Project: A web gallery

There are two main considerations when creating a web gallery, as we are advised by the course notes. Firstly, the preparation of images for on-screen displays, and secondly, designing the viewers experience of visiting the site to best show off the images. The selection of images is important – only showing the best images, and also, presenting them central on the webpage – the image comes first!

I am starting by looking at other photographer’s web galleries, firstly looking at some fellow students work, for two reasons. Firstly I aspire to be like some of them, and secondly, they are on a similar pathway to me (though possibly further along), and so I can relate to them. So I started with Duncan Astbury whom I met when I lived in Edinburgh. His work is professional and his website looks well designed. Here is a screenshot:

It clearly shows his main interests, and specialities. The images certainly are central and the text is simple and surrounds the images complementing them. I probably wouldn’t overlap images, but that is simply personal preference.

http://www.astburyphotography.co.uk

Next I looked at the work of fellow DPP student Nathan Adams. He details on his blog (http://dpp.nathanadams.org.uk/2012/07/exercise-web-site-portfolio.html) how he designed his own website, the splash page which I show below

http://www.nathanadams.me.uk/

It is a strong starting point, a bold clear image with strong subject, supported by simple text of the photographer’s name. Upon clicking ‘Enter’, the viewer comes to another clean simple screen where the image comes first:

The thumbnails down the bottom are clear, and easy to click on to view at a larger size. The text on the left is simple, and does not dominate.

Keith Greenough was next, and his site keithgreenoughphotography.co.uk was also simple and clean, which I liked. The images pan through showing one scene at a time from each of his ‘portfolio’s’ which are displayed on the right side of the screen. It is simple and effective. Each portfolio can be clicked on to open a set of images. I thought each one took a little long to load for my liking, this would depend on internet connection partly, but is a consideration.

I also looked at Gavin Gough’s images, whom a fellow student had linked to. His images are mostly Asian travel theme, which must be his personal interest. The images fill the area and the text is very simple. I liked how he had the ubiquitous facebook/twitter/share symbols on his page.

 http://www.gavingough.com/

I’m a big fan of the work of Viviane Sassen’s work. Her webpage has a rolling view of images, each highlighted in turn depending on where the mouse hovers over the screen. I find it a little distracting, but it does show her variety of strong images and might keep people on the site a bit longer, to see ‘what is coming next’! Her work is so distinctive and unique.

http://www.vivianesassen.com/

A slightly different slant for my final choice – Douglas Ethridge is obviously quite a widely published photographer, so his website has more detail of books, news and events. The layout is simple and highlights his key recent achievements.

http://www.douglasethridge.com/

So after looking at the above (and many other) websites of photographers, I will make some generalisations:

• What is the purpose of the website? This varies depending on the photographer – art/commercial/student etc Make it appropriate!!
• The most effective sites are SIMPLE! – in design/layout and information content
• The images must stand out – and only the (very) best should be included
• Easy navigation is also important – the average person only spends a few seconds looking at a website, so the whole thing must come together effectively and easily.

At this stage I do not plan to set up a website for my own photography. I am not interested in getting commercial work and do not have a coherent body of artistic work that I would be happy to put up – this is all in the future I hope! Nonetheless, an interesting exercise.

References:

Adams, N (2013), Nathan Adams Photography. Online, available at: http://www.nathanadams.me.uk/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Astbury, D (2013), Astbury Photography. Online, available at: http://www.astburyphotography.co.uk [accessed 2 July 2013]

Ethridge, D (2013), Douglas Ethridge Photography. Online, available at: http://www.douglasethridge.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Gough, G (2013), Gavin Gough Photography. Online, available at: http://www.gavingough.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]

Greenough, K (2013), Keith Greenough Photography. Online, available at: keithgreenoughphotography.co.uk [accessed 2 July 2013]

Sassen, V (2013), Viviane Sassen. Online, available at: http://www.vivianesassen.com/ [accessed 2 July 2013]