Website Building Help Needed

I want to start a website for my images. A check at the forum shows every question in regard to this topic to be around 5 years old.

Any suggestions ? Need a basic page with images to start with.

All answers are appreciated. Not looking for a $500 plus start up cost.

Thanks

Andrew

Hi, Andrew - ZENFOLIO is a great option that many NPN people use. Lots of templates and music choices make set-up easy, yet still very personalized.
The premium year's membership is like $100, and there is a free trial too. Other memberships are less.
http://www.zenfolio.com/

I use Zen and love it - check my website for one of many, many options. Also, check your email.

Sandy

Hi Andrew,

Actually most of the info in those threads are probably still applicable for today. You basically have 3 choices:

1. build the site yourself - requires all the knowledge, skill and TIME you would think it does - and substantially more.
2. Pay someone else to do it for you. $$$$
3. For minimal cost, utilize any of the popular, template based sites to create your own website. Smugmug and Zenfolio come to mind right away and I know there are many, many others. Some may chime in. With sites like these you can actually probably even get a site running for FREE, but will of course include Ads and other limitations, you won't have your own domain name, etc., but you can get on the web for free. Nominal charges of a few hundred buck per year or less, and you can get a customizable site with your own domain name, shopping cart, search features, all that stuff, again for very reasonable costs. AND you don't need to know anything about html or have any coding experience. It's all drag and drop.

I'll throw out one example of my friend Kyle Krause who did his own site on Zenfolio. His images are beautiful to start with, but the site, it's functionality and all that is very well done and he had zero experience with building a website. It's a great example of what can be done without any startup cost and minimal web expertise.

Hope this helps,
Lon

Sandy - you might want to check your "www" link at the bottom of your signature - it's not working! Fortunately your text link above works so folks can get to your site. FYI

I also use Zen. With the premium account ($100/yr) you can use your own domain name and no zenfolio branding shows up anywhere, either in the www or on any of the pages. Also no advertising. You can use templates or customize to your heart's content. It makes for a quick startup and you can add/customize as you go. You can also have transactions come through the site and do as much or as little printing and shipping as you want. You can also opt to have them respond to technical issues from your customers or have all inquiries come directly to you. I'm more and more impressed as I continue to learn the features of the site.

I'm another satisfied Zenfolio customer. Note there are good tools available for free to get your photos from Aperture or Lightroom to Zenfolio.

Add yet another a zen user to the list. I only recently started my website and have been very happy with the ease of use of the overall site. I was looking at smug mug for a while but I ultimately decided to go with Zenfolio because of the number of great reviews other NPNers have provided.

Lon, my link to my Zen website works when I click it.
Does it work for others?
Sandy

Sandy, I double-checked, and its the "www" icon link next too the"portfolio" icon at the bottom of you post. This is the link I see: The requested URL /imagecritique/http://naturesmajestyimaging.zenfolio.com/ was not found on this server.

I think you just have some syntax stuff going on...

Check out Photoshelter Customizable, free trial and $30/month Chsck out my site -www.photobee1.com

I also use Zenfolio. It is easy to customize and suits my needs. Check the link below my name or "www" button.

I've used both Zenfolio and Smugmug. I prefer Zenfolio.

Eva I love the layout you chose/customized for your site!

(Please, please do not put music on our photo website! There is nothing more annoying!)

I'll chime in on behalf of Photoshelter. They are just a great company, and in addition to their web builder, they put out excellent educational materials for photographers (for free). I heard that Smugmug recently more than doubled their prices, and are up to about $360 a year for the basic membership--can anyone confirm this? It sounds like Zenfolio is an excellent value--they are much less expensive than competitors and users are obviously happy with the sites. Ultimately I made my decision based on a desire to go with a company that I really liked!

Oh, and I second Rebecka's advice not to use music on your site--there is something so intrusive about audio suddenly playing when I visit any website--I immediately exit the site and never come back. If you're trying to market to art directors and photo editors, they also prefer simplicity over bells and whistles (and music).

I just did move from smugmug to zenfolio and it is easier (in my opinion). Smugmug went (for the "Pro" package went up to $350/year. Zenfolio for their "Pro" packagewas only $ 120/year. Here's what I have up so far:
www.louisnealphotograqphy.zenfolio.com

anyone out there using any of the wordpress templates?

@ Brian -- I personally don't use any of the WP templates (except for my blogs, not my website) -- I use Zen -- but I'm quite impressed with the websites I see that use the Photocrati template.

Re music on the portfolio websiteslike Zenfolio: one can easily turn it off by following the simple instructions!

Sandy

Thanks to all for your valuable input. I checked out all of your websites and am inspired. Much appreciated.

Andrew

I'm still using SmugMug with over 17,000 images in my galleries - probably too late for me to be interested in moving!

Another vote for Photoshelter...great customer service and wonderful educational downloads! Good luck to you!