Critique my site: benjacobsenphoto.com

TheHoff wrote in post #9160852
I hate splash pages but I would probably split the site up before they enter... "Architecture, commercial, editorial" and then all the rest. Or some intelligent split like that so the more professional info can go to one side and the rest on the other. Technically this isn't a splash page but a fork in the road intro.

One side of the business probably doesn't want to see the other side's photos and I think it makes the galleries stronger if they're not distracted by so many disparate topics. Whenever I see galleries with such a wide range it makes me feel like the shooter isn't focused or the business isn't serious (though I know you're a very good photographer, that is my brain's first assumption from seeing something so varied).

interesting, my 2 clients so far (architects) LOVE the fact I shoot other stuff and have it on my site. They've both expressed interest in using some of my other shots and even brag about it to their clients (sometimes we've shot in homes with the owners in them). Not sure what that means though, that these 2 guys are the odd balls?

I should say I've mimicked 2 photographers I respect in how their sites are laid out. chasejarvis.com and amoryross.com. Check out their sites and see how theirs are done -vs- mine and it seems to be working for them (making them money)?

Not saying you might not be right, I'm just trying to explain why I made it the way I did.

tim wrote in post #9161003
Nice, clean site, but it's a bit hard to see much of your work quickly. I'm not sure what the point of the website is though, it's not trying to see anything or prompt an action from anyone as far as I can see. My impression after looking at it is you're a guy who takes photos and wants people to see them.

If you're wanting to sell images, or your service, you'll have to make a site with that aim.

are the images on the "home" page not loading for you, or do you mean getting more into the meat of the images (galleries or blog posts). There should be images on the site as soon as it loads. On my connection with cleared cache it's <3 seconds to load one, then they load in the background before they switch. If you want more images over that it's -> galleries (which loads very fast, it's only 8 160x160 pics) and then picking one which loads in <3 seconds again (the first image, the rest background load).

Any suggestions on making that faster? Any suggestions on changing the flow/layout to get you to galleries quicker? Like I said, I styled that after 2 livebook sites I LOVE and my site is faster than theirs out of the gate (but theirs are flash so they background load the ENTIRE site except gallery images once you're there).

stillinamerica wrote in post #9161018
Well I like the clean feel of your site...however I do not like the search function...it is too big, I am not sure why you need one and as I am waiting for your homepage images to upload it is the first thing I see.

Your pictures are great...which is what is important!

the search function is just that, for searching. With the variety I have on my site I think it's pretty important and it works quite well (I actually use it all the time myself, which is why I added it)... How do I make it smaller and make it usable? And how long did the first image take to load for you?

wyofizz wrote in post #9161976
Ben,
What WP Theme are you using and who's your host?

autofocus (linked in the footer) and hostgator? Why? good reasons or bad?


thanks for all the input everyone! I know I probably sound defensive when I explain my reasoning but I appreciate any time everyone is giving me. I KNOW I need to work on the copy on the about me page, that's a given. I'm also trying to keep all the pages from scrolling when possible (the testimonials page and actual blog posts being the only exceptions).

Generally, it looks good.

And I personally hate that. See if JAlbum.net has a flash option that you like, (& I hate Flash, too!)
http://www.webpagestha​tsuck.com/when-good-flash-goes-bad.html

Since you list: Services: * *stock/product photography, Some product photography needs to be included?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #9164322
Generally, it looks good. And I personally hate that. See if JAlbum.net has a flash option that you like, (& I hate Flash, too!)
http://www.webpagestha​tsuck.com/when-good-flash-goes-bad.html

yeah, that will be done. I think I'm actually going to buy this:
http://slideshowpro.ne​t/
and make my own for the site. It's inexpensive enough and it sounds like I can edit everything I want once I buy it. I hate the lack of thumbs as well so it will get done.

great point! Yeah, right now I can't share anything I shoot at work, so maybe I'll have to share some of my gear images (and clean them up) from the gear page... I also think I'll shoot some specific items over Xmas to flesh that out a bit as well as some other "setup" shots. I want ~2 more galleries on that page, product shots is going to be one of the two.

Thanks!

oh, and I cleared my cache again and reloaded the site. The first image on the slideshows takes <2 seconds to fully load? Are you guys seeing that? Is the search bar really that distracting for <2 seconds? And it's really closer to 1.5 second with less than one having no image on the screen (the gallery page stays up for the first <.5 seconds). Are we really so broadband Dependant now that <2 seconds is too slow and ADD kicks in?

jacobsen1 wrote in post #9163756
interesting, my 2 clients so far (architects) LOVE the fact I shoot other stuff and have it on my site.

Were they clients you already knew or did they find you blind on Google? There may be a difference in what the two groups are looking for. If they already know you, they know you're focused on what you do.

C.J. has a name already and would continue working no matter how his galleries were organized. Mimicking those with better brand recognition might not be a great idea.

