Starting up my business

[nicfargo]

I honestly would have as little words in the beginning as possible. This may mean changing your navigation bar a little to include an information page and put all pricing information there. Then just have galleries with the images in them. So your nav bar would have Sports Photography, Senior Portraits, Family Portraits, Landscapes, Information. Information could be called pricing, contact, etc. I'm just saying you should have as much pictures and as little words until the client wants to see the words by clicking on the link that they know will take them to the part with words...if that makes any sense.

 

[Jayson Prentice]

I see what you are saying, taking some of the initial descriptions on the front page and including that on the pricing pages. Is that correct?

Adding in more pictures to the main site and only links to the 'words'.

 

[nicfargo]

That's what I'm getting at exactly. If my page were up and running I could show you...but unfortunately it is down currently.

 

[nicfargo]

I would also make each section it's own page, instead of the links just taking you down to a part on the first page. Give each gallery their own page. Who cares if someone has to click the back button or click the Home button on your Nav bar. It looks much more professional.

 

[Holy Ghosted]

Nice work on the page so far Jayson I did not see if any one answered your question about gloss or luster or how many options. I only sell one and it is luster that is just my preference and if they want them sprayed I do that my self. it just makes it less confusing most people I deal with do not know the the deference between gloss and luster. One thing to consider is profit margin and what other photographers in your area are offering.

 

[Skyhawk]

Thanks Jeff...

I'm not getting what you mean by 'my copy', care to expand on it? Thanks

"Copy" refers to the written words in a piece of advertising, pitch-writing, etc. "Copywriters" (my old profession) are the people who come up with the headlines and words for print ads, radio commercials, TV commercials, outdoor ads, etc.

For instance, if you're going to "specialize" in senior (high school) pictures, rather than the long, bland copy you have now, try a headline like "Change the way you look at yourself," or "I can change the way you see yourself" that engages the website visitor to think beyond just the "oh, another picture taker" mentality.

Additionally, what copy you DO use (and you will need some), make sure that it communicates benefits to the (potential) customer. Remember: pictures are little pieces of time captured on little chips or little pieces of film and preserved for all of Eternity.

I'm looking at your site right now. I really like the scrolling shots. What is needed is a payoff--something like "Capturing the moment for all of time."

Just some payoff headline thoughts that come to mind would be:

"You'll see what I see."

"Your moment through my eyes."

"Capturing the moment."

"When you only get one shot."

"When you only get one shot at a one-shot moment."

"There's more to life than meets the eye."

"Where lens and life come together."

And so on.

In your copy, avoid using ambiguous words like "several portrait options." How many is several--two, five, a dozen? In fact, instead of your intro paragraph (copy), I would simply bring your links up in a vertical bullet-point fashion and use a smaller version of the type face you have for your logo.

The danger is in over-explaining what you do not offer or are limited on rather than underexplaining what you DO offer. The idea of a website is to initiate communications. Write and design with that in mind and at the forefront.

Looking better, though. Keep at it.

Jeff

 

[Jayson Prentice]

Thanks for the tips/ideas... The changing of the text is the next step for the site, but for now I've implemented some new ideas for the navigation of the pages. Also changed up the title image to make it smaller and allow the full front page to fit into the screen without scrolling.

Only thing I currently need some help with will be a contact page, anybody know where some good templates are for them? Thanks

 

[nicfargo]

Jayson,

This looks awesome compared to what you had before. Great Job! It now looks like a photographers website. Really good work here.

 

[Jayson Prentice]

Thanks for that last comment Nic...

I haven't gotten much else for editing done on the website, finally getting some of my product offerings on there and trying to figure out prices. I have a couple of areas where I would appreciate any input. Both the sports & family sections have some layout as far as products; for sports I plan on only offering glossy & lustre prints while on family photos I also plan on putting in an option for texture as well as offering canvas prints.

I'm going through WHCC for printing; they offer a lustre coating and I'm wondering if this is what most people also add on to the images or if just the basic lustre is all that's needed. I'm also trying to decide whether or not to offer both the matted and masonite options for larger prints. I just get the feeling that so many options just confuses the customer, any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[itsanaddiction]

Boring...

 

[Jayson Prentice]

itsanaddiction, you seem to have a problem here with speaking negative things towards other peoples' work, etc. I wouldn't mind it if you added something in there that was at least of use. Your post is boring, can I see your website or some of your work so I can make a negative comment towards and give no good reason? Thanks...