Want to build a website, what is the best website to use?

Hi Guys,

I want to build a website for myself to show my photo's and get "bookings" and bring in business.

What website would you guys reccomend? I am a very advanced computer user so I dont mind anything challenging etc etc...

I appreciate any reccomendations!

Thanks guys

First would be to decide if you want to use a template or if you want to build it completely yourself.

Find some examples of what you like and then ask them how they did it. Your question is so vague that I'm struggling to give you an answer.

There are photo specific places like ZenFolio and SmugMug. These sites will give you customizable photo websites with lots of features and user friendly interfaces. Depending on the level of service you choose, you can even use these sites to take orders. The monthly subscriptions vary from moderate (maybe even free but with some severe limitations) to a few hundred dollars per year for premium service.

You will find some services that offer hosting as well as site templates you can plug into. These are not photo specific but will get a basic website up pretty quick. There is usually a small monthly subscription fee,

If you intend to manage the site yourself, you just need hosting. Mine is BlueHost. Then you will need to build your site. The most common software is WordPress but you may also find Drupal or Joomla useful. All are free and your web host will probably help you get them running. Then you may want to use a template (or theme). There are many free ones as well as paid ones.

My site is built on WordPress with themes from Elegant Themes. I paid a small fee for access to all of their themes. After one year I can renew or drop the subscription and keep the themes I have downloaded (without support).

I use www.icdsoft.com for my domain and hosting. I use a self-hosted Wordpress platform. Since I know just enough HTML/CSS to be dangerous, I used a free theme from themehybrid.com (they are not photographer themes), and I changed it to suit my needs.

I have used smugmug in the past and am currently using zenfolio for my personal site, either one will give you templates that you can build from and are tailored towards photographers.

If you have the creative cloud you could try out adobe muse. Its not photography specific but it is a powerful website design platform that doesn't require you to know much/any code. I just recently started using Muse when work got the CC and I'm loving it. This time around I'm planning on building my site from the ground up and finding somewhere to host it myself.

Buy a suitable theme from ThemeForest and use one of the templates as a launchpad.

Zenfolio. No question. You get a free trial. I have a discount code if you chose to go with them. PM me.

http://photodiva.zenfo​lio.com/

Hikin Mike wrote in post #16736686
I use www.icdsoft.com for my domain and hosting. I use a self-hosted Wordpress platform. Since I know just enough HTML/CSS to be dangerous, I used a free theme from themehybrid.com (they are not photographer themes), and I changed it to suit my needs.

Your website looks awesome Mike!!

porky101 wrote in post #16736277
Hi Guys,

I want to build a website for myself to show my photo's and get "bookings" and bring in business.

What website would you guys reccomend? I am a very advanced computer user so I dont mind anything challenging etc etc...

I appreciate any reccomendations!

Thanks guys

I would recommend Zenfolio as well because it is a great combo of 4in1: Website, Blog, Unlimited cloud storage and ready to setup for Client to order photos online. I am all on Zen. and I love it! Good luck and have fun!!

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies,

after looking at sites I have chosen smugsmug.

I will post a link soon.....once I have published it and signed up so it will be viewable online.


I would appreciate your opinion on it. The purpose of the website is for people to view my work, contact myself and book somesort of "package". Is that possible on smugsmug to list "packages" or events?


Thanks guys!

Tigerkn wrote in post #16737176
Your website looks awesome Mike!!

Thanks!

porky101 wrote in post #16738634
Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies,

after looking at sites I have chosen smugsmug.

I will post a link soon.....once I have published it and signed up so it will be viewable online.


I would appreciate your opinion on it. The purpose of the website is for people to view my work, contact myself and book somesort of "package". Is that possible on smugsmug to list "packages" or events?


Thanks guys!

If you need help with your Smugmug site, post your questions here: http://www.dgrin.com/f​orumdisplay.php?f=64 I'm fequently on there helping out when I can.

cool thanks dude, I will!

Hi Guys,

Please tell me what you think. http://giphoto.smugmug​.com/

I will add more content over the next couple of days, only issue is on a PC it looks fine but when I look on my mobile phone the words move over the photo which makes them very difficult to see. Does anyone have a remedy for this atall?


Thanks guys

I like the simplicity. Not quite sure what the search page is about. Is that going to be a keyword search for visitors? Not sure how useful that will be.

BTW - Your work is very nice.

Myboostedgst wrote in post #16744696
I like the simplicity. Not quite sure what the search page is about. Is that going to be a keyword search for visitors? Not sure how useful that will be.

BTW - Your work is very nice.

+1... I'd ditch the search page.

I'm using a small monitor (1024 x 768). The scrolling is a bit annoying (on the home page), especially when all your scrolling is the top social media badges.

I would ditch the 'Search Page'.

Where are you located? I didn't see that on your home page or your About me. I would suggest reading my SEO for the Photographer link in my sig. At least implement a good <title> and description on your home page.