Posted by Drew Fulton on September 11, 2010 at 2:17 PM
I have seen a lot of posts on here recently about how to design a photo website. Since I am looking at doing a total rework of mine in the next six months, I thought I would ask a few questions. I am considering building a very flexible gallery system that could benefit other photographers as well. I want to know what features you want!
As you are looking at different options, what is it that you are looking for? What capabilities do you want built into your gallery options?
Do you want a commercial side for selling prints or stock? Do you want the ability to deliver full resolution files to clients? Do you want slideshows? How do you want to define your categories?
As I look at diving into this development, I'd love to plan as many features as other photographers would like from the beginning rather than trying to add things later.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Best,
Drew
Posted by Buck Ward on September 11, 2010 at 4:27 PM
Hi Drew.
I don't know what I want. I looked at a lot of sites and decided what I liked about them and eventually signed up with Smugmug. I remember being a little frustrated in setting the thing up, not being able to make it exactly like I wanted it. But now, I'm used to it. I have a few small niggles, but for the most part I like it the way it is. So, It would be tough for me to give you a list of features that I would be looking for because I've been lulled into complacency.
Posted by Dan Borzynski on September 11, 2010 at 5:17 PM
I think the starting point for web design is the question "Why am I building a website?" If you have several reasons, which are the most important reasons? A site whose primary goal is to show off your work is going to look and operate differently form one where you will be be doing print sales or workshop tours, and still different from stock sales.
There is nothing wrong with having multiple purposes for a site but knowing the primary and secondary reasons does drive a lot of the structure of the site, what features it may need and may be needed by the hosting company, how many images to place, what sort of images, etc.
It may even be appropriate to build a second site, one for a gallery and print sales and the second for stock sales, or even for two distinct bodies of work for distinct client bases.
If you haven't already done so, I'd spend a lot of time looking at features on other photographers sites and noting what you like and dislike about them, their navigation structure, what you see as the sites goals.
Then start finding a hosting company that supports the things which you decide is a priority.
For what it might be worth, I consider my site's primary goal to be showing my work and secondarily to market prints. I'm looking to overhaul it this winter and possibly building a second site, but not until November.
Posted by Drew Fulton on September 11, 2010 at 5:31 PM
Dan and Buck,
Thanks for the responses. Dan, you bring up some great points on site design and content marketing. I guess I might have been a little unclear. As I am about to build a dynamic and flexible gallery system, I am considering the possibility of making the gallery available to others for use either for free or for a cost, depending on how complex it becomes.
Therefore, as I start brainstorming about this piece of software development, I am trying to develop a complete, or at least fairly thorough feature list, before I dive into the coding.
Here are some features that I would like to see for a site that would be business oriented...
--A content management system that would allow the user to easily add new text oriented pages and content.
--Ability to easily create, and add to, new galleries.
--Compatible with either Linux (Unix) or Windows server under the site owner's domain name: i.e. Asp.Net 2.0 or later, or php, with either a SQL Server or MySql database.
--A WordPress blog incorporated into the site. It would have the same look and feel as the rest of the site.
--'Private' galleries accessible though a login.
--An easy and efficient way to upload images, keywords, title, notes, etc.
--A search function
--A shopping cart
--A secure purchase checkout where the customer can use either a credit card, debit card, or PayPal.
--A 'Contact Us' e-mail form that does not reveal e-mail addresses.
How about a "side door" for entry and navigation, to allow folks with slow connections to bypass all the special features? I know they're jazzy and snazzy on fast connections, but the whole world isn't fast yet.
Posted by Drew Fulton on September 13, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Excellent! I love it. So far everything you've listed is on my list. Hank's point about bandwidth is a good one too. Looks like I am going to have a fun project come winter. Keep the list coming!
One slightly controversial thing these days is Flash... Are people interested in at least the option of having a Flash based gallery?
One slightly controversial thing these days is Flash... Are people interested in at least the option of having a Flash based gallery?
Flash galleries will cause many people to bail, except those on fast broadband connections. Also, they will not work on the iPad. I think a short Flash intro page is OK as long as I can navigate out of it at will.
Some folks like it and use it on their sites, so it may be something to offer as an option. In these days people want their content, and if a Flash site is poorly optimized and slow to load, they will go elsewhere in a heartbeat.
I agree with Hank regarding accommodating those who are on slow connections. I have DSL, and even with that some sites take an age to load.
--P
Posted by Drew Fulton on September 13, 2010 at 1:50 PM
I'm with you too Preston. I'll put it on the list as an option, but it will be at the very bottom of the list.
