Online portfolio Up

[--ares--]

So I compiled a portfolio recently (template I take no credit)

I just wanted some feedback on the portfolio as a whole, are my photos strong? Does it work on your browser/configuration? Stuff like that.

Its in my sig, but I might as well put it in the post because there is always someone who will just skim over the sig.

Valadon Photography

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

I'm going to give you a walk-through of what I think:

1. Get the heck away from Flash sites. They are next to impossible to make them viewable by search engines.

2. Music on a web site is looked down upon.

3. Took what felt like an eternity for the first page to load. I would've left, and only stayed because you asked for feedback. People who are a potential employer or client just want to see your work. When creating a site, especially a portfolio site, imagine your client/potential employer as only having minutes to look at your work. Keep it short and sweet and to the point. Keep your site as easy to navigate as possible, and anything more than 3 clicks away is a no-no. So, imagine your client/potential employer as a severely busy person who has never used the internet before.

4. Way too many images. Way too long to load. Thumbnail carousel looks cool, has been done better. I only took the time to view one or two photos in two sections. That's all I cared to have time for. If I were a potential client/employer, I would have moved on to the next site.

5. I am using Google Chrome as my web browser, and it worked just fine.

6. Lastly, I did like that in the text boxes that popped-up over the image when the mouse hovered over them you added how you did what and stuff, but then I was confused: Is this a portfolio site or an educational site?

Do you have any web design or coding friends? Perhaps do a swap of services or something as a trade-off if you are strapped for cash. If you really want your site to be found by search engines, look into some other coding besides Flash. There is a really cool Lightbox plug-in called Galleria, which uses a thumbnail carousel and will give you what you were trying to go for on your current site. Search for it on Google, and you will see what I mean.

 

[--ares--]

I do have web design experience, I just didn't want to invest a lot of time in this if this was never going to be used.

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

You are welcome, ares.

I am getting ready to launch my own portfolio web site, and I created 3 Galleria Lightboxes.
What makes you think it wouldn't be used? If you are using it as a portfolio, then put it to work! I do freelance of several genres, and I have the mentality that my skills are hoes, my folio is the pimp, and if I want to make some dollars, then I gotta put it to work! (So not PC! haha!)

As I was saying, you apparently want your stuff to be seen, or else why did you venture out to make even a "free" portfolio and link it in your sig?

My experience is that once someone--anyone catches word that you are visually creative, they will want to see stuff you have made. A whole mess of people have some kind of internet access, and the easiest way for people to see your stuff is to put it on a searchable, viewable, user friendly site.

Also, Flash is not viewable by iPhones or Blackberries or other smartphones.

 

[--ares--]

Is it that important to have it viewable via portable devices?

 

[AnneRiceBowl]

I would absolutely say it is. Almost everyone I come into contact between work, school, where ever has at least one device on their person at any given time that has internet access.