Help needed with starting new photography website

[swilliams]

Hello all. I am semi-new to this website and am one that you might call a "forum stalker". I read and read for answers to my many photography questions. However, on this subject, I am totally confused. I am new enough to professional photography that I am ready to start my own website. I have done a few senior pictures, infant/toddlers, family and have been asked to do a wedding. All of this has come from word of mouth and photos that I have published on my FB page. My problem is, I know nothing about creating a website. All this talk about webhosting and domain names has me so confused that I don't know where to start. I don't have a lot of money to put into one yet, however, I don't want an unprofessional site with pop-up ads either. Suggestions as to where to begin and possibly step by step from there would be extremely helpful and very much appreciated!

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[Corbin Lane]

Hello all. I am semi-new to this website and am one that you might call a "forum stalker". I read and read for answers to my many photography questions. However, on this subject, I am totally confused. I am new enough to professional photography that I am ready to start my own website. I have done a few senior pictures, infant/toddlers, family and have been asked to do a wedding. All of this has come from word of mouth and photos that I have published on my FB page. My problem is, I know nothing about creating a website. All this talk about webhosting and domain names has me so confused that I don't know where to start. I don't have a lot of money to put into one yet, however, I don't want an unprofessional site with pop-up ads either. Suggestions as to where to begin and possibly step by step from there would be extremely helpful and very much appreciated!

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

1. Buy Domain name that you will use for your business from godaddy, 1&1, etc.

2. Find a host, I recommend MediaTemple.

3. Hire someone to make you a website or use something like smugmug and point your domain to it.

Because you're confused as to what a domain, hosting and all of that is you really shouldn't build your own website because it'll take you a long time and you'll get frustrated. It'll be better if you just let someone do it for you.

Good Luck!

 

[SensePhoto]

im playing around with pixpa and pretty happy with how easy it is so far, the link is in my signature

 

[D-B-J]

im playing around with pixpa and pretty happy with how easy it is so far, the link is in my signaure

Looks good but you misspelt embedded on your contact dropdown.

In regards to the OP, i am interested in my own website

 

[SensePhoto]

im playing around with pixpa and pretty happy with how easy it is so far, the link is in my signaure

Looks good but you misspelt embedded on your contact dropdown.

In regards to the OP, i am interested in my own website

i think you just misspelled misspelled lol that part of my site is still under construction and the stuff under "contact" is something that came with that theme, still gotta edit it.

 

[CCericola]

have you tried wix.com? Very easy to use.

 

[craigm]

Here is a list of sites that will allow you to make a very nice and professional site without really having any knowledge of HTML, CSS, hosting, etc., they all cost money but are a lot cheaper than a web designer.

1. smugmug.com
2. squarespace.com
3. wix.com
4. wordpress.com

Iv'e used all of these and squarespace.com was by far my favorite. Most photographers go with smugmug.com though because it has more photographer oriented features.

 

[swilliams]

Thank you all for your responses. What about Zenfolio as a webhost for a newbie? Is is pretty easy to use and get started with? I've read pretty good reviews and they seem pretty reasonable on price. Probably go with Go Daddy for my domain name. And looking pretty hard at Zenfolio for webhost. I've read that with wix.com, many don't like using flash player because of the time it takes to load the page and also the adds that display.

Thanks again!!

I spend way to many hours on this site but it has been extremely helpful.

 

[JClishe]

im a web designer by day...

here's all you need to do. its really simple.

1. go to Web Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Servers | InMotion Hosting - get their cheapest package - $50 a year
2. download Wordpress Blog for free from freeforumss.biz
3. google - Free wordpress portfolio template
4. follow instructions to upload it.

If you PM I can help you out for a Fee. But free info is everywhere on the web. its not that hard if you spend the time to get through it.

5. Don't embed background music