TheHoff wrote in post #9164537
Were they clients you already knew or did they find you blind on Google? There may be a difference in what the two groups are looking for. If they already know you, they know you're focused on what you do.

first one I knew. Second one I met because he saw my work on the firsts site. He contacted me by phone though, and has a TERRIBLE site (if you'd even call it that, it's one page with text only).

jacobsen1 wrote in post #9164604
He contacted me by phone though, and has a TERRIBLE site (if you'd even call it that, it's one page with text only).

hahah then yea, take those comments with the appropriately sized grain of salt.

Of course, both ways can work, but putting myself as a new visitor to your site, as Tim said, it feels more like a personal portfolio than one that has a call to action for commercial work.

TheHoff wrote in post #9164613
Of course, both ways can work, but putting myself as a new visitor to your site, as Tim said, it feels more like a personal portfolio than one that has a call to action for commercial work.

so what should the FIRST page have on it? The about page? A reworked version of the about page? Originally I had a blurb about me WITH the slideshow as the main page then ALSO had the about page... Would that be better?

jacobsen1 wrote in post #9165278
so what should the FIRST page have on it? The about page? A reworked version of the about page? Originally I had a blurb about me WITH the slideshow as the main page then ALSO had the about page... Would that be better?

While it may look nicer and cleaner to only have images on your home page, you are missing a huge opportunity to spike the most important page on your site with keyword-rich text. If it were me, I would have a text intro on the home page and an about page.

33% of people who visit agree with you.
66% don't bounce.

jacobsen1 wrote in post #9166171
33% of people who visit agree with you.
66% don't bounce.

If adding keyword-rich text gets you 50% more visitors but 25% more bounces, you still win.

And you can't say my way wouldn't be better until you A/B it

letter over lap menu options for me on IE8, my uncle has text size increased, but it may be something to consider adjusting

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Funny, the first thing I thought of, short of utter admiration for your landscapes, was that you must specialize in architectural photography.

jacobsen1 wrote in post #9163756
are the images on the "home" page not loading for you, or do you mean getting more into the meat of the images (galleries or blog posts). There should be images on the site as soon as it loads. On my connection with cleared cache it's <3 seconds to load one, then they load in the background before they switch. If you want more images over that it's -> galleries (which loads very fast, it's only 8 160x160 pics) and then picking one which loads in <3 seconds again (the first image, the rest background load).

Any suggestions on making that faster? Any suggestions on changing the flow/layout to get you to galleries quicker? Like I said, I styled that after 2 livebook sites I LOVE and my site is faster than theirs out of the gate (but theirs are flash so they background load the ENTIRE site except gallery images once you're there).

Flash galleries that advance every three seconds are too slow. I saw one image on the home page before I got bored and moved on. On the flash gallery there's a link to thumbnails. People are impatient, make it easy for them.

You've missed the most important part of what I said though - what's your website for?

TheHoff wrote in post #9166346
If adding keyword-rich text gets you 50% more visitors but 25% more bounces, you still win.

And you can't say my way wouldn't be better until you A/B it

I wasn't saying I wouldn't try it/do it, just throwing out the numbers.

Mathiau wrote in post #9166458
letter over lap menu options for me on IE8, my uncle has text size increased, but it may be something to consider adjusting

the blog is VERY broken in IE (6/7, 8s OK) in terms of the links to the next post. It works, but you have to scroll... I'm trying to sort that out (the theme author doesn't seem to care) but it's taking time. The fonts only an issue when it's big.

advaitin wrote in post #9166477
Funny, the first thing I thought of, short of utter admiration for your landscapes, was that you must specialize in architectural photography.

thanks!

tim wrote in post #9166542
Flash galleries that advance every three seconds are too slow. I saw one image on the home page before I got bored and moved on. On the flash gallery there's a link to thumbnails. People are impatient, make it easy for them.

You've missed the most important part of what I said though - what's your website for?

I'm not even sure what the advance time is set to (it'd be nice to be able to set it on the users end though) but my times were the load times for the very first image to display, not the slideshow times. I think the slideshow might be set to three as well, but I had MORE complaints that it was too fast when it was on 2, so I guess not everyone will be happy on that? You can click to load the next image if/when you get impatient and the arrows work (I need to tell people that somehow though I guess?).

as for what it's for, I thought I did answer that up there somewhere? It's meant to sell my work as a photographer. I'll be adding a "store" to it eventually for some products (calendar, postcards, prints?) but my goal is to show my work to potential clients to be hired for arch shoots and to sell landscape images. But landscapes sell in galleries so I'm pushing them there (but galleries love websites). Any "sports" I do are more sold directly, so having a website is nice to show off, but you don't sell from it that much. I'd also like to get into some journalism type work (ski/sail stories to go with the shots) but again, they won't be checking the site really.

So yeah, it's partially just to show off, but I'd like to turn it into a money maker somehow. HOW is where I could use help, so suggestions are definitely welcome.

Thanks everyone!

I'm not sure how you'd do that. Perhaps find out the names of people who successfully sell online and look around their websites?

A call to action is important. The first page people see has to make it easy for them to see the best images, and also tell people prints are available for sale.