My new website

V-Spec · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:14

Just had my new site pretty much done.

www.tgphotographic.com

Pretty basic, but I hope to get some landscapes added to it when I have enough, and yeah thats also the best picture I could find of myself!

Any comments would be great. Its not working very well if you're using IE6, but hopefully that should be fixed soon!

3dcandy · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:18

just one thing, why a splash page? I don't think it adds much....

unwashed potato! · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:19

you have worked alongside david attenborough?!

gallery page: as each thumbnail is the exact same size i would set a width and height to the box which they are displayed in so that when the images haven't loaded yet they are all in the correct position and don't muddle around as each image loads.

as it's your website, imo it should be in 1st person, not 3rd.

that picture is really not very complimentary, doesn't seem like you enjoy your job. maybe i'm a little picky thought with that one so see what others say

the main tim header looks a little amatuer, like you have just used the standard effects in photoshop, add glow, add gradient, bevel and emboxx and done.

sorry comments may seem a little forward, please understand just my opinion on ways to make it better, but if you don't change them that site is still fine.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:20

Really nice and simple. Works very well, gets the message across.
I am loving your background texture. its like my bedroom wallpaper.

I have to say that when I enjoy looking at your work I feel like I am looking at a wildlife photographers portfolio (I know you are) I am just saying that your portfolio shows true wildlife dedication n credit.

Johnny

pabloB · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:21

Really like it fella.

Looks very clean and simple. Navigation isn't really an issue as there's not too much to clutter it at the moment.

The photos are breathtaking, you certainly have a real talent for your chosen genre!

laiman · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:22

Looks good and loads nice and quick. My only quibble is that the "next photo" button in the gallery moves with the edge of the photo meaning I had to keep moving my mouse instead of just clicking, no biggie but i noticed it. Top class photos though.

jon86 · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:26

Great photos and great website. One thing I'll add is the the little loading image that appears when you click on a thumbnail is obscured. It only shows about 75% of it. It's like it's being cropped or a border or something has a higher z-order and it looks like it's being chopped off.

Paul11 · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:33

really like it, and although ive seen most of your pics before everytime i see them i find them absolutely stunning.

V-Spec · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:39

3dcandy said:
just one thing, why a splash page? I don't think it adds much....

Thanks,

I just felt that having a main splash page would be better and give more impact that just going straight to the main page. Subjective I guess.

Mammalian said:
you have worked alongside david attenborough?!

I wish! I've met him though.

Mammalian said:
gallery page: as each thumbnail is the exact same size i would set a width and height to the box which they are displayed in so that when the images haven't loaded yet they are all in the correct position and don't muddle around as each image loads.

Not really noticed this actually, it always loads really quickly for me.. Might rate limit my 20Mbit down to 128kb to see what you mean actually.

Mammalian said:
as it's your website, imo it should be in 1st person, not 3rd.

I assume you mean the writing? I actually wrote it in 1st person, then after looking at many other Pro photographers websites its all in 3rd person, so decided to go with the flow on that one!

Mammalian said:
that picture is really not very complimentary, doesn't seem like you enjoy your job. maybe i'm a little picky thought with that one so see what others say

haha! I know what you mean, I'll probably update it as soon as I have a better one, getting people to take pictures of me when i'm in all my grufty kit is harder than it sounds!

Mammalian said:
the main tim header looks a little amatuer, like you have just used the standard effects in photoshop, add glow, add gradient, bevel and emboxx and done.

Trouble with this is, its just a title lol :-/ I suppose I really liked it as inoffensive as possible, as i want the site to be all about the images, and as simple as possible.. Taken on board tho, may have a look at alternatives.

Mammalian said:
sorry comments may seem a little forward, please understand just my opinion on ways to make it better, but if you don't change them that site is still fine.

Nah its fine, I'm just interested to hear what people think.. I'm well overdue on a new website anyway!

Fstop11 said:
Really nice and simple. Works very well, gets the message across.
I am loving your background texture. its like my bedroom wallpaper.

I have to say that when I enjoy looking at your work I feel like I am looking at a wildlife photographers portfolio (I know you are) I am just saying that your portfolio shows true wildlife dedication n credit.

Johnny

Cheers! Glad you like it, I just wanted something simple to showoff images, I don't want a stock website, so i'll probably just keep a max of 25 images on there, move them around if I shoot nicer stuff.!

