critique my portfolio

[sandro9mm]

Hi,

I finally managed to put together something that I can call 'portfolio'. Please I really would like to hear your opinion on the presentation and images included. I went with a very clean / basic look. I don't think heavy graphics is important for a photography page. Images included are the ones I personally love the most, so it might not be for everyone... please rate it and let me know if there is something I can improve on.

Page: http://portfolio.sandrophoto.com/

Thanks in advance,
I count on you guyz

[vinmunoz]

to me it seems hard to navigate... most likely the visitors may go away. maybe you need to organize it more. for me the blog should come out first... i found it by accident only. sorry but that's just me.

[sandro9mm]

Originally Posted by vinmunoz

to me it seems hard to navigate... most likely the visitors may go away. maybe you need to organize it more. for me the blog should come out first... i found it by accident only. sorry but that's just me.

can you be more specific?

what is hard to navigate? you mean little buttons? to switch pre-forward?

when you say blog should come first, you mean 34th image that says click here to visit blog? what do you mean blog should come first?

[canonnoob]

I think you have some good photos. BUT, 33-34 photos is too many. Many people will get bored and just start clicking as fast as they can through them or they will close the browser all together. Some of the photos could be done away with (#18, 21, 23, 24, 31- (I like 31 but i wish it was looser), 30, 22, 11, 9- ( Iike this one as well but it is too tight again)) and you have some great photos (3,4,5, (possibly 7- I cant make up my mind), 15- (Great perspective), 25- (one of your best shots IMO), 33 (another very strong image)).

[sandro9mm]

Originally Posted by canonnoob

I think you have some good photos. BUT, 33-34 photos is too many. Many people will get bored and just start clicking as fast as they can through them or they will close the browser all together. Some of the photos could be done away with (#18, 21, 23, 24, 31- (I like 31 but i wish it was looser), 30, 22, 11, 9- ( Iike this one as well but it is too tight again)) and you have some great photos (3,4,5, (possibly 7- I cant make up my mind), 15- (Great perspective), 25- (one of your best shots IMO), 33 (another very strong image)).

valuable advice! thanks allot... I was thinking to cut down images myself.

Interesting thing is that before I had a image revolver script, which didn't have image numbers and amount underneath - it was simple Next Previous image script, I had around 3-4minute time people stayed on my site. After upgrade to flash, which displays number of images, viewing time dropped to 1minute!

I wonder if it's psychologically, seeing that there is many photos, getting lazy and skipping vs not seeing how many there are and getting interested and going through all of them?

[ElTigreBlanco]

You have some strong photos on there and quite a few not so strong. This is to show what you can do, your best work. Show only your best work. First, get rid of the blinks/eyes shut, they do not give any feeling without a story. Next, the tilt-there are times this works and times this doesn't, this is the latter. After that I question at least #s 1, 11, 16, 22, 26 and 30 as they just aren't quite "there." Now for the good, 2, 3, great, 17 good, 19 feels like I'm on a boring flight but conveys that emotion, 20 very strong, 25 great but could it be better shot a bit wider? 33 has some great elements, sex, comedy, intrigue...canonnoob is a smart guy, I agree that several images could be shot wider or cropped less and give a lot better response. Well I'm a week late but hopefully this helps a bit!

[sandro9mm]

Originally Posted by ElTigreBlanco

You have some strong photos on there and quite a few not so strong. This is to show what you can do, your best work. Show only your best work. First, get rid of the blinks/eyes shut, they do not give any feeling without a story. Next, the tilt-there are times this works and times this doesn't, this is the latter. After that I question at least #s 1, 11, 16, 22, 26 and 30 as they just aren't quite "there." Now for the good, 2, 3, great, 17 good, 19 feels like I'm on a boring flight but conveys that emotion, 20 very strong, 25 great but could it be better shot a bit wider? 33 has some great elements, sex, comedy, intrigue...canonnoob is a smart guy, I agree that several images could be shot wider or cropped less and give a lot better response. Well I'm a week late but hopefully this helps a bit!

working on portfolio is an ongoing process for me so it's never late! Thanks allot for your time really (and everybody's who took time to comment), I really didn't think somebody would put time and effort in helping just another guy on the forum... I'm really thankfully, and I appreciate all effort.

I agree with you on many points, and I removed 6 photos out of your suggestions. I was very reluctant to let go the tilt football stadium shot, but I've to put aside my emotional attachment to photos take advice.

As for tight crops, I've been told many times but I can't do anything about it, I like it this way... maybe when I've time I will try to revise cropping, for now this is too much of a work.

I also tried to reshuffle the order a bit, what would u put as a first photo?

many many many thanks!

[ElTigreBlanco]

Hey no problem, I just never went to bed so I figured why not? I mean you asked for it! Plus one to you just for being open to critique! As far as the tilt, it may work in a series with other tilts or a ?football? theme but when I flipped to it in this series I tilted my head like a confused puppy and about fell out of my chair! For the tight crops, #9 would benefit having a bit more of the sleeping man at least. It's hard to say it would be better without knowing what else was in the shot but this is an example so you know what I'm talking about at least, whether you care or not is a different story lol I like the first picture on there now or you could put the last image first, that is a nice one as well that would show viewers what to somewhat expect from the rest. Also I'm on a mac and not seeing the numbered photos so I have been counting each one...hope I can count! lol

[sandro9mm]

Originally Posted by ElTigreBlanco

Hey no problem, I just never went to bed so I figured why not? I mean you asked for it! Plus one to you just for being open to critique! As far as the tilt, it may work in a series with other tilts or a ?football? theme but when I flipped to it in this series I tilted my head like a confused puppy and about fell out of my chair! For the tight crops, #9 would benefit having a bit more of the sleeping man at least. It's hard to say it would be better without knowing what else was in the shot but this is an example so you know what I'm talking about at least, whether you care or not is a different story lol I like the first picture on there now or you could put the last image first, that is a nice one as well that would show viewers what to somewhat expect from the rest. Also I'm on a mac and not seeing the numbered photos so I have been counting each one...hope I can count! lol

sorry you had to count them one by one, and it's not mac issue, I had different navigation layout before with numbers... I put buttons now, and it's hard to understand which one is which, I also had to count several times to understand what you where saying hope I didn't remove the wrong ones :S