Drew, I wouldn't put Flash, or Silverlight for that matter, at the bottom of the list. If your customer wants it, you'd either have to deliver, or lose them to some other vendor. Keeping these technologies as an option is good idea.
Just my 0.0002
--P
Posted by Brad Mangas on September 13, 2010 at 6:48 PM
This is a very good question but I believe most are missing something that is of the up most importance. Drew you did not give me the most important piece of information in helping to answer this question.
If you are building a site to cater to photographers and they are your primary market (customers) then asking this question here is a good idea and I agree with most all preceding comments. But and this is the real question, who are your clients, who are you marketing to, who do you intend to be buying from you? If you are going to be selling prints than with all due respect to all that have answered their opinion means nothing along with mine in those matters, other photographers are not going to be buying your photography, again who is your intended customer?
All I'm saying is that who every your intended customers are, are the ones you should be posing this question to all the rest really don't matter.
Posted by Drew Fulton on September 13, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Brad,
Great point. I think most photographers use their sites as a combination of things but the primary factor is to showcase images. Unfortunately, for most people, that showcasing is aimed at different people. For example, you may have print sales, stock sales, gallery but no sales, etc. Each of those are for different audiences and each of those audiences will prefer better layout and features. As I start to work on the layout, I will go to those audiences, as much as I can identify them, and see what they prefer.
For me this project takes on two sides. First, what feature sets do we as photographers need or want. Second, once those features have been identified, address how to make those features the best tehy can be by talking to the audiences at which the features are targeted. At that point, we may find that audiences want something totally different and back we go to implement what they need.
Ultimately, it is a two sided coin. The gallery is aimed at photographers, but photographers are using that gallery to target viewers or customers. It's going to take a lot of research to do this right.
"Ultimately, it is a two sided coin. The gallery is aimed at photographers, but photographers are using that gallery to target viewers or customers."
Drew,
Very true, indeed, but there is also another side to it. The look and feel of a website, any site, goes hand in hand with the marketing skill of the site's owner, regardless of the purpose of the site. One could have a beautiful site, with excellent navigation and operability, that would fall flat because the owner does not understand that they have the responsibility for the content.
I have seen sites that looked very nice and worked well, but were rife with bad grammar, spelling errors, and otherwise poor writing. I have also seen some photography sites with poor image quality overall, and no clear statement as to the site's intended purpose.
One thing I did not mention is you will likely need to develop for mobile plaforms, as well. With the huge movement to smartphones and iPad-like devices, site development for these platforms will become more and more necessary.
I think this is a really great thread. I hope all those NPNers who are considering a site will read these posts and also comment!
--P
Posted by Drew Fulton on September 14, 2010 at 7:13 PM
Thanks Preston,
Very good points. No matter what sort of framework I create, the site ultimately will fail or succeed based on content. My hope is to create a site framework that makes it easier for photographers to focus more on creating the content rather than the technical side of creating the website.
As far as mobile development goes, that will definitely be a priority. I've recently made the jump with the iPad so I will be focused on developing for the iPad/iPhone and other smart phones. I also would like the administration side of the site to be mobile compatible...
"My hope is to create a site framework that makes it easier for photographers to focus more on creating the content rather than the technical side of creating the website."
For you as the developer, this is it in a nutshell.
Discussion
14 repliesAs you are looking at different options, what is it that you are looking for? What capabilities do you want built into your gallery options?
Do you want a commercial side for selling prints or stock? Do you want the ability to deliver full resolution files to clients? Do you want slideshows? How do you want to define your categories?
As I look at diving into this development, I'd love to plan as many features as other photographers would like from the beginning rather than trying to add things later.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Best,
Drew
I don't know what I want. I looked at a lot of sites and decided what I liked about them and eventually signed up with Smugmug. I remember being a little frustrated in setting the thing up, not being able to make it exactly like I wanted it. But now, I'm used to it. I have a few small niggles, but for the most part I like it the way it is. So, It would be tough for me to give you a list of features that I would be looking for because I've been lulled into complacency.
There is nothing wrong with having multiple purposes for a site but knowing the primary and secondary reasons does drive a lot of the structure of the site, what features it may need and may be needed by the hosting company, how many images to place, what sort of images, etc.
It may even be appropriate to build a second site, one for a gallery and print sales and the second for stock sales, or even for two distinct bodies of work for distinct client bases.
If you haven't already done so, I'd spend a lot of time looking at features on other photographers sites and noting what you like and dislike about them, their navigation structure, what you see as the sites goals.
