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Author Topic: Do you own a Website or a Blog?  (Read 11826 times)

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« Reply #25 on: April 10, 2012, 06:26 »
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I have a website and a blog, however, about a year ago I deleted all of the posts on my blog, as I just couldn't be bothered writing posts anymore. :-)  I now only use it as a referral links page to the sites that I sell my photos on.

When I decided to get a website up and running over two years ago, I got all enthusiastic, and spent hours and hours getting it how I wanted to look, and I uploaded a heap of photos.  However, since then, I've hardly added any photos, and it just sits there, costing me over $200.00 per year.  :-)  Since purchasing the website, the website's designer has enabled large images to be displayed.  I now need to reload all of my images in a larger size, so they can be viewed in the new format.  One cold winter's day, when I have nothing else to do, I'll probably get in the mood, and sit here for hours and do it! 

I also have many of my photos displayed on my Facebook page, however, when anybody asks to see my images, I usually send them to my website.....I think it appears a bit more professional. :-)

My website: www.phillipminnisphotography.com

My Blogsite: http://philminnis.blogspot.com.au/

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Phillip-Minnis/1444590705
« Last Edit: April 10, 2012, 06:31 by Phillip Minnis »


« Reply #26 on: April 10, 2012, 10:25 »
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My first website www.photowitch.net (a clikpic site) was meant to attract TFP models for stock photography.  The site is in English, but all text about stock and modelling is in Dutch, as I don't expect overseas models to be interested.

Since January I'm a fulltime photographer, adding portraiture and other assignments to my work, so I needed a "local" website, aimed at local customers.  www.anyka.be is now on-line (a Zenfolio site) and working really well, as most customers find me through Google. 

A blog, yes, I have a blog (in Dutch), on the same anyka-site, but I think only my mother is reading it.  I only post stories about shoots on it, with the best photos of these shoots, but with zero success.  Oh well, it's only 6 weeks old. 

WarrenPrice

« Reply #27 on: April 10, 2012, 10:49 »
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My first website www.photowitch.net (a clikpic site) was meant to attract TFP models for stock photography.  The site is in English, but all text about stock and modelling is in Dutch, as I don't expect overseas models to be interested.

Since January I'm a fulltime photographer, adding portraiture and other assignments to my work, so I needed a "local" website, aimed at local customers.  www.anyka.be is now on-line (a Zenfolio site) and working really well, as most customers find me through Google. 

A blog, yes, I have a blog (in Dutch), on the same anyka-site, but I think only my mother is reading it.  I only post stories about shoots on it, with the best photos of these shoots, but with zero success.  Oh well, it's only 6 weeks old. 


LOL... I "bolded" the part that made me really laugh. 

michealo

« Reply #28 on: April 10, 2012, 10:51 »
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My first website www.photowitch.net (a clikpic site) was meant to attract TFP models for stock photography.  The site is in English, but all text about stock and modelling is in Dutch, as I don't expect overseas models to be interested.

Since January I'm a fulltime photographer, adding portraiture and other assignments to my work, so I needed a "local" website, aimed at local customers.  www.anyka.be is now on-line (a Zenfolio site) and working really well, as most customers find me through Google. 

A blog, yes, I have a blog (in Dutch), on the same anyka-site, but I think only my mother is reading it.  I only post stories about shoots on it, with the best photos of these shoots, but with zero success.  Oh well, it's only 6 weeks old. 


You could install Google Analytics if you want to get more details of your user demographics

« Reply #29 on: April 10, 2012, 10:59 »
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Yes, I did install Google Analytics, which means I can see that Google Search is working well for my site - people find the site and they spend time on it, and I get bookings.  But I don't see traffic on the blog page (or I'm doing something wrong and I don't know how to analyse the blog separately). 
I'll keep writing for a few months (if only to entertain my mother  ;)).  I think blogging on the same website is always useful, even if no one is reading, because adding text on a regular basis keeps a site high-up on Google.  At least that's what I've been reading on several SEO sites.

WarrenPrice

« Reply #30 on: April 10, 2012, 11:15 »
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Anyka,
Having others link to your site is another way to improve SEO standing.  But, it should be links from "active, high-ranking" sites.  Having a magazine and a race promoter link to mine did wonders.

