Photography Websites- No More Flash

[stevenrecords]

Steve Jobs has made several comments that flash, which has been the primary source for photography sites, is becoming out dated. Reason being, most mobile devices do not support flash based sites, such as Blackberry, iPhone, and iPad.

Other than just mere incompatibility, it also poses the problem of slow loading speeds and a required plug-in (flash player).

So the question is what should photographers use in place of flash if they are going to keep up with the times?

One great alternative that people are going to is Javascript. It works on most mobile devices, it is fast loading, and there is a wide variety of transitions/animated galleries that look just as good as flash.

So if you are wanting to rebuild your site hopefully this will be helpful in deciding how you want it developed.

Feel free to post your javascript based photography site.

I'm currently using facybox.js which is a great solution.

 

[MichiganFarts]

More importantly, who cares what Steve Jobs says...and he can take his Ipad and shove it up his...the rest of the story, after this intermission.

 

[CCericola]

Except doesn't Javascript offer little to no protection? At least in Flash you can hide original URL's etc... Steve is just being whiny because Adobe won't bow down to him.

 

[Village Idiot]

That's not going to be helpful in how I want to rebuild my site.

 

[Rekd]

I finally moved to a flash gallery. I probably won't be going back.

Oh and yeah, Jobs can go ahead and shove it up his apple-hole.

 

[klotzishere20]

Apple will eventually use flash in their web browser on the iproducts. Keyword... eventually...

 

[xjoewhitex]

Apple will eventually use flash in their web browser on the iproducts. Keyword... eventually...

Agreed, and I will be waiting while my site is in flash.

 

[redtippmann]

I doubt they will implement flash into the iPad. But I personally think sites should be mainly HTML with some flash so iPad users can still see some content.

And the iPad can use HTML5. I think it (or it's successor) will eventually phase out flash.

 

[CNCO]

Try the adobe light box plugin.

 

[MarkCSmith]

That's just a good reason why you should have a mobile friendly version of your promotional website. And really...do people search for a photographer on their phones? I would guess not. Yes, people are doing a lot of their web browsing on their phones/tablets/whatever, but I think when they are looking to check out a photographer, they'll be on a laptop or desktop computer.

 

[Garbz]

Steve Jobs has made several comments that flash, which has been the primary source for photography sites, is becoming out dated. Reason being, most mobile devices do not support flash based sites, such as Blackberry, iPhone, and iPad.

Other than just mere incompatibility, it also poses the problem of slow loading speeds and a required plug-in (flash player).

So the question is what should photographers use in place of flash if they are going to keep up with the times?

So let's look at the myths:

Slow loading speed: Flash itself is remarkably compact and has quite incredible compression. Slow loading speed is primarily a complaint of people who will create mini movies on their website complete with fully integrated images panning all over the place, background music, and god knows what else. The question is what kind of media intensive application offers an alternative?

Required plugin: Until youtube disappears off the face of the internet, flash being a required plugin isn't remotely of your concern. Chances are that people who come to your site without flash installed either just formatted their computer or just tried to figure out what the internet is and clicked on the wrong button. Nearly all major media producers will require flash plugins, and it's kind of like complaining that people who don't own a TV can't see your TV advert.

On that compatibility note: Mobile devices most definitely do support flash. The iPad, doesn't, the iPhone doesn't. Shame really because Android is taking over as the primary platform. The iwhatever may be one of the most popular phones, but it is only a single device, vs a large number of Android capable devices. The iPad has the early entry advantage. There's petty few alternatives right now, but with the Galaxy tablet out now, Android 3.0 with tablet specific modifications coming early this year, and the computer trade shows dominated by countless tablets running everything from Andriod to full fledged Windows 7, iOS won't be the dominant platform in the tablet market for long.


I'm worried you've taken the incoherent rantings of a single CEO too literally. I'll declare flash outdated and dying when .... well when there's an alternative for a start. It's kind of hard to declare it outdated when it's grand successor to be, HTML5 is not yet fully supported by any major browser.

I wouldn't worry. If you are worried that some dude won't see your website on his iPhone I then code your site up in standard HTML + javascript. That's what I did but mainly because it was far easier, i'm not good at flash, and I really frigging hate flash too. Oh god I'm here supporting it now. Excuse me while I go jump off the balcony.

 

[CNCO]

well steve jobs can continue to sell over priced equipment all day. flash is great! although i will say that i just set up a trial on smug mug and it looks good on my phone. it also gives you the option for a mobile site.

 

[quiddity]

most big sites are checking browser and using flash or quicktime ... and youtube uses quicktime for apple people.

the problem you have is that when people are home browsing they will grab the ipad and not the laptop. when i come to a flash site i hit the back button and go to the next site in the list. seems like such a waste to ride the moral high ground of Job sucks.

Just saying.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

When your business is small, and relies a bit on word of mouth advertising, it's only smart to make your site available on mobile devices.

Think about it...make your self available anywhere at any time to any potential customer, or, well, don't. :lmao:

 

[djacobox372]

Apple is just trying to leverage their power as a hardware manufacture to squash a rival business.

It's a BS move by apple, and it's illegal--a violation of anti-trust laws.

Imagine if Microsoft said they weren't going to support any browsers other then IE; this is the same thing.