I finally finished my website redesign. I eliminated the gallery page and combined it with the home page making it 1 step easier to get to the large version of each image. The background changed from a light gray to a dark warm gray. All the final images were made larger, 720pxl on the long side and some were reprocessed, now that I have a better color calibrated monitor. Instead of faded images on the background of the gallery pages, I did image extractions with a drop shadow for a mild 3D effect to decorate them. I added a banner of faded images on the top, which is present on every page and did links back to the home page on every page. In all it took me about a month of 5-14 hour days.
A large number of new images were added including an Iceland Gallery.
If interested here's the site link: www.freshairphotos.com
Posted by Jim Casteel on March 4, 2010 at 12:37 PM
This looks great ... one of the best looking sites I've seen. My site's looking more and more like it was designed in 1872.
On the gallery pages, I'd kind of like to have links to all the other galleries along the bottom of the page to make navigation easier (though this may clutter things up more than you want). And maybe have a link back to the gallery page on the individual image pages, along with perhaps forward and back links to the next images. Also, it would be nice if you could order prints directly from the individual image pages. Even the prints page doesn't say how to order prints or give you contact info.
Posted by Jack Garrett on March 4, 2010 at 2:57 PM
This is SUPERB!!!!! The only thing I might like to see is a forward or back button so I can scroll through the images. Maybe it's there but i don't see it. I have to tell you that I've never been on your site before but you have some of the most fantastic images I've seen anywhere!
I have a hard time looking at your site because I'm still bitter after you showed me that shot of the clearing fog in Uncompahgre Gorge on your little handheld viewer at the True Grit several years ago.
Great collection, Don. You're the real deal.
I don't know alot about Websites or designing them. However, if they are easy to navigate thats always nice. Don yours is easy to navigate. I like the thumbnail page and you can click on the ones you want if you want to see a larger view. It's quick loading which makes it nice as well.
Great images too! Love the them all. I really liked the Raptors and the Landscapes.
Don, it looks good, great images but I can't stand the way it loads in blocks/segments, I loaded your site at work and at home both with fast connections using Internet Explorer and still it loads in blocks I am guessing this because you built it in photoshop then cropped it in imageready etc. Like I said you have great images but it bugs the crap out of me how it loads no matter how good the images I will never browse through a site that is built this way. Sorry just my 2 cents worth.
Thanks everyone, it was a long process, but I enjoyed almost every minute of it.
Grant: Thanks for the ideas. The forward/back arrows idea is one I would have liked to do, but so far haven't figured out how to accomplish it. ImageReady does have its shortcomings. The challenges are fun to take on though.
Jack: Sorry for the nightmares! I wish I would have the time to learn Dreamweaver. I wonder if there are any 2-3 day courses teaching the basics of Dreamweaver to get a jump start. The price is kind of steep though for someone who is only doing his own website.
Jody: Thanks for your analysis,I agree about the blocks/segments loading aspects. I'm not sure why it does it that and hadn't thought that it made much of a difference. It loads that way on my computers also, fortunately they load quickly on a fast connection. It must be the way ImageReady auto slices the balance of the page after I finish the manual slices. I don't know if I can fool it into doing it differently, but I think I will play with a page or two just in case.
Don...I really like this design...very unique... on the front page I really like how you have the galleries listed. Your fonts, headers and most importantly you images are so cool...
Posted by Jack Garrett on March 6, 2010 at 9:51 AM
Just one more thing Don...and I think this is real important! Try to make your email information a link. I wanted to email you and couldn't find a clickable link.
Posted by Jeff Hackett on March 6, 2010 at 9:40 PM
I'm no web designer, but this works and looks good to me. Your image collections it tops as well!
Discussion
18 repliesA large number of new images were added including an Iceland Gallery.
If interested here's the site link: www.freshairphotos.com
On the gallery pages, I'd kind of like to have links to all the other galleries along the bottom of the page to make navigation easier (though this may clutter things up more than you want). And maybe have a link back to the gallery page on the individual image pages, along with perhaps forward and back links to the next images. Also, it would be nice if you could order prints directly from the individual image pages. Even the prints page doesn't say how to order prints or give you contact info.
Great collection, Don. You're the real deal.
But it definitely looks good! And I like how you arranged all your thumbnails in a custom manner.
And of course your photo collection itself is phenomenal.
Great images too! Love the them all. I really liked the Raptors and the Landscapes.
Grant: Thanks for the ideas. The forward/back arrows idea is one I would have liked to do, but so far haven't figured out how to accomplish it. ImageReady does have its shortcomings. The challenges are fun to take on though.
Jack: Sorry for the nightmares! I wish I would have the time to learn Dreamweaver. I wonder if there are any 2-3 day courses teaching the basics of Dreamweaver to get a jump start. The price is kind of steep though for someone who is only doing his own website.
Jody: Thanks for your analysis,I agree about the blocks/segments loading aspects. I'm not sure why it does it that and hadn't thought that it made much of a difference. It loads that way on my computers also, fortunately they load quickly on a fast connection. It must be the way ImageReady auto slices the balance of the page after I finish the manual slices. I don't know if I can fool it into doing it differently, but I think I will play with a page or two just in case.