Updated My Website!!!
- Thread starter 143gadgets
- Start date
143gadgets
New member
Thanks! It's a love hate relationship. There is an option to turn it off at the bottom of the site for those that would rather not have the music.
x2 - I'd never get to the option to turn it off. As soon as the music started I closed the browser. There are a ton of marketing surveys that back up my opinion. You're clearly using your website to promote yourself, why start out by alienating half of your potential customers?
Recty
New member
It would perhaps be better to have it be silent, and give an option to have music
I looked into common mistakes made when designing web pages and just some basic tips and tricks when setting up web pages (I started doing web design as a side job in the last two years) and what beerguy says is truth, in the polls the test subjects voted heavily in disfavor of sites that have music.
And really for me, a LOT of people and I mean a LOT (I work in Information Services at a large corporation so I see this daily) browse the web at work when they probably arent supposed to be. They arent exactly sneaking around but they arent exactly doing what they are supposed to either, you know how it goes. If I was looking for a wedding photographer at work and I clicked on your website which started immediately playing music, I can guarantee you wouldnt be getting my business
I looked into common mistakes made when designing web pages and just some basic tips and tricks when setting up web pages (I started doing web design as a side job in the last two years) and what beerguy says is truth, in the polls the test subjects voted heavily in disfavor of sites that have music.
And really for me, a LOT of people and I mean a LOT (I work in Information Services at a large corporation so I see this daily) browse the web at work when they probably arent supposed to be. They arent exactly sneaking around but they arent exactly doing what they are supposed to either, you know how it goes. If I was looking for a wedding photographer at work and I clicked on your website which started immediately playing music, I can guarantee you wouldnt be getting my business
PSam
Active member
Nice layout and very nice photographs.
Regarding the music, I agree with the others. I had to quickly reach for the speaker volume as the song train wrecked the music I was already listening to. Music should be an option to turn on, not to have to turn off. I won't even auto play music on my site that I promote my own music on.
Other than that, the site is quite nice. Photos are the showcase, it's easy to navigate, nice and clean layout.
Regarding the music, I agree with the others. I had to quickly reach for the speaker volume as the song train wrecked the music I was already listening to. Music should be an option to turn on, not to have to turn off. I won't even auto play music on my site that I promote my own music on.
Other than that, the site is quite nice. Photos are the showcase, it's easy to navigate, nice and clean layout.
143gadgets
New member
Cool. Thanks everyone. I'm gonna tun the music off.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
I was very impressed and looked at the website before reading everyone's comments. The music was disabled at default but I noticed and activated the option. This presented tasteful melodys when activated which I really enjoyed. If they had been imposed on me from the beginning I probably would have been turned off like the others. Having an option to hear page music or not and having to manual activate it is the way to go IMO. The page layout felt clean and breathed professionalism. Much more importantly, the portfolio it presented delivered the same effect. There was some outstanding photography within. You should really be proud of yourself.
143gadgets
New member
Thanks everyone! I took your advice about the music and disabled it. Hope you all like it better.
TWallace
New member
Pros: Very nice looking site, awesome photographs in large sizes without obtrusive watermarks which are so common these days. Site is also easy to use and uncluttered.
Cons: Intro is unnecessarily slow, and animations when clicking on links is likewise slow. The intro loading reminds me of playing a DVD or video game and sitting through unskippable splash screens promoting the publisher, film studio, etc. I don't care about that stuff, I want to get to the content. For example, when you click Portfolio, it takes around 3 seconds for the submenu to display. I'd make this happen much faster (1 second or less). The Contact form suffers from the same problem. Also, when you click Favorite Images, it just sits there on one image with no indication of how to see the rest of them. You should have the scrolling thumbnail menu appear automatically when you first click this nav item. As it is now, you have to click the nav item, then click on Favorite Images on the right to see that scrolling list. I'm not sure why it says Favorite Images twice above that list either. The same thing happens on Stills. Favorite Weddings works much nicer than these two.
Personally, I'm not a fan of sites built entirely in Flash. Don't get me wrong though, I do like your site and you have great photos. I just think Flash should be used when needed, and I don't think the navigation is a case where it's needed. The scrolling thumbnails are a good case for Flash.
Cons: Intro is unnecessarily slow, and animations when clicking on links is likewise slow. The intro loading reminds me of playing a DVD or video game and sitting through unskippable splash screens promoting the publisher, film studio, etc. I don't care about that stuff, I want to get to the content. For example, when you click Portfolio, it takes around 3 seconds for the submenu to display. I'd make this happen much faster (1 second or less). The Contact form suffers from the same problem. Also, when you click Favorite Images, it just sits there on one image with no indication of how to see the rest of them. You should have the scrolling thumbnail menu appear automatically when you first click this nav item. As it is now, you have to click the nav item, then click on Favorite Images on the right to see that scrolling list. I'm not sure why it says Favorite Images twice above that list either. The same thing happens on Stills. Favorite Weddings works much nicer than these two.
Personally, I'm not a fan of sites built entirely in Flash. Don't get me wrong though, I do like your site and you have great photos. I just think Flash should be used when needed, and I don't think the navigation is a case where it's needed. The scrolling thumbnails are a good case for Flash.
Similar threads
