the form of being able to tell the story of your clients wedding.

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