Website Review and Suggestions

**ForrestCroce** · 08-03-2007, 03:12 AM

I'm not a graphic designer at all, and I never meant to try to be. But, I put my site together from the ground up, and right now it's pretty ugly. This new layout might be a little busy, but I'm hoping it's an improvement?

My old site is a flowing width layout, mostly to accommodate lots of thumbnails in a gallery. But then when you click into an individual photo, it just look really bad, like a lot of randomly placed elements floating around the page.

Old:
http://forrestcroce.com/Galleries/Seattle.html

New:
http://forrestcroce.com/Photos/Encircled.html

I'm still working on this, and would love any feedback and suggestions. I know I need to make the definition list work on IE, and I need to figure out what to do about the transparent pngs for IE 6. But technical issues aside, I just don't have a natural talent for this kind of thing.

I've tried working with a white background, and it just seems too plain for me. I know I don't want to distract from the photo itself, but I'm trying to find a way to achieve that and have the page itself look interesting.

**bas** · 08-03-2007, 04:42 AM

You use so many graphical effects in your pages that they are really to … I don’t know too busy … it’s just too much ,too heavy .

In the new layout the background and menu images aren’t bad on itself, but the marble background and the image border are really too much.

You say you aren’t a graphic designer at all and you never meant to try, but why do you put all these graphics in your pages then? In generally I like your old layout more than your new one.

Maybe you better try to design a layout without any image but only using some colours to make it good looking, and after that you can always place some little graphical extras where it’s needed. And as a matter of fact Keep in mind that in most cases it’s better to use something less than something more, especially if you want to get the attention to your pictures.

I also want to say your code looks rather good at first sight (although I don’t know why you have putted your style-definition into your body-element, but however

).

**CSS4Life** · 08-03-2007, 05:42 AM

It's a improvement, especially on the text at the bottom of the photo. I really had to strain my eyes to read the red writing at the bottom of the photos before but now it is a lot better.

While your not a graphic designer, you seem to have done very well in my mind

**vkw91** · 08-03-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bas

You use so many graphical effects in your pages that they are really to … I don’t know too busy … it’s just too much ,too heavy .

Totally agree. The pictures are so good its a shame to lose focus on them to the background. I think that you should use simple patterns and plain colours to add focus to them. I think with this sort of site, you need to stay away from heavy bevel effects and harsh shadows.

I've adapted a template that i did for a client not long ago so you can get some ideas.

On a side note, you photography is FAB! -

**reyyy** · 08-03-2007, 08:49 AM

I prefer more old version, because there images has got thumbnails, that is very big plus to image galleries. Talking about design, both old and new are good and i like them.

**MrTom-UK** · 08-03-2007, 10:51 AM

The photos are great and should be what the site is all about. The "texture" background and frames are truly awful.
You should go with the most plain and simple of interfaces and navigation - that way people can make the most of the photos.

**megamomm** · 08-03-2007, 11:28 AM

Your photos are beautiful! Really, I am not brown nosing... they really are. As such I think you are taking away from them by adding the frame. They don't need it. The background takes the focus away from where you want it as well.

**ADAM Web Design** · 08-03-2007, 06:01 PM

What everyone else said, Forrest...the problem with the backgrounds in the new one is that they almost become foreground elements; they clash with the photographs and make things worse.

Solid, light colours and subtle gradients will organize your menu elements and things while maintaining focus on where it really should be...your kickass photos.

**roly01** · 08-03-2007, 06:25 PM

the website looks like a 1990s website, i think it can be improved alot more

**brian101** · 08-03-2007, 07:43 PM

I agree with the guy above me this site does look like a 90's design, best bet would probably be to get a new template

**ForrestCroce** · 08-06-2007, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bas

You say you aren’t a graphic designer at all and you never meant to try, but why do you put all these graphics in your pages then?

I guess because I haven't been able to find a simple design that looks good, so I've been hoping that I could improve things by adding more eye candy. It seems pretty much unanimous this is the wrong way to go about things...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bas

Maybe you better try to design a layout without any image but only using some colours to make it good looking, and after that you can always place some little graphical extras where it’s needed. And as a matter of fact Keep in mind that in most cases it’s better to use something less than something more, especially if you want to get the attention to your pictures.

Thanks. I've stripped it down to the absolute basics, and don't like it, but with the help of the template vkw91 posted, for some ideas, I'm trying to evolve something a little more attractive. I have no idea how to, but I at least know I'm useless here and need to ask for advice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bas

I also want to say your code looks rather good at first sight (although I don’t know why you have putted your style-definition into your body-element, but however

).

Well, I added and rearranged a few divs, but I also made some css changes, so I thought it'd be easier to embed the styles I'm experimenting with than change the main stylesheet or make a second test copy. Otherwise, though, the code is all by hand, so it's not perfect, but it's probably better than a generator will write.

**HighVoltage123** · 08-06-2007, 08:42 AM

looks good

(I the photos are amazing)

**ADAM Web Design** · 08-06-2007, 10:31 AM

That's much better than before, Forrest. The only thing you have to solve IMHO is to get the background not to appear to overlap the text. If you can do that, it's all good.

**jim1228** · 08-06-2007, 03:49 PM

I always like black or white backgrounds for image galleries. It really makes the images stick out. You want the eye to focus on the images first, right? Keep it simple. It looks much better now.