My Web Site - What could I improve on it... suggestions please

ForTheLove · Jan 17, 2012

Hello, if you have a spare minute could you look at my website and suggest some things i could improve on... www.elementsoflife.com.au

Thanks

jamesbjenkins · Jan 17, 2012

Have you considered using drop down menus for your navbar? I have to scroll sideways to see everything and that's very annoying. If you had a smaller 1st level navbar, you could set your homepage width in your CSS to auto that way there's no scrolling...

Your site looks pretty good for a self-made one! Hope my comments help a bit.

ForTheLove · Jan 17, 2012

Drop down menus, thats a good idea! Didn't think of those ones

That site was the first ever web site i have made... it was through WIX so that helped, thanks for the comments

NickA · Jan 18, 2012

If you are going to get serious about your site, you need to shy away from using Flash. Mainly because it just doesn't work well (or at all in the case of the iPad/iPhone) when it comes to mobile devices and tablets. Look into using plain old HTML. And also check out jQuery. jQuery does some amazing things, and it works on all browsers. It also makes it easy when you want to make a mobile version of your site.

pashabelman · Jan 18, 2012

I love flash website... my website is flash with HTML capabilities...and I set it if you are planing on using your iPhone.iPad or any other devices to view my website it will redirect you automatically to my HTML blog... if you have an iPhone.. just try it.. Myrtle Beach Wedding | Family Photos | Senior Picture Portrait Photographer | Wedding and Senior Portrait Photographer in Charleston SC | Pasha Belman Photography

NickA · Jan 18, 2012

@pashabelman, that's a pretty good idea as well. On my iPad it redirects. On my Android tablet it also redirects. The problem with that is Android supports Flash so it would work. Anyway, I have several clients who do the same thing you do. But take a look into jQuery. I can achieve the same effect using jQuery and JavaScript and have it behave just like your site. It will work on all browser and users never have to worry about downloading plugins or updating Flash.

NickA · Jan 18, 2012

ForTheLove said:
Hello, if you have a spare minute could you look at my website and suggest some things i could improve on... www.elementsoflife.com.au

Thanks

It looks good considering this is your first web site. I've seen and created quite a few sites for photographers, and all seem to want music on their site. If you are going take that route, then give the user a way to easily turn it off, or at least mute it.

Bossy · Jan 18, 2012

You might want to get rid of your guest counter. Its good for you to know but clients don't need to know it. Use Google Analytic for your traffic instead

Dog 3rd down on the left has some flair from where you missed burning/painting. Your portfolio IMO should be the best of your best, not all. Are you looking to shoot animals professionally? If not, I'd section that into a Personal Art or something (Landscapes would fit there too). I'm not sure what For the Love is? I thought it was engagement photos or something, I find that confusing. You have a lot of pretty photos in portrait and fashion, but I would cut it down to 20 tops. If you blog, put the rest there, or on facebook. Its good to see them, its just a lot of the same and a client will only pick a handful to click on before moving on while trying to decide if they want to hire you. Same with kids and maternity (the first one in maternity looks super pixelly for some reason btw). Are you planning on shooting sports or just equine?

Just some thoughts

Kolander · Jan 18, 2012

I like your pictures

I hate black backgrounds in websites, it is damaging for the eyes. I can't put up with it, when I open any web with white texts on a black screen I just leave straightaway, whatever be the matter.

I find the pictures load a bit slowly.

And perhaps guests are not always in the mood for such a song... At least I am not, at 8.25 in the morning :lol:

Greetings.

ForTheLove · Jan 18, 2012

Wow thanks for all the feedback, has really helped me

So I have changed:

- Added where i offer my services
- Changed the music to allow the user to mute and also turned the volume down for those morning viewerd

- Deleted for the love and added it into Just for Fun with the animals
- I have left landscapes as this is my love, I am not really a people person but love capturing emotion and feeling and well my home town doesn't really offer spectacular landscapes
- I have started to delete a few photos, will do more as i update my site

How do i HTML capabilities to my flash site? It really bugs me that I can't see my web on my iphone.. and well every second person has a iphone or ipad so would love for them to be able to view my site..

Thanks again for all the help!

Melissa

2WheelPhoto · Jan 18, 2012

pashabelman said:
I love flash website... my website is flash with HTML capabilities...and I set it if you are planing on using your iPhone.iPad or any other devices to view my website it will redirect you automatically to my HTML blog... if you have an iPhone.. just try it.. Myrtle Beach Wedding | Family Photos | Senior Picture Portrait Photographer | Wedding and Senior Portrait Photographer in Charleston SC | Pasha Belman Photography

Did you use Dreamweaver to create the site?

fsquare · Jan 18, 2012

Having a flash website and then having to create an html side to it is such a waste of time. Like someone mentioned, html/css based site with jquery (slideshows, galleries, portfolio) is the way to go. Flash is slowly being fazed out with HMTL 5 being the new big thing.

o hey tyler · Jan 18, 2012

I'd say that you wasted time making a flash site on Wix. And I couldn't figure out where to turn the music off fast enough, so I stayed on your page for like 7 seconds tops.

If you take the music away, your average bounce rate time would probably rise.

NickA · Jan 18, 2012

ForTheLove said:
How do i HTML capabilities to my flash site? It really bugs me that I can't see my web on my iphone.. and well every second person has a iphone or ipad so would love for them to be able to view my site..

I don't think Wix allows adding HTML pages. You can look into some sites like GoDaddy and 1and1.com. They both have "instant" websites you can setup and customize. They also allow you to use WordPress. Do a Google search on WordPress templates and you'll see a ton of nice designs. You can transfer your domain name as well.