# My new website



## Digital Matt (May 29, 2006)

Hey everyone.  I've been working on re-designing my website for a while now, in secret.  I've been trying to weed through all my images, and select the best from each category.  Now I've got the layout all finished and the pictures in.  I've done all the flash and graphic design myself, (except for simple viewer that is, but I had to tweak it)

I'd love to hear your opinions   The only things I have left to change are the order of the pics, and possibly breaking down the people section into sub-categories of musicians, portraits, and fashion.

Let me know what you think! 

btw, http://www.mattperko.com


...and I think I should put a preloader on it also.  Hrm, gotta remember how to do that


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## vonnagy (May 30, 2006)

matt its great - awesome selection of photos too! I've bookmarked your site a while back have been looking forward to this update and I am not disapointed at all! :thumbup:  Are you selling any prints?


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## Digital Matt (May 30, 2006)

Thanks Mark.  Yes, I'm selling prints, but I'm not really set up to do it through my site yet.  I have a print gallery at deviantart.

http://mperko.deviantart.com/store/

I'm going to make a few changes to my mattperko.com site, and eventually have a link to buy prints, and probably do it through paypal.

Thanks for checkin it out, and given me feedback. I really appreciate it


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## Mohain (May 30, 2006)

Hi Matt,

Your photography is amazing and I'm always in awe of your work. The images I can see here are shockingly good :hail: 

As far as feedback on the site is concerned I feel the pics are a little too small, I'd love to see them a bit bigger. I feel being so small it take something away from them, which is a shame. Also there are no references to the images. If someone wanted to use one for commercial purposes with the offer of a load of cash or buy a print there is no way to reference an individual image. 

Keep up the good work.

Regards, 

Mohain


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## danalec99 (May 30, 2006)

Clean and simple! 

You might want to consider a button for 'Home'.


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## Mohain (May 30, 2006)

Edit: I've just read this, that'll teach me to read the whole thread [insert rolly eyed smilie here]



			
				Digital Matt said:
			
		

> ... and eventually have a link to buy prints, and probably do it through paypal.


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## Digital Matt (May 30, 2006)

Thanks Mohain.  Good point about referencing the images.  I need to put titles, and small captions.  I'll be working on that soon.  As for the size, I want it to fit comfortably in any resolution, and I've noticed lots of other sites, (including the author of the book I'm reading), where images are about 370 high.  Mine are 300 high, and I was having trouble with the flash, and having enough room to have them bigger.  I'll see what I can do.  I'd like to have them at 400 high, but then the flash viewer won't fit into my 520px high web space (to try and fit in 800x600).

I'll see what I can do.  I'll be ironing out kinks all week I'm sure


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## Digital Matt (May 30, 2006)

Thanks Dan, that's another good point.  I worked on this for about 8 hours yesterday   I knew there was something I forgot


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## Arch (May 30, 2006)

I think its very nice..... fairly clean and simple, which i like for image based sites........ I think the image selection is good and varied (although i liked the dead fish one and the buttterfly  )...... and the presentation of them is good....... so after you've arranged the order, its a good job i think.


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## Digital Matt (May 30, 2006)

Thanks Archangel   For anyone following this mis-adventure, I split the people section into 3 sub sections, and made a pop-up menu for it.  Still trying to figure out how to make this submenu in the html now.  Hrm.....

Oh and added a home button.  Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

I'm working on a title and caption for each image.


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## jiazi (May 30, 2006)

I agree with  danalec99. Clean and simple!
All image is great!!!i love it all.
i from china.my english is poor.sorry~^^


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## Digital Matt (May 31, 2006)

Thank you jiazi


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## Philip Weir (May 31, 2006)

Just roaming about the posts and saw your site. A nicely designed site and the quality of your work is excellent. "Good on yer mate."  Philip.
Would appreciate your comments on my site, and any others who would like to have a look.
www.philipweirphotography.com


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## Digital Matt (Jun 1, 2006)

Thank you Philip.  I checked out your website, and I found your photography to be excellent, and I like the simple layout of the site.  My only critique would be to make the flash run a bit faster.  Increase the framerate.


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## duncanp (Jun 1, 2006)

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW Thats fantastic, im still in the proces of designing mine.. i need some experience in flash... http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/duncanp/Portfolio%20Site/For-CT.jpg


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## Digital Matt (Jun 1, 2006)

Thanks Duncan   Your site looks like it'll be a winner   I love the look.


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## duncanp (Jun 1, 2006)

Thanks.. i need hosting and to get back to school so i can script it... < i thought i'd never say that...


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## danalec99 (Jun 1, 2006)

You might also want to add the 'Home' button in all the galleries, unless you are working on those right now.


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## bigfatbadger (Jun 1, 2006)

Hi Matt,

It looks really, really good! The only niggles I have (and they may be firefox ones) is that when I'm looking at your galleries the pictures are pretty small and half the screen doesn't seem to be used, also when I look at a portrait photo, the bottom seems to be clipped off.

I agree about the home button, but I am in awe of your photography!


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## Digital Matt (Jun 1, 2006)

Thanks guys.  The mattperko photography logo in the bottom left actually links to the home page.  I dunno if I should make an actual home button or not.  Thinking about how to include it.  

Bigfatbadger:  What's your screen resolution?  I know the pictures are small, but I want it to fit into smaller resolutions.


