Building your own website

[RubyGloom]

I decided I am going to build a website. I do not do paid shoots but will in the future. I am using pixpa and thinking of this template . I know keep it simple and use the best of the best photos for the portfolio and no music. What about for color scheme (which are best?) , content to include (FAQ's, testimonials, etc)? any other do's and dont is appreciated. Thanks

Edit- Wanted to add, that when I start taking paid shoots I will have a professional web designer do a site for me but at the moment I am going to design one myself.

 

[KmH]

Using a template is not "Building your own website". Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript code is.

As far as color schemes: Website Color Design - Bing

 

[RubyGloom]

Using a template is not "Building your own website". Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript code is.

As far as color schemes: Website Color Design - Bing

Sorry, I guess I ment designing? Thanks for the link!

 

[dakkon76]

Using a template is not "Building your own website". Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript code is.

As far as color schemes: Website Color Design - Bing

Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript is not "coding" either ... it's scripting. The difference between those 2 is even larger than the difference you felt compelled to point out, FYI.

 

[brandibell]

FAQs & Testimonials are good when you start taking clients on. Your right about no music and simple and good photos. Make sure you have a contact page. Color wise, nothing bright or difficult to read. Nothing tacky either. The template you picked out isnt bad, there are some nicer ones IMO but thats me

 

[Sw1tchFX]

just use one of these: Photographer Website Design - A Photo Folio

 

[H4X1MA]

As a developer, not a designer, here's are my thoughts...

- DO NOT USE A DARK BACKGROUND WITH WHITE FONT! It's hell on the eye's. 90% of the time if I go to a site that uses white text on a dark background, it's closed </story>


- Soft Pastel colors are the user most friendly. I would say even more so when you are doing an artistic site. Pastel just gives a sense of "class" to what could be a boring website. The first thing you want to do is figure out your color palette. Usually its the background/content area, headers, and then content text.


- Don't make your fonts too small. What I typically run into on a daily basis are sites that use an 11px - 12px font size. This is pretty standard. If you use 13+px, then it will make the text look huge (depending on the font used). 11- and people won't be able to read it. Keep in mind that the site is for others, not for yourself. You probably wont be, but if you are targeting an older audience then you should use either a bigger font, or a script that lets people adjust the font size themselves.


- Design for the audience that you are trying to attract. This is kind of obvious. If you’re going to concentrate on weddings then you don’t want a picture of a dog sitting there.
- The last thing I can advise is for you to find websites online that are doing the same thing that you want to do. DO NOT PLAGERIZE, but look at 10-20 sites and get a feel for them. What do they have in common, this is what your site should have in common as well.


- Do yourself a favor and don’t use anything flash based. I know that a lot of computers now are pretty fast and can handle flash well, but sometimes it just creates un-needed loading time that could have been avoided. A lot of what flash was good for can now be done using simple CSS and Jquery (not so simple) now anyway.

 

[RubyGloom]

As a developer, not a designer, here's are my thoughts...

- DO NOT USE A DARK BACKGROUND WITH WHITE FONT! It's hell on the eye's. 90% of the time if I go to a site that uses white text on a dark background, it's closed </story>

- Soft Pastel colors are the user most friendly. I would say even more so when you are doing an artistic site. Pastel just gives a sense of "class" to what could be a boring website. The first thing you want to do is figure out your color palette. Usually its the background/content area, headers, and then content text.

- Don't make your fonts too small. What I typically run into on a daily basis are sites that use an 11px - 12px font size. This is pretty standard. If you use 13+px, then it will make the text look huge (depending on the font used). 11- and people won't be able to read it. Keep in mind that the site is for others, not for yourself. You probably wont be, but if you are targeting an older audience then you should use either a bigger font, or a script that lets people adjust the font size themselves.

- Design for the audience that you are trying to attract. This is kind of obvious. If you&#146;re going to concentrate on weddings then you don&#146;t want a picture of a dog sitting there.
- The last thing I can advise is for you to find websites online that are doing the same thing that you want to do. DO NOT PLAGERIZE, but look at 10-20 sites and get a feel for them. What do they have in common, this is what your site should have in common as well.

