New web site Do's and dont's ? I need your help, please.

[Capt Rick]

I'm getting ready to design a new flash web site for my photography and needed your input on what you think is best and any other idea's you might have.
I'm going to keep it as simple as I can and not all cluttered.
Also, I wont be selling any pictures from the site. I just want something to show off my work.
Any help from the Pros?

[slappy sam]

Do:
Build a simplistic flash site (nice and classy but not too out there)
Keep color themes consistent throughout
Develop a good navigation system for scrolling through photos

Dont:
Get carried away with the flash aspect and put sound effects on everything
Play sound on entrance to the site (this annoys a lot of people, if your going to make sure its not loud)

http://www.joeyl.com/index2a.php - this is a great example of a good classy flash site.

[Capt Rick]

Thanks Sam!

53 views and only one reply......I thought I could get some help from this site???????????????



Im glad I posted it over here.http://www.photozo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41321&highlight=

[crayfish13]

Simplicity is what I learned when I designed my site. As well have a plan before you start, that was my problem I spent sooooooooooooooo much time having to go back and fix thing or change things.

[jermscentral]

I don't consider myself a pro at web stuff, but one thing I noticed with SEO and getting better Google search results (as well as appealing to people from all browser walks of life) for our wedding site was to forego Flash. It's pretty, and it can do some neat effects, but it also has a tendency to take away the user's control. Then again, something like SimpleViewer does wonders.

We had used SmugMug for our galleries, but for proofing purposes, we're looking elsewhere (hence the reason I'm browsing this forum topic!), as their prices are high, and they can't seem to get our address right in the system -- leading to a 2 week delivery time on mail from Atlanta to Nashville because it keeps getting sent back to their lab.

We use HTML for basically everything else and keep the images down to a web resolution. Photoshop's Save for Web works well in this case. Otherwise, from brides that I've read about and talked to, the glitzy Flash sites don't really do much for them -- it's all about the meat and potatoes of the site, not the dainty accessories that adorn it. They respond better to a functional site where they have control over what they're viewing (and listening to, as some web designers love to do the MySpace thing with blaring their own soundtrack with no regard as to whatever you might happen to be playing on your own PC). Then again, that's for brides and wedding sites; not really sure about your industry.

[rowdyred94]

DON'T use convoluted display techniques for full-size photos. I'm so sick of watching images grow horizontally and vertically on the screen I could scream. Make it fast and clean. Skip the froofroo wizbang nonsense. Just show your photos.

[rowdyred94]

Thanks Sam!

53 views and only one reply......I thought I could get some help from this site???????????????



Im glad I posted it over here.http://www.photozo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41321&highlight=
If you're going to rely on what's posted in your thread, rather than making the effort to find all the pre-existing information, you'll probably be disappointed. Why put the burden on everyone else?

[axe]

I was thinking something similiar, but you're more eloquent than I am.

[Capt Rick]

Thanks for the help Clint! Good one!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f68/RickHiott/applause.gif