go thru my sites please

12sndsgood · Sep 4, 2013

Okay guys, thanks to some changes in government work I now find myself laid off again and looking for work. So until that time (guessing 6 months) I'm a full time Photographer, LOL. so first thing I want to do is go thru my websites and Facebook pages and get them looking a bit better and nicer, if some of you have some time take a look at my sites and tell me what you think, be honest, don't hold back. only guidelines for right now is that I'm not going to hire a web designer at this point in time to design my own sites. I was on a shoe string budget before when I was working, now that I'm laid off I'm on a aglet budget. Down the line when things are better and this is working out that will be an option for me. but right now I want to just get what I have to look as best as possible. Thanks for anyone who takes the time to have a look, good or bad.

my portrait, people site Your local Noblesville photographer

my automotive site Square1 Photography Automotive

my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Square1Photography

I split the auto and people for my websites, and after this year I'm thinking of doing the same for my facebook page. I have a feeling i'm losing the potentional for moms and family liking my facebook page because it's probably 80% automotive right now. downside is adding another page to keep up with.

runnah · Sep 4, 2013

Seems to me that both are broken.

12sndsgood · Sep 4, 2013

Sorry bout that. they should be good now.

sm4him · Sep 4, 2013

Sorry about the job situation--I've been there, and it stinks. I hope that a year from now you'll be able to say (as I do these days, in regards to the last time it ever happened to me), "That was the best thing that could have happened to me!"

After taking a VERY quick look at both your websites, I can tell you that if I were in that area and looking for someone to take photos of my car OR portraits, your work would definitely put you high on my list of prospects.

I like the automotive site, pretty much as it is--except that I'd go over the whole thing with a "fine-tooth comb" as it were, for grammatical errors and just for possible rewords that might sound more professional. Right now, it sounds like it's written more by a guy who likes cars and can take a good picture, NOT by a Professional Photographer who is confident that HE is the person you'd want if you are looking for quality images. Just an example--on the About page you have "I spent 10 years in my garage working on my own car, sweating bleeding and being frustrated to get every little detail right, so get someone to photography you ride that has the same passion you do." At the very least, the last part about "photography you ride" needs to be changed, but I'd change the whole thing to sound more professional...something along the lines (thinking off the top of my head here) of: "As a fellow auto enthusiast who has spent over a decade doing my own restoration and repair work, I know how important your car is to you. As a Professional Photographer, I have the skills to capture the beauty and elegance of your vehicle." Or something like that--I don't know enough about what people DO like about cars to really wax eloquent here.

On the portrait site: I'm okay with the background color, but the brown font is too small and dark against that background for these old eyes and I find myself only reading about a sentence or two before moving to the next section or page.
Perhaps galleries for weddings, high school seniors, baby portraits, etc would help?
On the about page, again Professionalism. Write it like you're writing about someone else--right now, to me it comes off as too much like a personal blog kind of entry, not a Professional Photographer marketing himself to me. And, on the Portrait site, I'd lose ALL the references to the automotive stuff--most people who are looking for portrait work aren't going to care about how much experience you have taking photos of cars. In fact, if I'm looking for someone to take pictures of my baby, and I start reading "originally my work was geared towards the automotive industry..." I may cross you off the list, thinking you're really more interested in cars than babies. I'd just focus on your overall experience, something like "With almost a decade of experience in the field of photography..." or however long it's been. You don't have to mention that most of that was just shooting cars.

The ONLY mention I'd give on the Portrait site to the automotive work would be a line across the bottom: "Looking for my Automotive Photography? Click here." or something similar.

Also, I'd probably lose the blog completely on the portrait site. Break the Portrait Site into Galleries, and then if you want to do a blog kind of thing, focusing on a recent shoot, do that on your FB page.

The_Traveler · Sep 4, 2013

The site is fine, the text sounds amateurish and there are some typos.

Are you interested in suggested re-writes?

12sndsgood · Sep 4, 2013

Thanks guys, i'd love any thought on re-writes. If anyone knows me on here they know I'm poor with my writing skills, and I've never been great at words. I started out trying to sound really professional my first time around and then have read how people want to know who you are and that they go to a person a lot because they like who they are. so I tried to change things up to be more who I really am.

Blogging was something I had wanted to do more of, I've read SEO wise it helps boost your ability to be found and rank higher in Google searches. and although they havn't drawn in a ton of people (probably more from my lackluster writing skills and lack of more of them) it has brought people to my site.

One thing I battle with on my site is putting up tons of photos from events or shows. versus just having it basic and just a few great photos from each set.

The job situation is disappointing, I had gotten laid off at my old company the winter before last and I was okay with that. after 15 years in the fire protection business I was ready for a break and that lay off caused me to spend the next 6 months studying the ins and out of the business of photography so I could open up a business, going back to work for a consulting firm I was being overpaid for what they were having me do and to be honest it was the cushiest job I had had. good pay for doing next to nothing. then government regulations changed and our company has found it nearly impossible to get work. so I was the first to get laid off. overpaid and underworked, not surprising. this one just stings a little bit since I hadn't really worked myself out of the debt hole of the first layoff. So I'm trying to spend this time off as best as I can at improving my business and bringing in more customers. Feel like I'm not contributing to the family if I'm not working on this all day everyday.

12sndsgood · Sep 5, 2013

Lew and sm4him both gave some great input. Anyone else want to step in and critique, here is your chance to openly mock me and point out my flaws, have at it. If not I will be forced to go post a how much do I charge post...

Robin_Usagani · Sep 5, 2013

It looks like you are using zenfolio. The first photo on your slideshow controls the aspect ratio of the whole slideshow. Choose your first frame wisely. IMO you put too many OK shots on the slideshow (for portraits). Only put best of the best. I wouldnt put shots like flower girl and ring bearer obviously looking at another camera on my slideshow. Just my honest opinion.

Ilovemycam · Sep 5, 2013

Beautiful!

Looked like you had a few lite HDR's of the cars? Whatever they are I liked them.

Nice job with them all.

Ilovemycam · Sep 5, 2013

The_Traveler said:
The site is fine, the text sounds amateurish and there are some typos.

Are you interested in suggested re-writes?

I never read anything. so my comments are for the pix only.

12sndsgood · Sep 5, 2013

Thanks Robin. I have started narrowing down the galleries earlier today and later today or tomorrow will be going thru my slideshow and pulling photos out. I think originally as I was putting more stuff in I kept adding few photos here and there from shoots because I wanted to have a bigger variety. Didn't want someone looking for a couple minutes and having someone think I havn't been shooting long because I didn't have a big variety. So kept adding and now I just have too much. thanks for taking a look.

For my first photo what would you suggest being a better option? Should I go with a larger photo so my photos will be larger? or a more typical crop size?

I lovemycam. I don't believe I have any hdr photos on my auto site. Most of what you see is I'm going to say tonemapped perhaps? basically upped the clarity upped the shadows while reducing the highlights. this tend to give photos a similar look as HDR but it's not really.