# Website help...first-timer



## TCUphoto (Nov 6, 2011)

Hi, I'm looking around for website ideas and suggestions. I need to make a website/blog that is very easy to use, considering my website knowledge is minimal. I know I want it to have a blog and a layout where the photos span almost the entire width of the computer. It seems like a lot of people use prophoto blogs, are those easy to use?? I saw on a thread a lot of people didn't really like wordpress. 

I would like something very affordable, but would be willing to spend a couple hundred in order to achieve a more professional look.

Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!


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## tevo (Nov 6, 2011)

Dont pay a web designer, learning to design websites is actually very easy. There are plenty of websites that offer templates, and that you can pay for a domain. Look at godaddy.com, webs.com, 110mb.com. As for actually designing your website, google should provide some useful tutorials / pointers.


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## tirediron (Nov 6, 2011)

What is the purpose of the 'site/blog?  If it's for commercial work, than you're missing a zero.  Search photographic websites and find examples that you like and go from there.  The level of HTML that you need to build a simple, attractive website can be learned in an afternoon.


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## tevo (Nov 6, 2011)

tirediron said:


> What is the purpose of the 'site/blog?  If it's for commercial work, than you're missing a zero.  Search photographic websites and find examples that you like and go from there.  The level of HTML that you need to build a simple, attractive website can be learned in an afternoon.



this


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## TCUphoto (Nov 6, 2011)

I just want a basic website, that doesn't look cheesy (like wix). I don't need anything customized for me; a template where I can just add the pictures/words, and an area for my pricing is ideal.


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## collyn (Nov 21, 2011)

I would either use squarespace for a dead simple but very customizable site, or you could save a little and host a site with somebody like host gator and install Wordpress or joomala.  It is really easy to setup and can be used for things other than blogging.  Go check out my website at Collyn Rankin Photography, Photography of Colorado Landscapes then click on blog and that is the wordpress part it was set up in 5mins


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## shootermcgavin (Nov 21, 2011)

collyn said:


> I would either use squarespace for a dead simple but very customizable site, or you could save a little and host a site with somebody like host gator and install Wordpress or joomala.  It is really easy to setup and can be used for things other than blogging.  Go check out my website at Collyn Rankin Photography, Photography of Colorado Landscapes then click on blog and that is the wordpress part it was set up in 5mins



I kind of second this, host gator is the best hosting site, buy your domain from godaddy and then point it to hostgator that is very easy to do.  Godaddy will charge you 10-12$ for domain name and hostgator is about $10/month.  I would have someone build a site cheap for you, it's not as easy as everyone makes it sound to build a nice site.  Most my sites are in joomla but I don't really know how to edit them or anything, my time is more valuable then the cost of paying someone to do it.  I've been slacking on my photography site so it still just has a main page.  I've had a 250 page site built in under a week though so you should be able to get it done pretty fast if it is important.  PM me if you want you can use my guy.


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## o hey tyler (Nov 21, 2011)

tevo said:


> Dont pay a web designer, *learning to design websites is actually very easy.*



HAHA! Good one. Yes, learning how to design websites is easy. Because everyone is inherently born with a superb design sense, knows how to direct user traffic, has thoughts and ideas on what should be above the fold, and knows how to do interface production. 

Lets flip the coin... 

_Dont pay a professional photographer, learning to take photographs is actually very  easy. There are plenty of cameras that offer full auto mode, and that you apply in camera processing to your JPEGs. Look at Canon, Nikon, or Pentax. As for  actually composing and lighting your photographs, google should provide some useful  tutorials / pointers. 						_


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## tevo (Nov 21, 2011)

o hey tyler said:
			
		

> HAHA! Good one. Yes, learning how to design websites is easy. Because everyone is inherently born with a superb design sense, knows how to direct user traffic, has thoughts and ideas on what should be above the fold, and knows how to do interface production.
> 
> Lets flip the coin...
> 
> Dont pay a professional photographer, learning to take photographs is actually very  easy. There are plenty of cameras that offer full auto mode, and that you apply in camera processing to your JPEGs. Look at Canon, Nikon, or Pentax. As for  actually composing and lighting your photographs, google should provide some useful  tutorials / pointers.



