Photo website redesign concept... what do you think?

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Top Geek

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My photo website is getting old and flat; it needs a do-over.

I'm pretty sure I like what I've come up with, but I'm trying to figure out whether it "fits" my various photo styles.

https://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/02/2009-09-02_eppbphoto.com_design_concept_01,_draft_02,_sample_05.jpg

https://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/02/2009-09-02_eppbphoto.com_design_concept_01,_draft_02,_sample_01.jpg

https://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/02/2009-09-02_eppbphoto.com_design_concept_01,_draft_02,_sample_02.jpg

https://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/02/2009-09-02_eppbphoto.com_design_concept_01,_draft_02,_sample_03.jpg

https://pic.armedcats.net/e/ep/epp_b/2009/09/02/2009-09-02_eppbphoto.com_design_concept_01,_draft_02,_sample_04.jpg

Thoughts, comments and suggestions a welcomed. Thanks! :)

(oops, ignore the photo description on the last sample... lulz)
 
GET RID OF THE WHITE, OMG

The bar that's saying "News and latest updates: 2009 airport etc. etc." is seriously ugly

The boxes on the right are lame, they don't flow with anything else, are too wide, and the gradient only serves to distract from the pictures. Also they look a bit like text ads...
 
GET RID OF THE WHITE, OMG
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White space is very important in a website to direct peoples' attention to the main body of content.

On the other hand, what is your suggestion instead?

The bar that's saying "News and latest updates: 2009 airport etc. etc." is seriously ugly
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What's wrong with it? :(

The boxes on the right are lame, they don't flow with anything else, are too wide, and the gradient only serves to distract from the pictures. Also they look a bit like text ads...
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Ouch.
 
White is terrible for viewing images on. A site for the purpose of viewing images shouldn't use white. White's too bright, your eye is forced to adjust to the brightness of the white and the image then appears darker than it should be. On a neutral or dark background there's nothing to screw your vision up or conflict with the images, you see them as they're meant to be seen. That's why pretty much every forum/website for arts has a dark layout.

The bar's just tacky and looks like something you'd find on a freespace site, and also doesn't match anything else.
 
The problem with dark backgrounds is that white-on-black (even when text is big and bold) is hard to read for a lot of people.

Also, having the photo on a white background helps draw attention towards itself.
 
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Really? Windows (at least used to) have a high contrast mode that made all the backgrounds black and all the text white to be easier to read everything. Unless the difference between background and text isn't very big (ie. a medium grey background, light grey text) or the person's viewing the site outside on a laptop on a sunny day... how exactly is white text on black background hard to read?


Because you want to look away from the whiteness. Either way, unless you made the whole design light, there's no way you can make the white box work from an aesthetic point of view.

Inverted, brightened a bit. Background is neutral (technically dark, but whatever), nothing to look at, the picture speaks for itself, overall more pleasing to the eyes.

https://pic.armedcats.net/r/ra/ramseus/2009/09/02/Untitled-1.jpg
 
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^ Interesting, maybe I'll try and lighten it.

Also, I'm sick of the "dark" look. I've never found it very welcoming.

Really? Windows (at least used to) have a high contrast mode that made all the backgrounds black and all the text white to be easier to read everything. Unless the difference between background and text isn't very big (ie. a medium grey background, light grey text) or the person's viewing the site outside on a laptop on a sunny day... how exactly is white text on black background hard to read?
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People... older than me (;)) have told me that white-on-black is very difficult to read on a screen.
 
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Hmm, well that's a new one to me. I've never had, or heard of anyone having, a problem with reading white on black text... unless I take my laptop outside.

If you do go for lightness, don't use white. IMO at least, a slightly darker than white colour works better.
 
I think it's a bit busy. You have the brown banner at the top, the light brown one under that, the grey border, white background and gradients.

The simplified version is better, but even then I would keep the banner at top and border the same texture (if any).

It would be more helpful if you posted a screen from another page (other than welcome screen) if possible. Does the "about me" box stay there? I've never been too big on those.
 
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Why not move everything below the picture? I mean "News & Updates" and other headers should move below the picture to put more emphasis on the pic itself.

That would get you rid of the square design as well and giving more screen real-estate to the pic.

That's what a noob says...
 
The website photo galleries I've really enjoyed looking at have all generally been centered in the screen. It makes the site/gallery more pleasing to me, because the photo has nothing to take away from it.
 
^ That's just the homepage, the gallery will be different and possibly centered.
 
epp_b said:
White space is very important in a website to direct peoples' attention to the main body of content.
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No. You have a limited amount of space for your web template and filling it with white is 100% waste of space. The best way to direct attention to the content is to not fill it with other shit. The sole focus of a photographic website is to promote your photos and currently your design has no clear emphasis. First of all ditch the who you are stuff on the main page. No one cares who you are, we only care to know who you are after you have given us a reason and that reason should be your photos. When we enter your site we should be presented with on fo your most striking photos. You have to sell yourself very well in order to keep us clicking and by using that photo of the green reed things you are not achieving this. Second of all the banner is far to big and far to useless, we don't need to see it, all it is doing is detracting from the photos. Thirdly the news and updates makes your website look like a blog and if its not meant to be then don't use it. And please, do not put borders on your photos.

I know its a bit cliche but i really believe something like this would work better:
https://pic.armedcats.net/c/co/cold-fussion/2009/09/04/eppb-photography-design.jpg

A bigger image for the main will help the focus as well (only size i had).
 
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^ Ew, looks cookie-cutter.

I've made a bunch of changes and simplified it quite a bit. I like it, but it doesn't really fit all of my photographic styles.
 
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epp_b said:
^ Ew, looks cookie-cutter.

I've made a bunch of changes and simplified it quite a bit. I like it, but it doesn't really fit all of my photographic styles.
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And you think a banner, content, footer isn't cookie-cutter? :?
 
Looking at it again, you've got gallery, about, contact links at the top (and the bottom!), but you also have a gallery and about box open on the right. I realise the links at top are mainly for other pages but it just seems redundant.

Agree with Cold Fusion re about box, in fact I don't like them at all. Qualifications, or list of clients or exhibitions is all I want to see - although I've seen some first person bios on famous photogs sites so its personal choice. Also the news and updates, but if you do a bit of event photography and will be getting hits from those then you might want to keep links to the last few events on the front page for easy access.
 
*seal of approval* *arf*
 
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