New website - comments please

TomWilko

TomWilko

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Edit My Images
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Hello,

While it is the 'off season' for Motorsport I decided to de-design my website with the aim of keeping it more regularly updated this year:

http://www.meangasoline.co.uk/

Comments and critique welcome, there are a couple of bugs outstanding but overall I am relatively pleased with using this as a base I can develop more a more complex site with.

The aim of the site is geared at getting the images across to the visitor much more quickly than in previous versions, along with being a cleaner layout and also having functionality in the background which allows me to add galleries much more quickly and effectively.

Any comments, good or bad are welcome.

Tom
 
nice and simple, clean, looks good :)
 
like it...nice and simple!

what have you used to create the galleries - I currently use coppermine on my site but want something simpler (?) to present my 40d pics...
 
Thanks for the comments so far guys. In answer to the development question, the site is coded in PHP using scripts devised and adapted by me (from ones available on the Internet). I have learnt from previous iterations of the site that I needed something which would allow me to quickly upload images. Therefore I have put together something which I can literally drag and drop a folder of images from my home computer to the web server and they are online instantly.

Fingers crossed this should mean my site is kept a lot more up to date :)
 
Looks great. Very easy to follow and navigate. I have a suggestion though. Maybe when searching through galleries i reckon it should have next or previous so you dont have to go back. ;)
 
TomWilko said:
Comments and critique welcome ....

Any comments, good or bad are welcome ....
Click to expand...

hi tom ... good site and good pics, but i'm sorry, i'm gonna redress the balance a wee bit .... well you did ask for it (twice !)
i) blue is not a great background to emphasise the rich deep colours you have in your work ... try dark grey or even black.
ii) the pics in your gallery all seem to have been taken from the same spot .... try to move around the circuit and shoot from as many spots as possible .... vary the story you are attempting to tell your viewers.
iii) you may love "slopy" (pr. slowpee) pictures, but not everyone out there will agree with you.
iv) many of the bike pics have the back end cropped off.
v) is anyone really interested in what gear you shoot with ? .... fill the page up with photographs !
vi) likewise the "about me" page, (the "contact us" facility does not work, by the way) and do your "customers" really care that you are a swimming teacher ?
vii) on the "about us" page tom, you tell the world you have enjoyed four years shooting motorsport .... on the "gallery" page you have five galleries .... mega critical i know tom, but that averages 1.5 events per annum that you can be bothered to get your ass out of bed to go and shoot .

having said that, the site is vibrant and quick, which i think is probably the most important criteria nowadays.

now it's your turn, tom .... take a look at mine and slag it off 'til the cows come home:
www.manxmotorsportphotography.com
no spot the bullsht prizes, i'm afraid.

try to understand i'm offering constructive criticism tom, cos you definitely have the ability to take photographs ... it is my personal opinion that a good site, with it's good pics could easily become a really good site.

if you require any help whatsoever, please do not hesitate to make contact.

:beer:, david
 
A308 MAN said:
hi tom ... good site and good pics, but i'm sorry, i'm gonna redress the balance a wee bit .... well you did ask for it (twice !)
i) blue is not a great background to emphasise the rich deep colours you have in your work ... try dark grey or even black.
ii) the pics in your gallery all seem to have been taken from the same spot .... try to move around the circuit and shoot from as many spots as possible .... vary the story you are attempting to tell your viewers.
iii) you may love "slopy" (pr. slowpee) pictures, but not everyone out there will agree with you.
iv) many of the bike pics have the back end cropped off.
v) is anyone really interested in what gear you shoot with ? .... fill the page up with photographs !
vi) likewise the "about me" page, (the "contact us" facility does not work, by the way) and do your "customers" really care that you are a swimming teacher ?
vii) on the "about us" page tom, you tell the world you have enjoyed four years shooting motorsport .... on the "gallery" page you have five galleries .... mega critical i know tom, but that averages 1.5 events per annum that you can be bothered to get your ass out of bed to go and shoot .

having said that, the site is vibrant and quick, which i think is probably the most important criteria nowadays.

now it's your turn, tom .... take a look at mine and slag it off 'til the cows come home:
www.manxmotorsportphotography.com
no spot the bullsht prizes, i'm afraid.

try to understand i'm offering constructive criticism tom, cos you definitely have the ability to take photographs ... it is my personal opinion that a good site, with it's good pics could easily become a really good site.

if you require any help whatsoever, please do not hesitate to make contact.

:beer:, david
Click to expand...

Hi David, just what I was looking for. I am going to work my way through some of the points you have highlighted particularly the 'equipment' and 'contact' sections which I was never sure of myself.

Regards the current galleries, there are around 30+ to upload in total, however from a perspective of simply getting something up there for the start of the year I just wanted to get a few of the most recent.

In terms of angles, totally agree...target for this year is to hunt out different spectator spots at the circuits.

Critique of your site will follow once I am not snowed under with work and lectures.

Once again thanks for the comments,

Tom
 
The site is slick and clean and looks well thought out. I agree with Joel (a next and previous would be good) but disagree with A308 MAN (I was very intrested in your the reasons for your choice of kit and as an amateur site it's good to see the reason for the passion and an explanation why you aren't doing this full time!!)
 
I don't know a lot about website design but as a user it look clean and loads fast, that really is all I am looking for. So a (y) up from me
 
Plugus Maximus said:
The site is slick and clean and looks well thought out. I agree with Joel (a next and previous would be good) but disagree with A308 MAN (I was very intrested in your the reasons for your choice of kit and as an amateur site it's good to see the reason for the passion and an explanation why you aren't doing this full time!!)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments everyone, appreciated and very useful. Having sat and thought for a couple of days I think I will leave the contact and equipment pages for now as, like you say, the site is strictly aimed at showcasing an amateur photographers work. I don't have clients, just visitors. However some of what has been raised by A308 MAN is interesting regards colour...think I am going to possibly pursue an alternate colour scheme.
 
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