Critique my website?

[TylerF]

Not sure if this is allowed but I am looking for some critique on my website and the work I have selected for it. I am not a web developer at all so I have no idea what I'm doing but I think it looks ok. Just need some other opinions.

I'm at the point where I need to start making money with my photography and I think I'm good enough to ask for money but I am just spinning my tires not going anywhere. Frustrating for sure but gotta keep trying new things I guess. Thanks in advance!

www.TylerThePhotographer.com

The link is legit I promise!

 

[JonA_CT]

I took a really quick look.

I like the white and gray aesthetic, but right now, it looks like a personal project rather than something that screams "I'm good, pay me!"

I think you need to make it more obvious on the home page that you're open for business, and I'd also lose the "Personal" section as it doesn't focus on the work you want to get.

Nice portraits and commercial shots, by the way. Good stuff. I think people would be happy to pay for that level of work.

 

[TylerF]

I took a really quick look.

I like the white and gray aesthetic, but right now, it looks like a personal project rather than something that screams "I'm good, pay me!"

I think you need to make it more obvious on the home page that you're open for business, and I'd also lose the "Personal" section as it doesn't focus on the work you want to get.

Nice portraits and commercial shots, by the way. Good stuff. I think people would be happy to pay for that level of work.

Thank you! I was toying with keeping the personal section off the site and just use those images for social media and whatnot. How would you suggest I make it more obvious on the home page? Again thank you for the help and compliments

 

[tirediron]

It's absolutely permitted, but I have taken the liberty of moving your post to the appropriate forum.

 

[TylerF]

It's absolutely permitted, but I have taken the liberty of moving your post to the appropriate forum.

My apologies I didn't see this section!

 

[tirediron]

First thing: Lose the Wordpress favicon. I use this plug-in on my 'site, and it's quick and painless. Your home page definitely needs more text, not only to tell the world that you're available for hire, but what sort of work you do and why they should hire you, but for SEO. Yoast is an excellent WP plug-in that takes a LOT of the pain out of SEO. The overall look and feel of the 'site is good; simple, uncluttered and loads quickly. I disagree with @JonA_CT on the issue of personal work; I have a similar gallery on my 'site and I think it helps to showcase your breadth of skill. Overall, I think it's off to a good start.

 

[tirediron]

It's absolutely permitted, but I have taken the liberty of moving your post to the appropriate forum.

My apologies I didn't see this section!

No worries. That's what we're here for!

 

[TylerF]

First thing: Lose the Wordpress favicon. I use this plug-in on my 'site, and it's quick and painless. Your home page definitely needs more text, not only to tell the world that you're available for hire, but what sort of work you do and why they should hire you, but for SEO. Yoast is an excellent WP plug-in that takes a LOT of the pain out of SEO. The overall look and feel of the 'site is good; simple, uncluttered and loads quickly. I disagree with @JonA_CT on the issue of personal work; I have a similar gallery on my 'site and I think it helps to showcase your breadth of skill. Overall, I think it's off to a good start.

Thank you for the reply. I was unsure what to put on my homepage because I didn't want to mimic my "about me"page. I heard about yoast but I cannot use plug ins unless I have a business WP and I only have the personal one

I am having a hard time getting any type of job, even TFP work to focus on a new portfolio, let alone anything paid. Hard to keep the head up sometimes haha

 

[tirediron]

Have a look at my home and about pages for an example (good, bad or indifferent, it's your call) of what works well on the respective pages. You will likely find that as you get more work and your technique evolves it becomes easier to get work. The first few can be very tough. Put the touch on family, friends and people you know. What I will say is that you must treat every job, no matter how small as if it was a large, high-paying one. Always be professional,

 

[TylerF]

Have a look at my home and about pages for an example (good, bad or indifferent, it's your call) of what works well on the respective pages. You will likely find that as you get more work and your technique evolves it becomes easier to get work. The first few can be very tough. Put the touch on family, friends and people you know. What I will say is that you must treat every job, no matter how small as if it was a large, high-paying one. Always be professional,

I'll be looking your page over shorty, thank you. As for family and friends, all the people you see on my site are family or friends haha I am tapping out my options. And am getting extremely tired of friends bailing on shoots for whatever reason. If it's not something they are paying for, there is no loss for them if they cancel. Get's very frustrating. I've been shooting for quite some time now and feel like I produce good enough work to start asking for money. I might start reaching out to local companies and non for profits to take free photos of their higher-ups for some portfolio work/exposure. Thoughts?

