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05/07/2015 07:59:07 AM · #1
I have quite a bit of new stuff i need/want to put on my website to keep it fresh. If anyone wishes to help and could spare a few moments to head to my homepage and let me know which images I should get rid or absolutely keep I would be very appreciative. I'm looking to show as much variety as i can but still keeping the best stuff.

I'm trying to figure out my strongest and weakest and also which ones which should be at the front. I'm not impartial enough about my images to choose them myself.

www.michaelalestraphotography.com

commenting in this thread is fine.

Message edited by author 2015-05-07 07:59:21.
05/07/2015 08:18:40 AM · #2
Looks really good! Really nice stuff and a good variety. On the main page, the first 4 photos are not as strong as some of those after it. Starting at the fifth shot, they seem stronger IMHO.

Message edited by author 2015-05-07 08:18:52.
05/07/2015 08:35:12 AM · #3
Originally posted by tate:

Looks really good! Really nice stuff and a good variety. On the main page, the first 4 photos are not as strong as some of those after it. Starting at the fifth shot, they seem stronger IMHO.


thanks and just curious which image would you suggest to start with?
05/07/2015 09:00:25 AM · #4
this

or

this

I like this but I think the focus on the eye on the bottom is a touch off - but the landscape format is nice.

05/07/2015 09:23:49 AM · #5
thanks again for the input!
05/07/2015 09:35:39 AM · #6
Sure thing. =)

I've debated asking DPC what they thought of my site but I just don't have it to the point where I am confident in doing so =/
05/07/2015 10:25:28 AM · #7
Originally posted by tate:

Sure thing. =)

I've debated asking DPC what they thought of my site but I just don't have it to the point where I am confident in doing so =/


shoot me a pm, i'll have a look.
05/07/2015 02:03:39 PM · #8
On the print pricing page - there is the word "confidant" when I think the word should be "confident"

(Maybe you're outside of the US and so the other word is okay?)

Also, in the last sentence on that print pricing page, I would remove the word 'them'. Or maybe you want to add something like "no matter how you" to make the sentence end "no matter how you display them"?

sentence as it reads on website: "so that you may be even further satisfied with the images you display them."

Message edited by author 2015-05-07 14:06:59.
05/07/2015 02:11:45 PM · #9
The two images that stuck me as really strong: the man's bare back and the red dress/legs on rail. (But I thought the first three were a nice introduction. And I thought all of the images were interesting and different enough that they would 'speak' to a lot of different people.)
05/07/2015 02:17:42 PM · #10
thanks.

I am considering removing the "red dress on the tracks" since its not really a portrait, its just one of my favorite and most popular pics. its one of the reasons i'm asking this question, to see what others like.

Message edited by author 2015-05-07 14:19:29.
05/07/2015 02:33:46 PM · #11
I think people like to see something a little different. If you did a series of photos of someone, this could be one of them right?

Originally posted by Mike:

thanks.

I am considering removing the "red dress on the tracks" since its not really a portrait, its just one of my favorite and most popular pics. its one of the reasons i'm asking this question, to see what others like.
05/07/2015 03:39:33 PM · #12
As much as I love the first image, I'm not sure if that is the one you should start with. Maybe the fifth one instead? Or this one

I think that if I went to your page I would probably not look through the whole slideshow, I would probably go to the portfolio after about 7-8 photos. So maybe you don't need that many?

There are three photos that I think I would remove from the home page. Not because I don't like them, but because I think they look "too" different. The images I am thinking of is the second photo (the bride), the pregnancy photo with the ultrasound image and the one with the woman laying on her back looking into the camera. I understand that showing variety is important to attract all kinds of clients, but the above pictures "ruin" the flow (at least in my eyes) of all the other nice photos. Maybe you could put this one in instead?

Another thing I was thinking about was whether it might be a good idea to organize the images in for example the Individuals portfolio a bit differently. Maybe make two "style categories", editorial looking and non-editorial looking perhaps? I think the three portfolio pages look a tiny bit messy (sorry!), but I think that can be easily fixed by shifting the images that are already there around.

I hope this made sense. Sometimes things get lost in translation. Also, I know I'm not very experienced in regard to photography (for the most part I'm clueless! hehe), but perhaps my opinions are representative of the people who visit your page looking to hiring you?

