My turn.

www.benjacobsen.com (my personal blog)
www.benjacobsenphoto.com (my photo selling site)
www.newschoolofphotography.com seriously though, critique that too....
www.awesomeroadtrips.com

7 views, no replies.

I'll reply someday. Just have two monster tests coming up in the next two days then heading to Texas Thursday morning early. So yeah, I'm pretty one-track-minded right now.

nah, let it rip, I don't care. Same with all my photography.

Originally Posted by jjswee

With benjacphoto.com - home page - it would be cool if you could view the full size picture on the slideshow by clicking the picture. Those pictures are very very compressed too, looks bad. Have a copyright for 2008 yet?

yeah, I need to get that working better. It's an animated .gif (hence the looking like **** and no options). Great point on the 2008. I'm also wonder about merging this with the blog and or making a professional blog.

Awesomeroadtrips - Add some border or something like your blog. Maybe have each section in its own box to single them out. The reflection in the top image is silly.

I was pretty much kidding with this one. I started it when I started NSOP and one is doing well, the other gets ~100 hits a day. I haven't touched it in months and probably won't for a while. I would eventually like to turn it into something, but I only have enough time for this place and my blog really with the occasional good shot going into the gallery on BJP.com.

Awesomeroadtrips is kinda... umm dead?


I like your blog, and I like NSOP.

I think your gallery could use an update and maybe something a bit more to draw potential customers in. Keep wowing them almost and make them want a photo of yours on their wall.

Originally Posted by subimatt

Awesomeroadtrips is kinda... umm dead?

yeah... and the only 2 members joined that forum in hopes it would be a photo forum I think... So as soon as this place was up/announced, everyone came here.

I like your blog, and I like NSOP.

thanks, I'm pretty happy with both of those also.

I think your gallery could use an update and maybe something a bit more to draw potential customers in. Keep wowing them almost and make them want a photo of yours on their wall.

What do you mean by update Matt, to the layout, or just new photos? Also what about a blog on it? I'm not sure how much I'd like to have another blog to update, but I was thinking I could post to it with details about whatever I was doing to get any shots that go in. So when I get something new and add it to the gallery then I also add it as a blog post about it, where I was, why I was there, event info etc...


I've also been thinking about possible ways to integrate both BJ.com and BJP.com a bit better. I definately want to keep both domains and keep them separate, but I was thinking I should try to blend the 2 layouts/designs together better and possibly link between the 2 a bit better.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

What do you mean by update Matt, to the layout, or just new photos? Also what about a blog on it? I'm not sure how much I'd like to have another blog to update, but I was thinking I could post to it with details about whatever I was doing to get any shots that go in. So when I get something new and add it to the gallery then I also add it as a blog post about it, where I was, why I was there, event info etc...


I've also been thinking about possible ways to integrate both BJ.com and BJP.com a bit better. I definately want to keep both domains and keep them separate, but I was thinking I should try to blend the 2 layouts/designs together better and possibly link between the 2 a bit better.

Both, new photos definitely, you have some really great shots recently and your photo site should have them. I would keep the blog seperate, but link your BJ blog to it. You want the photo site to be focused on selling prints. Give it more of a purpose almost. Perhaps a nice landing page with a 5-10 image slideshow that draws clients in to your galleries. Pretty much, when the client or viewer hits the page, you want them to say "Wow". That will lead to more print sales.

yeah, I'm saying a separate blog about any of the new photos that get added. Like when I add the shots from my trip south I'd have a blog entry and a link to that gallery?

on www.benjacobsenphoto.com - Main page

This site is dedicated to my fine art photography. Please feel free do browse

Change that to "Please feel free to browse

did you design and layout that site yourself? I love the feel of it and have been looking for a similar gallery layout. How are you accepting payments?

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

yeah, I'm saying a separate blog about any of the new photos that get added. Like when I add the shots from my trip south I'd have a blog entry and a link to that gallery?

Yea, something along those lines. The big thing I would change with your gallery is to put more focus and emphasis on the face you sell prints. Initial impressions is its a viewing gallery that happens to allow you to order prints.

Oops I see where you got your template from. Thanks!

Originally Posted by thomps6s

change do to to

nice catch, thanks (it's written in HTML, so no spell checking or grammar...).

How are you accepting payments?

the payments are via paypal using a gallery2 plugin. Works well from what I can tell, but I'm not getting enough orders to really know how well it works.

Originally Posted by subimatt

Yea, something along those lines. The big thing I would change with your gallery is to put more focus and emphasis on the fact you sell prints. Initial impressions is its a viewing gallery that happens to allow you to order prints.

Good point. Any ideas on how to "push" the selling aspect?

Another thing I found that seemed weird was "Add Gallery to Cart" was an option.

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

Good point. Any ideas on how to "push" the selling aspect?

First thing is to move your intro note off the home page. Make your slideshow there, slower and the images larger. Ill have to look more at the galleries to give some sound advice there, been a little busy at work today.

On you "about me" page on the photo site, how about a photo of you?

Originally Posted by thomps6s

Another thing I found that seemed weird was "Add Gallery to Cart" was an option.

yeah, that comes with the cart software I'm using... No way to turn it off (that I've found).

Originally Posted by Geekybiker

On you "about me" page on the photo site, how about a photo of you?

it's possible.