Wordpress Design

So, I'm figuring Wordpress is going to be the easiest way to set up my site. I've found some cool templates I like, but I'm not a fan of the idea that I can possibly end up with the same site as someone else.

What do I do?

Broad question, right? Web design is the one thing I was never very good at or a fan of doing. Should I find someone to do a custom job? I don't have $500 to spend on a website and last time I had a student build me a website, it turned out looking like rectum.

You are going to get some different answers here but your biggest issue is not having you own domain. Wordpress allows you to buy a domain from them, but if you don’t have a web administrator you are going to miss out on a lot of the plugins that can be used with wordpress. I am using a wordpress theme right now, but my website is hosted on my own domain if that makes any sense. I bought the site through go-daddy and had a friend set up the site. Now I’m just left to add my galleries and things like that (which I still need to do…lol! Good luck and at least be willing to spend around $100 for a decent site even if you make it yourself. It’s an investment and sometimes a client’s only representation of you.

my site is a wordpress backbone with a theme from themeforest.com

hawkphotos.com

I host my own wordpress site on my own server. www.michaelssoft.com

Mine is Zarphag.com nice easy theme.

RobDickinson wrote in post #13899311
Mine is Zarphag.com nice easy theme.

Rob, you have some great captures on your website. Simply amazing!

If you want a good working website and you do not want to do it yourself, it will cost you money! Period. And if you have the capacity and some knowhow, you safe yourself a lot of $$. Only the sun shines free.I am 75 and spent 10 weeks following a webinar how to work with a wordpress template from StudioPress. I paid $300 for that course. Here is mine: http://LetPicturesTalk​.com
If you know some young student who knows how to build a site, you still have to tell that person what your idea and concept is. That means you have to put some sketches, litlle drawings and text on paper.
A job is not always fun, but on the long run it will pays you back.

RobDickinson wrote in post #13899311
Mine is Zarphag.com nice easy theme.

Autofocus, the first wordpress theme I used, bought the pay version as well. It is a fantastic free theme that is worth the purchase, just didn't fulfil my needs so dumped it.

I use wordpress with a theme from themeforest. And I have no knowledge on how to build a website. I still need to work on the layout and a couple other things but the website works.

http://muzziphotograph​y.com/

mdaddyrabbit wrote in post #13899368
Rob, you have some great captures on your website. Simply amazing!

Thanks!

you'll have to decide if you want a blog or a portfolio style, then find a theme that matches. Do a search on photography wordpress theme and you'll get a lot of results.

jerefish wrote in post #13897344
You are going to get some different answers here but your biggest issue is not having you own domain. Wordpress allows you to buy a domain from them, but if you don’t have a web administrator you are going to miss out on a lot of the plugins that can be used with wordpress. I am using a wordpress theme right now, but my website is hosted on my own domain if that makes any sense. I bought the site through go-daddy and had a friend set up the site. Now I’m just left to add my galleries and things like that (which I still need to do…lol! Good luck and at least be willing to spend around $100 for a decent site even if you make it yourself. It’s an investment and sometimes a client’s only representation of you.

I definitely have my own domain.

I'm just wondering if I download a photography theme, how often am I going to come across websites mine is a clone of?

The template I used was $75.

Finding the same theme is very rare. When I was looking for themes. Some sites will list how many times each has been sold. Even for themes that are above 8000 sales.... I have never seen even ONE instance of it through normal web surfing looking at sites to get ideas. The only part that matters is what do your local competition have, and make sure it is different. If you are in WV.... does it really matter if some one in Utah has the same theme? I highly doubt people looking for a photographer in WV will stumble upon the guy in Utah. Most likely because they will have some sort of locating word to there search.

Village_Idiot wrote in post #13904020
I definitely have my own domain.

I'm just wondering if I download a photography theme, how often am I going to come across websites mine is a clone of?

If it looks really good, you can guarantee someone will duplicate it.
Just build something that YOU like. There are many "cookie cutter"
sites that are tweaked a little to give a personal touch and they look just fine.

Keep smiling