Best of luck! :)
05/07/2015 09:54:25 PM · #13
Everyone is marketing to a different market, so take this with a grain of salt. Having the first few images say "I can take a good picture of a beautiful young woman's face" is not a very bold statement. Get more of the artsy B&W stuff up front, some of the family shots, some kids. Most prospective clients will looking for a certain thing, show them your range. I saw no corporate photography, and that is a good market that should not be overlooked even if it isn't much fun. Never underestimate how much a beautiful picture of a fairly ugly person can impress a potential client, after all everyone thinks they are ugly.

I did not find an address or location where you are based on the site. People want to know where you are so they can figure out travel time ect. and a zip code is not enough. You are asking people to pay to you arrive at their homes, or for them to come to your studio, you need to assure them that you are safe, stable and professional. Some shots of your studio and a list of the equipment that you regularly use is a good idea. There are plenty of fauxtographers out there, the client needs to know you are not one of them, and many can not really see that in the quality of the images, as weird as that may seem.

Message edited by author 2015-05-07 22:08:35.
05/08/2015 07:05:15 AM · #14
Originally posted by BrennanOB:

I did not find an address or location where you are based on the site. People want to know where you are so they can figure out travel time ect. and a zip code is not enough. You are asking people to pay to you arrive at their homes, or for them to come to your studio, you need to assure them that you are safe, stable and professional. Some shots of your studio and a list of the equipment that you regularly use is a good idea. There are plenty of fauxtographers out there, the client needs to know you are not one of them, and many can not really see that in the quality of the images, as weird as that may seem.


good points, i should add a location, i do get that question quite often!

i dont list my equipment because i came across a discussion a while back on another forum. I tend to think there is some merit to that listing gear is irrelevant and that your images should show your worth. I maybe got asked one time what I shoot with from a potential client. If i listed my gear, a canon 5d mark, tamrom 24-70/2.8 or a canon 135L would my clients have any idea what i was taking about? I'll take i under consideration nonetheless.

05/08/2015 07:19:25 AM · #15
Originally posted by ArnaMarie:

As much as I love the first image, I'm not sure if that is the one you should start with. Maybe the fifth one instead? Or this one

Another thing I was thinking about was whether it might be a good idea to organize the images in for example the Individuals portfolio a bit differently. Maybe make two "style categories", editorial looking and non-editorial looking perhaps? I think the three portfolio pages look a tiny bit messy (sorry!), but I think that can be easily fixed by shifting the images that are already there around.

I hope this made sense. Sometimes things get lost in translation. Also, I know I'm not very experienced in regard to photography (for the most part I'm clueless! hehe), but perhaps my opinions are representative of the people who visit your page looking to hiring you?

Best of luck! :)


funny, i get from so many people (clients) how much they love that image, but you are the second person to tell me its not worth starting with. just curious as to why you feel it shouldn't be first. unless you could offer compelling reason against it, i tend to think my strongest images should be first. (btw, i'm not being defensive, i'm just gathering information, its hard to tell how my text with get perceived :))

you are correct about the portfolio being messy, i tried to keep it simple, i didn't want categories inside categories, maybe i need another main category.

finally i do agree the main slideshow is too long!
05/09/2015 07:18:35 AM · #16
Originally posted by Mike:



funny, i get from so many people (clients) how much they love that image, but you are the second person to tell me its not worth starting with. just curious as to why you feel it shouldn't be first. unless you could offer compelling reason against it, i tend to think my strongest images should be first. (btw, i'm not being defensive, i'm just gathering information, its hard to tell how my text with get perceived :))


I absolutely agree that it is one of your strongest images. I actually remember it from one of the challenges and being surprised that it did not score higher. It is not that I don't think it is good enough to start with. The reason why I though starting with another image might better is because I thought that people perhaps when they first enter your site are looking to have more of a "standard" portrait taken. I thought it might be a good idea to start with something similar to what they might expect, like the fifth one, and them move on to something that would show them that they could also get something a little different, like the above-mentioned. But I might be completely wrong here. If your gut feeling and your clients say something else then go with that :)
05/09/2015 10:24:37 AM · #17
I agree with ArnaMarie and her reasoning about the first image. Also echo others about #2 and 3.. these photos are good but the women have distracting lip problems and 3 is just too intense. Potentially a few more ambient light portraits would balance the contre jours, which are nice but plentiful. On my tablet, slideshow started itself and looped. I wanted shorter and for it to end itself and land me at site nav. Maybe I'll check on desktop later.
05/10/2015 07:37:41 AM · #18
i'm fighting off the urge to look at your site. i probably will, but i'm going to put the following out to you first.

what is the purpose of your site? i'm guessing that it is to market your photography business.

what is your photography business? what exactly is the type of work that you want to be paid to do?

does the imagery on your site reflect your ability to do the work you want to do? does it establish you as someone worth calling, someone capable of delivering?

is your site geared towards showing off your work, or motivating someone to call you?

does your site answer the questions someone might have before calling you?

does your site stand out, or is it very much like your competitors?

what exactly do you expect out of your site?

is your site the first impression a prospect will have of you and your business? or is it a place to send people that you have already connected with?

