Website Critique

Eventer · Sep 14, 2015

Hi guys!
After a bit of website Critique

www.michelleclarke.co.nz

Specifically in areas of:
Is it easy to use/navigate?
Is it easy to buy an event photo?
Is it easy to buy Original art/prints?

Anything else much appreciated!!

scooter2044 · Sep 15, 2015

I found the white type hard to read with the changing photos in the background. Maybe a heavier font would show up better. That said, I absolutely love your watercolors! The peacock was my favorite along with several of the horses. I love watercolors and I really like your painting style.

AceCo55 · Sep 16, 2015

I'm just wondering if it would be better to rename "Photography" to "Services" and then have another category called "Portfolio" where your best equine/dog images would be (and a link to them on your "Services" page.

When I went to "Photography", I expected to see galleries of photographs in various categories - which is what happens when I click on "Equestrian Events" (However, the term "Equestrian Events" doesn't immediately lead me to believe that it will lead to galleries of horses - but that could be my ignorance of all things horses!!!). The other issue with the "Photography" pages is that the header doesn't stay visible as you scroll down. So if I have seen enough on that page, I have to scroll back to the top in order to navigate to another part of your site.

The other thing I found distracting was the semi-transparent drop-down menu under "Equestrian Events". I found it hard to read.

The semi-transparent "contact me" page was also a distraction for me. If there was less transparency, so the form was a bit more prominent, it would have been less visually jarring for me.

The order of your navigation links is unusual to ME (for whatever THAT is worth!)
I would tend to go: HOME / ART / EQUINE / PETS / SERVICES / SHOP / ABOUT /CONTACT
And then under EQUINE you would have "Portfolio" first followed by each of your equine galleries &/or categories.

All of the above is, of course, just my opinion and my observations do not make it a fact.
You have wonderful images.
Good luck and best wishes

zombiesniper · Sep 16, 2015

To add to the above. I love the overall layout and feel but the movement of the top banner being depedent on the page was offputting. I would prefer the banner and menues to remain in one location. Also the "Equestrian Events" dropdown menue shifts up a line once selected.

Again just personal preference.

MichaelHenson · Sep 16, 2015

Love your logo, love your photos!

The changing photo backgrounds are distracting. I would pick your favorites and have a static photo background for each page + less transparency on the text portions of each page. I also dislike the amount of scrolling necessary to view your photos but that's most likely personal preference. I would prefer a grid or slideshow style gallery than something with a lot of scrolling for image viewing.

Eventer · Sep 17, 2015

Thank you everyone! You've pointed out majority of the things I dislike too and a lot that I had never even considered!
- Like the order of the navigation links AceCo55 - I never realised it was in a weird order until you pointed it out!! Have made some some small changes but will do some drastic ones when I'm at home on my usual computer and have access to my photos ,like changing the slideshow etc

I'm not a fan of all the transparency etc either but Red Frame as the host is so difficult to work with! there isnt really many other options! I've dabbled a few times with changing hosts but I cant find one I like without costing a small fortune! (Or something easy to use!!)
So many things I cant change, but want to, as suggested above - Static images on each page, Transparency and too much scrolling on each page.

But thank you for the compliments

helmuc · Oct 2, 2015

hi - you've done a really great job! .. your site loads fast, it is well organised and everything works just fine..

a suggestion for your consideration: re-organise the top menu >> if the main purpose of the website is to sell prints:
1) get rid of category "shop"
2) "Prints for sale" should be the 1st category after "home"
3) "Original art for sale" should be the 2nd

gl,
H

p.s. you have great talent, if the art is yours