Then start finding a hosting company that supports the things which you decide is a priority.
For what it might be worth, I consider my site's primary goal to be showing my work and secondarily to market prints. I'm looking to overhaul it this winter and possibly building a second site, but not until November.
Thanks for the responses. Dan, you bring up some great points on site design and content marketing. I guess I might have been a little unclear. As I am about to build a dynamic and flexible gallery system, I am considering the possibility of making the gallery available to others for use either for free or for a cost, depending on how complex it becomes.
Therefore, as I start brainstorming about this piece of software development, I am trying to develop a complete, or at least fairly thorough feature list, before I dive into the coding.
Thanks,
Drew
Here are some features that I would like to see for a site that would be business oriented...
--A content management system that would allow the user to easily add new text oriented pages and content.
--Ability to easily create, and add to, new galleries.
--Compatible with either Linux (Unix) or Windows server under the site owner's domain name: i.e. Asp.Net 2.0 or later, or php, with either a SQL Server or MySql database.
--A WordPress blog incorporated into the site. It would have the same look and feel as the rest of the site.
--'Private' galleries accessible though a login.
--An easy and efficient way to upload images, keywords, title, notes, etc.
--A search function
--A shopping cart
--A secure purchase checkout where the customer can use either a credit card, debit card, or PayPal.
--A 'Contact Us' e-mail form that does not reveal e-mail addresses.
How's that for a start?!
--P
One slightly controversial thing these days is Flash... Are people interested in at least the option of having a Flash based gallery?
Drew
Flash galleries will cause many people to bail, except those on fast broadband connections. Also, they will not work on the iPad. I think a short Flash intro page is OK as long as I can navigate out of it at will.
Some folks like it and use it on their sites, so it may be something to offer as an option. In these days people want their content, and if a Flash site is poorly optimized and slow to load, they will go elsewhere in a heartbeat.
I agree with Hank regarding accommodating those who are on slow connections. I have DSL, and even with that some sites take an age to load.
--P
Drew
Just my 0.0002
--P
If you are building a site to cater to photographers and they are your primary market (customers) then asking this question here is a good idea and I agree with most all preceding comments. But and this is the real question, who are your clients, who are you marketing to, who do you intend to be buying from you? If you are going to be selling prints than with all due respect to all that have answered their opinion means nothing along with mine in those matters, other photographers are not going to be buying your photography, again who is your intended customer?
All I'm saying is that who every your intended customers are, are the ones you should be posing this question to all the rest really don't matter.
Great point. I think most photographers use their sites as a combination of things but the primary factor is to showcase images. Unfortunately, for most people, that showcasing is aimed at different people. For example, you may have print sales, stock sales, gallery but no sales, etc. Each of those are for different audiences and each of those audiences will prefer better layout and features. As I start to work on the layout, I will go to those audiences, as much as I can identify them, and see what they prefer.
For me this project takes on two sides. First, what feature sets do we as photographers need or want. Second, once those features have been identified, address how to make those features the best tehy can be by talking to the audiences at which the features are targeted. At that point, we may find that audiences want something totally different and back we go to implement what they need.
Ultimately, it is a two sided coin. The gallery is aimed at photographers, but photographers are using that gallery to target viewers or customers. It's going to take a lot of research to do this right.
Drew,
Very true, indeed, but there is also another side to it. The look and feel of a website, any site, goes hand in hand with the marketing skill of the site's owner, regardless of the purpose of the site. One could have a beautiful site, with excellent navigation and operability, that would fall flat because the owner does not understand that they have the responsibility for the content.
I have seen sites that looked very nice and worked well, but were rife with bad grammar, spelling errors, and otherwise poor writing. I have also seen some photography sites with poor image quality overall, and no clear statement as to the site's intended purpose.
One thing I did not mention is you will likely need to develop for mobile plaforms, as well. With the huge movement to smartphones and iPad-like devices, site development for these platforms will become more and more necessary.
I think this is a really great thread. I hope all those NPNers who are considering a site will read these posts and also comment!
--P
Very good points. No matter what sort of framework I create, the site ultimately will fail or succeed based on content. My hope is to create a site framework that makes it easier for photographers to focus more on creating the content rather than the technical side of creating the website.
As far as mobile development goes, that will definitely be a priority. I've recently made the jump with the iPad so I will be focused on developing for the iPad/iPhone and other smart phones. I also would like the administration side of the site to be mobile compatible...
Thanks again for the feedback...
Drew
For you as the developer, this is it in a nutshell.
--P