My website redesign - Opinions?

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Right, for a while now I have loved the look of my main website, nice and simple was my philosophy and I think it works well. However, any web designer will know how shockingly bad it is designed/created! I should know as I did it!

So I have had a go at remaking it, trying to stick to my original philosophy.

The link is here:
http://www.danfreemanphotography.com/wordpress/

(for reference, my current one: http://www.danfreemanphotography.com/)

I should point out that this is a VERY rough draft. It's not 100% finished, but the general idea is there.

So what do you think? yay or nay?


Things I'll point out before you do

- I hate the layout of the main portfolio page, I'm trying to come up with a better looking option, but again, the basic idea is there.

- I know there's a lot of filler text. I'll do that properly if I decide to go ahead with this site.



If there are any bugs in the various browsers, could you point them out please


I also know the various photo pages, ie. Automotive, aren't quite as slick as on my current site, but this new site will give me a lot more flexibility when posting images, and I could even post videos in the same page too.

If any web gurus have any ideas to improve the design, I'm all ears

Thanks!!

 

[Saner]

I don't like the way it changes images, too in ya face, not clean or simple, other than that i like it.

 

[Ben]

I really like that, good stuff!

 

[Track'd]

Is that from ThemeForest firstly?

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

errr....yeh.

Why you ask?

Also...I'll be messing about with the blog section, so I know that will be a mess!

 

[Mr. White]

looks good mate although there seems a slight navigation glitch here:



Edit: seems to have sorted itself on a refresh

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

^ Yeh just fixed that. I imported all my data from my other blog, and it imported the missing page titles too. So I just deleted them.

Should be ok now

Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[Track'd]

I just recognised it, I buy themes from them all the time, they're spot on aren't they. I only asked really as I know about what bits are easy and hard to edit, and if you needed any help just ask. If you have a font/image plugin i'd take it off, or change the font to slightly bolder. It's looking good though

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

^Thanks.

I havent touched the font for the page titles in the top right. Although I would love to know how to change them, as you say they could do with a bit of boldness

And the biggest think I'm trying to get my hear around is the spacing of the thumbnails on the portfolio pages. I'm trying to get the four columns closer together so the spacing between each thumbnail is the same. Can't figure it out yet though

 

[Curtis!]

I don't like the way it changes images, too in ya face, not clean or simple, other than that i like it.

I agree with this, fade in/across etc may be alittle more suttle. I like the design over all!

 

[BenWall]

Themeforest do some good themes. I bought one not long back.

I don't like the typeface used on that one though, I suggest something simpler.

 

[Sym0n]

I like the design, but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaymn is it slow to load.

 

[Sam]

I like it. Wordpress is such a good CMS. Very nice, and as for the photo thingy i think its a good feature as your site is aimed at photography. All works well imo.

Sam!

 

[Camble]

Looks much better mate, however to echo what Saner said the images changing is too much of a distraction from the rest of the page.

I nice dissolving feature would be more appropriate tbh

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm pretty sure I can change the animation to something much more subtle.

One thing that I am wondering though. Is it obvious that you need to click on portfolio to access all of my images? I'm worried people will stay on the main page thinking those animating images is my whole portfolio!

 

[BenWall]

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm pretty sure I can change the animation to something much more subtle.

One thing that I am wondering though. Is it obvious that you need to click on portfolio to access all of my images? I'm worried people will stay on the main page thinking those animating images is my whole portfolio!

I think its obvious there is a portfolio. The flash animation on the home screen could be changed to a jquery picture slidesho, and have one picture for each section of the portfolio and when clicked it will take you to that portfolio. Also using jquery will make it iPad and iPhone friendly.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Yeh I do have to option to change to a slider. I just stuck with the default one. I might have a play with that then

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

I've made a bit of progress, the main thing that's causing problems is the blog - particularly the formatting of it.

For example, on this post http://www.danfreemanphotography.com/wordpress/2010/08/fast-car-mag-euro-road-trip-feature/

Why is it not displayed properly? It seems whenever I post a portrait image, it tries to fill more content at the side of it! Any ideas how to stop this?

Thanks