Did you build your own website?

I've been meaning to set up a website and was curious what options are out there these days? I was looking at Smugmug and Zenfolio last year, but lost focus on this goal. I'd like to get one set up sooner or later. Ideally if I could save some money with a coupon or promo code that would be great. If you have experience with other programs, please let me know. I don't need anything extravagant. I can't image much more than 15-20 pages to start.

I use a custom install of PixelPost. its a PhotoBlog software that i have hosted on my own server. Ive modified it quite a bit so dont expect to get what you see if you try it out haha.

That said i dont recommend you use PixelPost. I love it... but the application hasnt been updated in about 3 years, and there are several known exploits... meaning a hacker could have a blast with your site.


But anyways... unless you are somewhat technically inclined... setting up your own website *can* be a nightmare. On one hand its quite easy... but if you dont have a clue... it will be an experience. Which is why a lot of people go with services like Zenfolio and Smugmug

I use Zenfolio and have for the last 3 years. I have not regretted the decision and recommend it for everyone. It is as customizable as you'd like it to be or not. And they have several different plans to fit your needs including free ones. They do offer a 30-day free trial. I'd suggest using the trial period.
Just a side note, you mentioned you'd have about 20 pages to start. That's a lot of pages and most users will not look at a web site that long. It's best to keep it one or two clicks deep and structure the pages for simplicity and to quickly catch a persons eye.

I have tried both websites from scratch, and photo hosts. In fact I still use both. The photo hosts are a lot easier to setup, I use Zenfolio as my main gallery platform for that reason. A custom website gives you total control, if you are fussy. Using blog hosts is the new rage, I'm only just now getting around to trying that option, don't really have an opinion yet.

My biggest disappointment with Zenfolio is that they auto-downsize every upload before displaying it. So it is impossible to display a vertical format with vertical scroll bars. Instead you end up with a shrunken pygmy portrait. Otherwise ZF is pretty attractive.

There are LOTS of options these days, I don't blame anybody for getting bewildered over this. All of the various photo and blog hosts offer trial subscriptions, with money back. My suggestion is to try a few to get a better feel for just how well they work (or don't). Building a custom website is more effort, you have to plow ahead at that for a few weeks before seeing what all there is to it. Links to lots more thoughts -

www.photographytalk.com/forum/photograph...rdpress-as-a-website

www.photographytalk.com/photography-arti...age-of-google-part-1

photo.tutsplus.com/tutorials/internet/th...-a-photoblog-part-1/

digital-photography-school.com/how-not-t...f-how-to-do-it-right

mansurovs.com/social-media-for-your-photography-business

Kelly Cook

Honestly I figured I'd build my own website when I first started out. I'm smart, technically inclined, why not? After a while of educating myself on web design and working on the site I said to myself, "Why the hell am I spending my time doing all this website work when I could be spending it taking pictures, which is what I'm in business to do in the first place?"

So I paid a professional to design my website for me. It's not high-end, but it's better than anything I could have wasted my time learning to do. I'm not a web designer. I'm a photographer. I don't want to spend my time doing web design. Likewise, I don't want to spend my time doing accounting, or learning how to fix my own equipment. Sure you could save some money, but is it worth all the time you'd spend doing it?

That being said, I only like Zenfolio for proofing, and I'm going away from that anyway. Honestly, all Zenfolio websites look the exact same to me, and I can instantly tell when someone is using their service. They only allow as much customization as they give to the hundreds of other people who also use their service. There's limitations. If I'm going to take this professional photographer thing seriously, I have an image and a strict brand to portray and limitations on design just won't cut it. If I want to communicate how my brand is different and more unique, stylish, and original than other photographers I have to look different, more unique, stylish, and original.

If you're just looking for a cheap startup website to post some photos and mess around with sure, ZF is probably a good starting point for that. And affordable.