------------------------------------------
you can't just *have* a site, because, well, *anyone* can have one. you must have a purpose and then make your site serve that purpose.

as for picking photos, it doesn't matter if you like them or love them. what matters is that they represent you and what you are capable of delivering. if you have images that don't speak to your best capabilities, can you really expect them to generate calls?
05/10/2015 07:48:35 AM · #19
I have no intention of selling anything ( except my body of course)

Even so I find Skip's post really interesting and informative.

Message edited by author 2015-05-10 07:48:54.
05/11/2015 06:13:05 PM · #20
Originally posted by Tiny:

I have no intention of selling anything ( except my body of course)


Let us know when you want us to take a look at your site. On second thought, maybe don't! ;)

Message edited by author 2015-05-11 18:13:22.
05/12/2015 08:37:02 AM · #21
Originally posted by Skip:

i'm fighting off the urge to look at your site. i probably will, but i'm going to put the following out to you first.

what is the purpose of your site? i'm guessing that it is to market your photography business.

what is your photography business? what exactly is the type of work that you want to be paid to do?

does the imagery on your site reflect your ability to do the work you want to do? does it establish you as someone worth calling, someone capable of delivering?

is your site geared towards showing off your work, or motivating someone to call you?

does your site answer the questions someone might have before calling you?

does your site stand out, or is it very much like your competitors?

what exactly do you expect out of your site?

is your site the first impression a prospect will have of you and your business? or is it a place to send people that you have already connected with?

------------------------------------------
you can't just *have* a site, because, well, *anyone* can have one. you must have a purpose and then make your site serve that purpose.

as for picking photos, it doesn't matter if you like them or love them. what matters is that they represent you and what you are capable of delivering. if you have images that don't speak to your best capabilities, can you really expect them to generate calls?


Most of my site traffic comes from direct links or a direct search. I dont get hardly anyone stumbling across my site by searching for a local photographer. Its usually word of mouth or I gave them a card or someone liked a facebook post of mine, etc...

That said the purpose of my site is to show potential client that I am competent and show my particular style. My site has a particular feel to it that I think embodies my personality and from the feedback i've gotten the clients it seem to be working. There is a lot of photography I dont have on that site because it doesn't further my business venture. I have other sites to show of that work.

Last year i rebranded and I think if you have a look you will see what i mean. I got some great help last year writing my bio from the folks here.

at this point im just trying to refine the content (especially the main page), i have a lot of new stuff I want to put up but i'm trying to keep it simple and not show it all but still show variety.
05/12/2015 05:11:32 PM · #22
Originally posted by ArnaMarie:

Originally posted by Tiny:

I have no intention of selling anything ( except my body of course)


Let us know when you want us to take a look at your site. On second thought, maybe don't! ;)


It all works on " word of mouth" system , there are many many happy customers all over the world.:)
05/13/2015 07:12:30 AM · #23
you're on the right track, mike!

i'd suggest trimming your opening slideshow to 5-10 of your strongest images that represent the breadth of your offering. show as much demographic diversity as possible. also, by cutting back, you can cycle your images so that repeat visitors might see new stuff from time to time.

as for your galleries, my initial reaction to the thumbs was that there was too much sameness (i.e., repeated looks and poses). i'd suggest trimming those down, as well. if it leaves the page looking empty, maybe switch formats from showing thumbs to opening the page on a slideshow.

all in all, you have a very targeted site that should serve you well.

the only other suggestion i would make would be to consider bumping your wedding rate. $750 where you live is way, way, way too low. if you provide 5 hours of coverage, you will easily have 20 hours in before you're done (including meetings, travel, shooting, digital capture, and delivery). $750 would be more of an unpublished friend-and-family gift rate, but $2,000 would be more in line with where you are today ($2,500 if you bring an assistant or 2nd shooter).

Message edited by author 2015-05-13 16:04:19.
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