I need to make my own website but I don't know where to start

[tirediron]

John, are you saying my website is not professional enough? I dont think there is anything wrong with using smugmug or zenfolio.

Aside from the grammar you mean? Your website looks fine to me, but there's a LOT more to a good website than what it looks like, so I really can't comment. That aside, I'm not pointing a finger at anyone, rather making that point that IMO, many photographers are rather hypocritical in their thinking that you must only use the best labs, but that there's nothing wrong with cut-rate solutions for websites and business cards.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I need all the help I can get since english isnt my first language.. PM me the errors please

John, are you saying my website is not professional enough? I dont think there is anything wrong with using smugmug or zenfolio.

Aside from the grammar you mean? Your website looks fine to me, but there's a LOT more to a good website than what it looks like, so I really can't comment. That aside, I'm not pointing a finger at anyone, rather making that point that IMO, many photographers are rather hypocritical in their thinking that you must only use the best labs, but that there's nothing wrong with cut-rate solutions for websites and business cards.

 

[HughGuessWho]

John, are you saying my website is not professional enough? I dont think there is anything wrong with using smugmug or zenfolio.

Aside from the grammar you mean? Your website looks fine to me, but there's a LOT more to a good website than what it looks like, so I really can't comment. That aside, I'm not pointing a finger at anyone, rather making that point that IMO, many photographers are rather hypocritical in their thinking that you must only use the best labs, but that there's nothing wrong with cut-rate solutions for websites and business cards.

I am SO glad to hear a MOD say this.

Isnt this EXACTLY likes the "noob" wanting to become Pro and start a photography business and getting pounded by everyone for it?
Why do people think that anyone can create a successfully website by the seat of their pants? You will NOT be successful by simply using some template to post your pictures with Fotomoto “Buy Print” buttons and submitting your URL to Google. It just doesn’t work that way. There are highly trained and educated SEO experts out there that know what they are doing and still have a tough time getting in the top 100.
You can buy an entry level camera and become a professional photographer over night.
Nor can you buy web space from Go Daddy and be a professional Web Designer.

 

[DiskoJoe]

SmugMug for the website and vistaprint for the cards.

And Wal-mart to have your family portrait taken; that's really what is being said here. It never fails to amaze me how many photographers (Note, this is NOT aimed at you FantasticG) rail on about professional photography, and the importance of quality work, and how people who do things such as having their wedding album printed at Wal-mart are doing themselves a huge dis-service because the quality will be so bad, and then in the same breath will recommend these "McDonald's" solutions. If you want a website, build it. If you can't build it, hire someone (a PROFESSIONAL) who can. If you want business cards, go to a printer; a PROFESSIONAL printer. In both of these examples, as with our craft, quality costs, and quality shows.

I have a friend that does professional webdesign and she does not charge too much. Good work. She has made other photosites.

 

[HughGuessWho]

I have a friend that does professional webdesign and she does not charge too much. Good work. She has made other photosites.

Just like photography... there is FAR more to it than having a pretty website. And, there are FAR too many "professional web designers" out there that are clueless to what it really take. Sound familiar?
Not speaking directly to you DiskoJoe. You friend may very well be a true pro, but like "pro fauxtogs" it takes much more than a bootleg copy of Dreamweaver and a Web Design For Dummys to get the job done.

 

[IByte]

I am SO glad to hear a MOD say this.

Isnt this EXACTLY likes the "noob" wanting to become Pro and start a photography business and getting pounded by everyone for it?
Why do people think that anyone can create a successfully website by the seat of their pants? You will NOT be successful by simply using some template to post your pictures with Fotomoto “Buy Print” buttons and submitting your URL to Google. It just doesn’t work that way. There are highly trained and educated SEO experts out there that know what they are doing and still have a tough time getting in the top 100.
You can buy an entry level camera and become a professional photographer over night.
Nor can you buy web space from Go Daddy and be a professional Web Designer.

You forgot about Facebook

 

[HughGuessWho]

You forgot about Facebook

OOops

 

[imagemaker46]

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

 

[Robin Usagani]

People have to start somewhere. This isn't rocket science.

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

 

[HughGuessWho]

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

Dreamweaver is the best. No doubt. But much like Photoshop... you dont learn the thing overnight reading the Help section. And, youve been around a long time and may very well be good at it, but most only THINK they are.

 

[HughGuessWho]

People have to start somewhere. This isn't rocket science.

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

I agree, 100%. But cant the exact thing be said about photography noobs? huh? Same thing, isnt it? You godda start some place. OR, you can leave it to the real pros.

 

[HughGuessWho]

Sorry, OP, I didnt mean to hijack your thread. Go for it, study all you can about it and do it right. Just dont get your hopes up too high because it will likely be a long time before you see any action on it.
Good Luck

 

[imagemaker46]

People have to start somewhere. This isn't rocket science.

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

No it's not rocket science, it's another amateur that has been asked to to shoot for someone and the only way they can charge people is to create the illusion of being a professional. I guess you're right, it is a start. Step one, buy a camera, step two, make money, step three, start a business, step four, learn how to use the camera.

 

[DiskoJoe]

I have a friend that does professional webdesign and she does not charge too much. Good work. She has made other photosites.

Just like photography... there is FAR more to it than having a pretty website. And, there are FAR too many "professional web designers" out there that are clueless to what it really take. Sound familiar?
Not speaking directly to you DiskoJoe. You friend may very well be a true pro, but like "pro fauxtogs" it takes much more than a bootleg copy of Dreamweaver and a Web Design For Dummys to get the job done.

No she does pro web design for corporations. And she takes side work as well for pretty decent rates. She has some pretty decent clients in her portfolio.

 

[imagemaker46]

I used to build my own sites using DreamWeaver and they worked just fine, it helped having a good graphic background and I kept it all simple. I use Photoshelter now as it works best for my online sales, they have a good set of templates and it's easy to set up.

The Op is an amateur, has no registered business, or cards or web name. Photographer or photography, as usual, will be added to their name and that will magically turn them into a professional, the web site will complete the illusion...and another one is born.

Dreamweaver is the best. No doubt. But much like Photoshop... you dont learn the thing overnight reading the Help section. And, youve been around a long time and may very well be good at it, but most only THINK they are.

I bought Dreamweaver and a dummy guide on how to use it, took me a couple of days, it's pretty basic stuff. I'm not a very technical person and if I could figure it all out, anyone could. I also started off but getting my domain name first and finding a good place to host it.