I'm about to move to Portfoliositez, as I'm going more towards blogging, social media, and the Flexisitez look nice to me. They're also on a WordPress format which is completely customizable if I want to toss some money at someone to do it for me. It'll also take care of my hosting, design, and online proofing (if I choose to use it) in one location.

Spend your time doing what you're in business to do, delegate what you're not in business to do to those who are in the business of doing it.

I use photobiz

www.photobiz.com


Amazing customer service, awesome versatility and constant updates of content

If you are curious as to what they offer check them out and you can see my sites as an example in my signature

I started with the intention of building my own site but ended up scrapping it and turning it in to a photography blog which is a hell of a lot easier...

www.rhaines.co.uk

Tamgerine wrote: Honestly I figured I'd build my own website when I first started out. I'm smart, technically inclined, why not? After a while of educating myself on web design and working on the site I said to myself, "Why the hell am I spending my time doing all this website work when I could be spending it taking pictures, which is what I'm in business to do in the first place?"

Thats really the best point. By the time you put 100's of hours into learning to do something *decently*, you could easily have earned much more doing your own job, and then paying someone else to do it. It only makes sense to learn it if you are interested in it.

That said... it also looks a lot more professional to have a professionally designed website. And trust me... you can tell.

I'm a photographer. I don't want to spend my time doing web design. Likewise, I don't want to spend my time doing accounting, or learning how to fix my own equipment. Sure you could save some money, but is it worth all the time you'd spend doing it?

To each his/her own. really depends on the person. I personally like to learn things. anything. everything. I soak up information. I would be the kind of person to learn accounting just because. or for example fix/replace a leaking fuel pan seal on a car... just because i find it interesting, even if it means it will cost me more to have an actual mechanic do it again. i would rather spend my time learning something, than working to have someone do it for me. It might cost me double, triple, the cost... but thats my personality.

I do web design for a living, and I still didn't build my own site. There are a lot of reasons for that...one is that if I'm sitting in front of a computer writing code all day, I don't want to come home and do even more of that. One of the great things photography does for me is give me something more enjoyable to do with my free time that's very different from what I do at work. I have no desire to blend the two!

Another reason is that it's easy to have a professional looking site without having to do it myself. Any of the photo host sites like Zenfolio or SmugMug can be more than adequate. I personally use another site called Pullfolio. With their free service you have a few basic design options, and with their paid service you can integrate your photo galleries into your own design and style it how you want. If someone else can do all the work for me, and I can use my time away from work to shoot and edit instead, why not?

geoffellis wrote:

Tamgerine wrote: Honestly I figured I'd build my own website when I first started out. I'm smart, technically inclined, why not? After a while of educating myself on web design and working on the site I said to myself, "Why the hell am I spending my time doing all this website work when I could be spending it taking pictures, which is what I'm in business to do in the first place?"

Thats really the best point. By the time you put 100's of hours into learning to do something *decently*, you could easily have earned much more doing your own job, and then paying someone else to do it. It only makes sense to learn it if you are interested in it.

That said... it also looks a lot more professional to have a professionally designed website. And trust me... you can tell.

I'm a photographer. I don't want to spend my time doing web design. Likewise, I don't want to spend my time doing accounting, or learning how to fix my own equipment. Sure you could save some money, but is it worth all the time you'd spend doing it?

To each his/her own. really depends on the person. I personally like to learn things. anything. everything. I soak up information. I would be the kind of person to learn accounting just because. or for example fix/replace a leaking fuel pan seal on a car... just because i find it interesting, even if it means it will cost me more to have an actual mechanic do it again. i would rather spend my time learning something, than working to have someone do it for me. It might cost me double, triple, the cost... but thats my personality.

Don't get me wrong, I love to learn and try knew things. But as hobbies in my free time. I'm in business to maximize my profits, and if I spend more time working on things that don't bring in money, I just make less per hour essentially. My time would be better spent on tasks that will directly bring in revenue, such as shooting or direct marketing.

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