 

[tirediron]

... I might start reaching out to local companies and non for profits to take free photos of their higher-ups for some portfolio work/exposure. Thoughts?

I think that's a bad plan! Once you become known as the guy who works for free, you'll never get paid. There's nothing wrong with doing pro bono work to support charities, but it HAS to be on your terms. I am the "official" photographer for several large charitable events in my area. The pay ranges from a few hundred dollar honorarium or diddly.squat, but each group is aware of of what I will and will not do. An excellent source of subjects is a local modelling agency; simply tell them you're looking for subjects for unpaid tests. Bear in mind that the quality/experience of the prospective models you will get will be a direct reflection of your own work. As it improves, so will the models. Now if you want to try doing headshots or other free work unsolicited, then you need to pose it as they're doing something for you, "Hello <Boss>, my name is .... and I'm a photographer and I noticed that your group's headshots are..... i'm correctly working on some new lighting techniques and I wondered if you'd be interested in allowing me to refine this with you in exchange for updating your headshot gallery". This way, they're doing you a favour, so of course there's no charge, but implicit in your request is the fact that this is a one-time occurrence.

 

[TylerF]

... I might start reaching out to local companies and non for profits to take free photos of their higher-ups for some portfolio work/exposure. Thoughts?

I think that's a bad plan! Once you become known as the guy who works for free, you'll never get paid. There's nothing wrong with doing pro bono work to support charities, but it HAS to be on your terms. I am the "official" photographer for several large charitable events in my area. The pay ranges from a few hundred dollar honorarium or diddly.squat, but each group is aware of of what I will and will not do. An excellent source of subjects is a local modelling agency; simply tell them you're looking for subjects for unpaid tests. Bear in mind that the quality/experience of the prospective models you will get will be a direct reflection of your own work. As it improves, so will the models. Now if you want to try doing headshots or other free work unsolicited, then you need to pose it as they're doing something for you, "Hello <Boss>, my name is .... and I'm a photographer and I noticed that your group's headshots are..... i'm correctly working on some new lighting techniques and I wondered if you'd be interested in allowing me to refine this with you in exchange for updating your headshot gallery". This way, they're doing you a favour, so of course there's no charge, but implicit in your request is the fact that this is a one-time occurrence.

I guess I shouldn't have said free. I meant what you said. Making it known it was a one-time thing or pro bono. Not make it sound like I will do everything for free. I have contacted a modeling agency here and they said they would love to do some test shoots and asked me to put together a flyer for their clients. I asked what they wanted included on the flyer and they never got back to me. I guess I'll just have to wing the flyer and send it to them lol. I like the idea of asking to redo someones headshots as a test of new equipment and such. Thank you!

 

[Derrel]

I have not read any of the others' comments.

Portraits: I would remove shots 8 and 9. One is over-exposed on the faces of the two ladies, and the other looks rather garish on the editing. The other portraits are generally pleasing. The lovely boho gal in the sun dress that opens the website? Nice.

I'd strike the "Personal" category, and fold some of those images into other categories; I have zero interest in your personal photo projects,and think that a few of the shots belong as so-called commercial shots. I think people do not care what you like to shoot, so, show the shots, but do not label them as personal.

I dunno...I think it might be better to stick to one genre, like portraiture, and focus on that. Or just call the entire site, commercial photography.

 

[TylerF]

I have not read any of the others' comments.

Portraits: I would remove shots 8 and 9. One is over-exposed on the faces of the two ladies, and the other looks rather garish on the editing. The other portraits are generally pleasing. The lovely boho gal in the sun dress that opens the website? Nice.

I'd strike the "Personal" category, and fold some of those images into other categories; I have zero interest in your personal photo projects,and think that a few of the shots belong as so-called commercial shots. I think people do not care what you like to shoot, so, show the shots, but do not label them as personal.

I dunno...I think it might be better to stick to one genre, like portraiture, and focus on that. Or just call the entire site, commercial photography.

Thanks Derrel,

When it comes to a genre, I have a hard time actually defining it. I like portraiture a lot. Whether that be headshots, fashion, editorial etc, I enjoy it the most. But I really enjoy product photography. I wasn’t sure if I called myself a commercial photographer if that encompasses enough I guess. I guess it is a pretty wide genre. Would it be stupid to make separate pages for “people” and “things”? Or is that too cheesy?

I know the one of the girls is over exposed but I liked the feel of it. But thank you for the input. I’ll take it out of the mix. I’m currently working on updating my whole portfolio. But seriously thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve asked for any critique and I forgot for a moment to put my thick skin back on haha!