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## bigfatbadger (Jun 1, 2006)

I'm using 1024x768, I had the same problem with simpleviewer when I used it, which is why I stopped using it.

I'll try and email you a screengrab, so you can see what I mean.


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## Philip Weir (Jun 1, 2006)

Digital Matt said:
			
		

> Thank you Philip.  I checked out your website, and I found your photography to be excellent, and I like the simple layout of the site.  My only critique would be to make the flash run a bit faster.  Increase the framerate.



Appreciate your comments Matt, in fact I'm just having the whole website revamped, will submit it somewhere whn it's done.  Philip.


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## duncanp (Jun 2, 2006)

^ i agree with matt, look forward to seeing  your new revamped website


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## Tony (Jun 2, 2006)

The photos are terrific! The website is just as Terrific! Great stuff.


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## spako (Jun 2, 2006)

Wow! What a great site with great pictures! Thank you for sharing!I had to look at all of them!


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## 2framesbelowzero (Jun 2, 2006)

Digital Matt said:
			
		

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> btw, http://www.mattperko.com


 
For people using 800x600 the main site-content goes off the bottom of the screen and there are no scroll-bars to view it. 

Consider using channel-mode in your index.htm..
<script>
window.open("whatever.htm","","channelmode")
</script>

Even if your perceived audience is 1084x768+ you can still design the functionality to allow people to view your site 
using a smaller screen-area.

if I key F11 at 800x600, the site looks good.


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## Digital Matt (Jun 2, 2006)

Thanks 2frames....  As I understand it, that code only works with IE.  My intended audience is multiple browsers.  The idea of having the site open in a pop though is intriguing.  I still have to figure out  some kinks with why it's displaying funny, even in 1024x768.  The size of the table area is 760x522.


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## 2framesbelowzero (Jun 2, 2006)

It works in Netscape, Firefox, IE ...Javascript-enabled browsers.


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## JTHphoto (Jun 5, 2006)

hey matt, just looked through your site...  i wish i had something new to add, but my only thoughts are that your photos could be bigger, and somehow each page needs a "home" button.  When i was in the galleries, i couldn't get back to the "home" page to view "bio" or "contact" info.  The site is clean, and fast... which makes a huge difference to me, it's looking really good.  I love your photography... :thumbup:


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## omeletteman (Jun 7, 2006)

Hey matt, I just checked out the site, its all excellent, but when I went to "bio" it was in some weird vertical column which made reading it damn near impossible, you might want to look into that, or it might just be my computer being weird...


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## Digital Matt (Jun 7, 2006)

Thanks guys.  I realize that some poeple are running into problems viewing it.  It doesn't fit correctly at 1024x768, and I need to address it.  I just haven't had time.


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## Lol999 (Jun 7, 2006)

Hi Matt, the colours are simply stunning. It's one of the reasons I went black&white, I could never get anywhere near that level of perfection :mrgreen: 
I have to agree with some others I would prefer the images to be larger. Agreed on not running properly in 1024x768. have youi considered doing your own gallery in ASP through Dreamweaver? I did mine linked to a database that holds a link to each image. When you want to alter the images available to view just fetch the database and Image folder down from the web, load the new images and path details in the database and chuck it back up to the net. Easy! Also, you can always add a comments field for each image to the database which can be displayed with each image. I looked at loads of picture viewers on the 'net including simple viewer and the closest I cam to was the J viewer, but in the end did my own. Check my site out if I'm not making myself clear on the People or Places options on the Gallery page.

Cheers, Lol


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## jemmy (Jun 9, 2006)

As hot as i expected it to be.... I am in awe!!!!!! :hail: You certainly are a brilliant photographer abd I always enjoy reading your posts/replies - so informative! (thanks! particularly for the links to curves/levels/layers sites - i learnt heaps!!!!! xx) Only pick is that i would have liked to see the images a lot bigger - they're nothing short of brilliant:hail: ... so big is best!! Totally inspired and continuing to dream of the day when i may be good enough to warrant my own site:blushing:  xx
PS.. Would love to know what training you have done?? Stacks i'd imagine! xx


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## D-50 (Jun 9, 2006)

amazing photos, what type of lighting are you using on your still life? also How much post processing do you put into your work?


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## photo jewelry (Jun 16, 2006)

Your still life is fantastic!


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## noname (Jun 23, 2006)

The new site is great Matt!!! You should include some more of your IR stuff...like the Castle...but other than me wanting to see more images...great job


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## Xmetal (Jun 29, 2006)

Still life and Alternative Techniques are my faves. 

Excellent layout and design. 


What's your going rate for a site build, Mat? :mrgreen:


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## kbtarl (Jul 4, 2006)

Digital Matt said:
			
		

> Hey everyone. I've been working on re-designing my website for a while now, in secret. I've been trying to weed through all my images, and select the best from each category. Now I've got the layout all finished and the pictures in. I've done all the flash and graphic design myself, (except for simple viewer that is, but I had to tweak it)
> 
> I'd love to hear your opinions  The only things I have left to change are the order of the pics, and possibly breaking down the people section into sub-categories of musicians, portraits, and fashion.
> 
> ...


 
Matt. I think the site looks great and am invious. How long did it take you to design websites in Flash and care to share where you learned it from?

My wife has been hounding me to redesign her boring HTML site to something more active and interactive.


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