- Do yourself a favor and don&#146;t use anything flash based. I know that a lot of computers now are pretty fast and can handle flash well, but sometimes it just creates un-needed loading time that could have been avoided. A lot of what flash was good for can now be done using simple CSS and Jquery (not so simple) now anyway.

Thanks!

So I the template I linked I should go witha lighter color? And thx for the flash advice will make sure not to use it!

 

[dakkon76]

Completely agree with not using flash. And MUSIC! God, the second I hear music on someone's site my first instinct is to close the page as fast as I can. Realistically, you shouldn't try and take on building your own site. Go with a site that will allow you to customize a template - you want to shoot pictures, not try and become a Web developer. For the time and frustration you'd spend trying to write your own CSS or Javascript, you may as well have paid for a custom site. Start with something easy, if you outgrow it, then consider going out on your own or paying someone to make one for you.

Also, while you want to showcase your images, try not to make your front page too busy. Only have text over solid colors - not superimposed over an image. And no splash page that says "welcome to my website, click here to enter" never understood those.

Best of luck!

 

[Tomasko]

Using a template is not "Building your own website". Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript code is.

As far as color schemes: Website Color Design - Bing

Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript is not "coding" either ... it's scripting. The difference between those 2 is even larger than the difference you felt compelled to point out, FYI.

Funny thing you point that out, because you're wrong
HTML and CSS can be called coding without any problem, because it is coding. There are NO scripts at all. HTML is a declarative language, nothing else. Or you want to tell me, you can write scripts using HTML or CSS?
However, you're right that writing javascript is scripting (it has it even in its name).

If you have the urge to correct someone, at least do it right.

 

[dakkon76]

I like your argument, simply stating that HTML and CSS can be called coding because it is ... wrong. They're both markup languages and neither is used actually perform any logic. You in fact, cannot write scripts with HTML and CSS - they're not scripting languages... they're markup languages. These markup languages are simply parsed by a "real" piece of coding and then rendered determined on said code. Scripts are the next step up, and tend to make wanna-be programmers feel like they're coding. You can do some need stuff with javascript, but it doesn't come anywhere near attaining the term "coding"

... A few little Web developers get all huffy and pretentious and think they know enough to throw their limited knowledge around. You guys just keep on using your terms like you know what they mean and you'll keep on fooling the general public. My little plug was simply to put KmH in his place since he was being a pretentious ass to the OP. Just to let him know that there were those of us here that can see though his crap sometimes.

 

[Tomasko]

I like your argument, simply stating that HTML and CSS can be called coding because it is ... wrong. They're both markup languages and neither is used actually perform any logic. You in fact, cannot write scripts with HTML and CSS - they're not scripting languages... they're markup languages. These markup languages are simply parsed by a "real" piece of coding and then rendered determined on said code. Scripts are the next step up, and tend to make wanna-be programmers feel like they're coding. You can do some need stuff with javascript, but it doesn't come anywhere near attaining the term "coding"

... A few little Web developers get all huffy and pretentious and think they know enough to throw their limited knowledge around. You guys just keep on using your terms like you know what they mean and you'll keep on fooling the general public. My little plug was simply to put KmH in his place since he was being a pretentious ass to the OP. Just to let him know that there were those of us here that can see though his crap sometimes.

You know what's funny? YOU'RE the one who said writing HTML and CSS is scripting!

Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript is not "coding" either ... it's scripting.

So make up your mind, stop being a smart ass please, and try it on someone who doesn't actually work in IT... Word "coding" is commonly used for writing HTML & CSS among web designers and I don't see anything wrong about it. Nobody is saying "coding HTML" means "I'm creating the logic of the website!!".....

 

[tirediron]

...DO NOT USE A DARK BACKGROUND WITH WHITE FONT! It's hell on the eye's. 90% of the time if I go to a site that uses white text on a dark background, it's closed </story>...

Without meaning to hijack or start another pointless "what is coding" argument, I'd like more information on this. I purposely used a black background w/ white text because I find that the lack of contrast when using soft/pastel is very hard on the eyes.

 

[Tomasko]

tirediron, I don't like black background too... My eyes are good, I don't wear glasses, but my eyes start to hurt after a while with that combination.

 

[KmH]

Writing HTML, CSS, and Javascript is not "coding" either ... it's scripting.

Thanks. I'll remember that.