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Ladies and gentlemen of the forum! I have just created my website where hopefully, one day, I might actually start selling some of my pictures. I'm sure most of you also have sites so I would really appreciate feedback on my efforts. What works best for you?
http://3925002.tifmember.com/
Cheers CC
Thanks for taking the trouble to have a look.
The password is for returning clients wishing to view-2-buy or regular clients for whom I've set up a gallery.
The blue colour - I can change it to anything I want. Been through dozens and that got the vote so far (well my wife liked it!). What would you like to see, I'm open to offers and can change it in seconds!
Basically people looking for pictures go to the host - Theimagefile, one of the biggest sources of images on the Web - and start searching there for a particular type of image. Any of mine with any of the key words they entered in their search will be listed in their search results.
Further to my last, just had a play with the background - any better? (Wife thinks it is!)
Some of you images are great and would be good sellers. but i dont think the website really shows them at there best.
The background needs to be as simple and plain as possible and cause no distraction. Any colour you choose will not compliment all you images. however Some of the best web sites around for photography just use plain black or white for there background. Ive added a link to my own. I am not claiming it is great or the best. but what it does is show the images in a more clear, crisp and vibrant manner. with no distraction. Black or white compliments all images regardless of there colour content.
http://www.garrethanderson.com
I tried for weeks to do something a little different as i saw so many photographers using black or white. in the end i realised that B&W was simply better.
Have you thought of using a very gark green (almost back) to complement your wildlife.
Sorry if this sounds a little cynical. and I'm sure you would like your website to stand out from the rest.
Many thanks geoxplorephotography (phew!) Just the sort of comments I wanted. We tried B&W but thought it looked a bit stark? We'll keep playing but I do agree it is the pictures one is looking at not the background!
Quote: and I'm sure you would like your website to stand out from the rest
If there is one thing that makes me back off from someone's site it is that it is full of bad spelling and grammar. Genre's? Commision? availible? You'd be amazed how many people think that if someone can't be bothered to check spelling or grammar, they are probably are pretty sloppy with their work as well. Justified or not, there are plenty of capable photographers out there who can spell and do take the trouble to make sure everything is A OK before publishing.
There is a lot of competition. Images need to be outstanding. Sharp and well exposed is not enough. If you want people to buy your pictures, they have to be really special, otherwise they can just take similar ones for themselves.
In general you shouldn't need to ask other people for criticism, you should make sure that you are you own harshest critic.
Errr have I got spelling mistakes 
??? Thought at 74 that I was quite good at it!
Ahhh, that's an old acorn! It took us 30 years to get our Dyslexic son to get there/their right!
OK guys, I've gone B L A C K ! Is that an improvement? Not sure myself but yes, the pictures do stand out better?
Pictures do generally stand out better against black/dark because the eyes adjust to the shadow detail. Same principle as avoiding dazzling lights near your monitor.
I tend to think that bright white text is tough to read against a dark background, however. An analogy might be someone shining a torch in your face in the dark. It's not so bad with short bursts of text, but perhaps something a little more subtle? I'm no web designer - just ideas.
While we're being pedantic, you've inadvertently turned your 7D into a cooker (ie "Cannon"). 
I agree with the comments about black and white. personally I would also put a border round each image of the other one - i.e. a white border around an image on a black background or a black border if on a white background. Also, I don't know if it is just me, but the moving images on your gallery really get to me. I think this comes from Tv where people expect moving images , and anyway they don't quite fit the standard Tv screen ration.
Otherwise I think this is a good effort. Well done mate.
Peter
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