V-Spec · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:43

laiman said:
Looks good and loads nice and quick. My only quibble is that the "next photo" button in the gallery moves with the edge of the photo meaning I had to keep moving my mouse instead of just clicking, no biggie but i noticed it. Top class photos though.

Weird, i'll look into that! - Thanks..

jon86 said:
Great photos and great website. One thing I'll add is the the little loading image that appears when you click on a thumbnail is obscured. It only shows about 75% of it. It's like it's being cropped or a border or something has a higher z-order and it looks like it's being chopped off.

Cheers, interesting i'm sure it wasn't doing that before we uploaded it... I'll have a look - Thanks!

Paul11 said:
really like it, and although ive seen most of your pics before everytime i see them i find them absolutely stunning.

Ta! Yeah - most of the stuff has been on here at some point or another! I like getting critique off non-wildlife forums as I get better overall comments on whether someone simply likes something or not, as opposed to just technical elements!

grayy · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:44

good job....let the photos speak for themselfs ! ! !

A.N.Other · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:56

I'd agree with the above comments about the picture of you with the seals and the bit about the writing in the 3rd person. I'm really not a fan of that writing style on websites and even less so when you've written it in the 3rd person and then signed off at the end in the 1st

Apart from that, it's excellent. From an 'expandability' point of view, you might want to think about the way you link to the galleries if you're going to be having more than one, as you suggest.

laiman · 12 Mar 2009 at 22:57

V-Spec said:
Weird, i'll look into that! - Thanks..

I just meant that because of the different sizes/ shapes of photo the next arrow changes position with each one, its always at the far right of a given photo. Just that the far right of the photo is not always in the same place, im probably just lazy but i prefer nav buttons to be in a consistent location so i can just click without looking/ moving the mouse. Dunno if that explains what I mean any clearer?

A.N.Other · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:00

laiman said:
I just meant that because of the different sizes/ shapes of photo the next arrow changes position with each one, its always at the far right of a given photo. Just that the far right of the photo is not always in the same place, im probably just lazy but i prefer nav buttons to be in a consistent location so i can just click without looking/ moving the mouse. Dunno if that explains what I mean any clearer?

That's the same with all javascript image viewers like the one used though. Lightbox, lightbox2, fancybox (as used there) etc ... they all do it unless you go delving into the javascript code.

laiman · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:14

A.N.Other said:
That's the same with all javascript image viewers like the one used though. Lightbox, lightbox2, fancybox (as used there) etc ... they all do it unless you go delving into the javascript code.

Fair play then. I'm just not all that keen on it, being able to have standardized nav buttons say at the bottom of a pic seems like something that should be a basic option. I'm clueless as to how these things actually work though. So was just commenting from a layout/ personal preference perspective.

V-Spec · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:27

A.N.Other said:
I'd agree with the above comments about the picture of you with the seals and the bit about the writing in the 3rd person. I'm really not a fan of that writing style on websites and even less so when you've written it in the 3rd person and then signed off at the end in the 1st

Apart from that, it's excellent. From an 'expandability' point of view, you might want to think about the way you link to the galleries if you're going to be having more than one, as you suggest.

haha I know I know.. I wrote it

but hey its you guys, so I don't mind if you know

Trouble is, I do agree its just what most people do.. Maybe I shouldn't act like most people.. I'll sleep on it and maybe change it, see what other people rekon..

With the galleries it will change, as its been made to accomodate another gallery a little later, so shouldn't be an issue when thats ready.

Beansprout · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:34

Very nice

Now I'm of course biased, but if you think it loads quick now then get it hosted in the UK to see a real quick site

mrbest · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:40

congratulations you have awesome pictures

Domo · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:47

Those pictures really are fantastic. I'm no critic but the owl-in-flight shot is amazing!
As for the web site - I would lose the background image to give it a cleaner feel.

I don't see a problem with writing in 3rd person even if it is your web site but you do need to keep it consistent.

For example opening with 'Tim Gregory is an amateur photographer...' but then ending with 'I hope you enjoy the images as much as I enjoyed taking them' doesn't flow well.

Just my 2 pence worth.

V-Spec · 12 Mar 2009 at 23:51

Domo said:
<snip>

I see what you did there