I don't think choosing to DIY a simple photo blog (as described by the OP) over paying someone hundreds is analogous to choosing to shoot an event / subject of importance by yourself in auto mode. Has the OP said that he/she was looking to create a website for their business / studio , I would have not said to learn to do it on their own, because directing user traffic would be more of an issue. Everything else is personal preference - design sense lies in the eyes of the beholder. Interface production is also something that can be learned through some research on the Internet - at least at a basic technical level. If someone was able to learn these skills and become a web designer, what is stopping this person from doing the same, without spending hundreds of dollars?


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## KmH (Nov 21, 2011)

tevo said:


> If someone was able to learn these skills and become a web designer, what is stopping this person from doing the same, without spending hundreds of dollars?


Time and motivation?


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## brandibell (Nov 21, 2011)

I used photobiz and am happy with the end result.


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## o hey tyler (Nov 21, 2011)

I think what you were doing, was using the phrase "designing a website is easy" a bit to loosely. Getting a Wordpress, or Zenfolio off the ground does not equate to 'designing a website'. Design sense does not "lie in the eyes of the bolder", if that were true, nothing would be widely functional or look good. That doesn't mean that the person who likes their poorly designed site template with text on a fleur de lis background that you can't even read will be successful if the design or UI is flawed. I'm not suggesting that the OP drop additional coin on a custom coded/designed website at all. I just think that a lot of people now-a-days think that getting a Joomla template on their own domain "designing a website". 

Perhaps I am just to used to hanging around with actual website designers, interface producers, and Python coders.


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## tevo (Nov 21, 2011)

o hey tyler said:
			
		

> I think what you were doing, was using the phrase "designing a website is easy" a bit to loosely. Getting a Wordpress, or Zenfolio off the ground does not equate to 'designing a website'. Design sense does not "lie in the eyes of the bolder", if that were true, nothing would be widely functional or look good. That doesn't mean that the person who likes their poorly designed site template with text on a fleur de lis background that you can't even read will be successful if the design or UI is flawed. I'm not suggesting that the OP drop additional coin on a custom coded/designed website at all. I just think that a lot of people now-a-days think that getting a Joomla template on their own domain "designing a website".
> 
> Perhaps I am just to used to hanging around with actual website designers, interface producers, and Python coders.



No, what you said was completely true. I just meant that if the goal was a basic photo blog, it could be achieved without spending a lot of money - and is by no means "designing a website".


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## shorty97 (Dec 1, 2011)

Hey i am fairly good at webdesign and would be willing to help you out. Send me a email 
shorty97@live.com.au


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## GooniesNeverSayDie11 (Dec 1, 2011)

I use smugmug.com they allow customizing as well as templates. They have a dedicated photo forum that includes a section strictly for site customization, where you can get tips and tutorials on writing custom code. There are always people on there, much like here, to help if you can't get your code to work. It costs about 10-12 bucks a month including the top package and including paying for the domain name. ( its a little more if you pay monthly but I pay per year and just broke it down into months myself )


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## flashyinteractive (Dec 15, 2011)

Designing websites is and is not easy to do. It depends on what your intent is. If you just want to have something up for people to see your work, yes, but if you want something that says, hey, I'm a professional in my field and be different from the thousand other people in my field, creating a custom, professional site is not easy. Clients know when you use a template, because they've probably have seen the template ten times already because of other people using it. It takes a lot of time and talent, especially when making it compatible for all the popular browsers, and mobile devices. Hiring someone that knows what they are doing and has some search engine optimization skills, will know how to get your site ranked so more people will come across your site in the search engines.


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## TCUphoto (Dec 18, 2011)

tirediron said:


> What is the purpose of the 'site/blog?  If it's for commercial work, than you're missing a zero.  Search photographic websites and find examples that you like and go from there.  The level of HTML that you need to build a simple, attractive website can be learned in an afternoon.



Thanks for the advice.

It's for portrait photography...mainly families and engaged couples. I want to have a blog to draw potential clients in, with about one post per week... Also would be nice to have a gallery/portfolio area. I spend a lot of time on my photography, so I don't want the website to make my work look cheap.

And I don't have the time to learn all that coding stuff.


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## matthewo (Dec 18, 2011)

Use tables and make yourself a nice banner using photoshop. As long as your layout works, simple designs can look professional


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