They link to specific blog articles. 
A link from MSG might work?   :o ;D

« Reply #31 on: April 10, 2012, 11:25 »
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Anyka,
Having others link to your site is another way to improve SEO standing.  But, it should be links from "active, high-ranking" sites.  Having a magazine and a race promoter link to mine did wonders.

They link to specific blog articles. 
A link from MSG might work?   :o ;D

Well I just did, didn't I ?  ;D   On the other hand, with "only" 35 new website visitors per day (local people, so potential customers), I got more than enough work coming in. 
Two weeks ago, I got a phone call from a Google representative, trying to sell me "better placement".  I said no thanks, because better placement would mean even more work, much more than my camera and I can handle.  I'm a small business, and I prefer to stay small  (though a big studio like Yuri's would be nice  :D).

« Reply #32 on: April 12, 2012, 00:26 »
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Here is my site:

http://www.denispepin.com

Sold for $20.00 in five months.

Denis

« Reply #33 on: April 12, 2012, 15:41 »
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I have had a new site on my to-do list for at least two years, and then Godaddy solved that problem - I had to start a new one from scratch when they decided they were no longer supporting the old hosting I've had since 2005.  So, here I am making my first Wordpress site and sometimes a little bewildered at how to pull things together.  Why is it so darn slow???   Still in the process of filling up the blank pages and hopefully it will be done sometime this lifetime ...  www.pixartdesign.com

lisafx

« Reply #34 on: April 12, 2012, 16:41 »
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Looks great so far Lorraine!  BTW, I just love the action shot of the hockey player in the blue jersey.  Really beautiful capture there! 

« Reply #35 on: April 12, 2012, 19:33 »
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Thanks Lisa!  I still have a few dozen from that shoot that are released but logos, logos, logos everywhere.

THP Creative

  • THP Creative

« Reply #36 on: April 12, 2012, 20:20 »
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Hey pixart, yeah nice job! I was in the same boat 6 months ago just learning Wordpress (amazing piece of free software!). Have built two sites so far http://www.microstockman.com and http://www.microstockshop.com before getting around to doing my own website which is in dire need of an update - plus I want to be able to sell directly from it. Hoping to get to that in next 6 months.

You mention your site is slow, which I noticed too. I use a Wordpress cache plugin called WP Super Cache. I tried another one first but it nearly ruined my server with overloading temp files. But this plugin is great. Also, you probably already know this but be sure to use the Save For Web function in Photoshop as it cuts JPEG size enormously for your images.

Hope that helps a little  :)

« Reply #37 on: April 13, 2012, 13:46 »
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Thanks THC, looks like you've put a lot of work into your sites. Looks great!  Funny, last night when I was putting in my rare 10 minutes trying to update my site a bit it was very fast, like "instant" fast.  Maybe the hosting traffic is a big part of the slowness.

I do admit that I have been resizing and saving at 120 dpi (72 looks so fuzzy) - so, I will definitely experiment with the "save for web". 

« Reply #38 on: April 13, 2012, 14:50 »
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I just spent a while clicking on all the links (ok not all) in this thread. Although there may be the occasional  ::) disagreement that members have, it's nice sometimes to be reminded that we're actually pretty similar, creative, intelligent and passionate people. I'm talking to contributors not agencies, obviously!  ;)

« Reply #39 on: April 14, 2012, 01:46 »
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I guess I might as well put my blog address here, even though it is rather esoteric. Maybe one day I'll get round to trying to earn something from it:

http://fotoblogzone.com/

There's also my gallery at FAA

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/paul-cowan.html?tab=artwork

everyone is very welcome to buy stuff there  :)

« Reply #40 on: April 23, 2012, 07:09 »
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I recently setup my own website. Currently it is just showcasing my stock photos and videos. Will see where I take it in the future.

http://www.theruchos.com/

« Reply #41 on: April 23, 2012, 12:26 »
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« Reply #42 on: April 23, 2012, 12:40 »
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i have > 20 sites.

anyway this would the best that represents me

wedding photographer
blog and photography
stock photos
« Last Edit: April 23, 2012, 12:41 by yuliang11 »

rubyroo

« Reply #43 on: April 23, 2012, 14:12 »
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Over 20?

My God, do you work a 72 hour day or something?   ;)

« Reply #44 on: April 23, 2012, 14:18 »
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I have a few websites and blog. You can find a list at http://hlehnerer.blogspot.com/2011/03/links.html

The most important are:
http://stock.hlehnerer.com/
http://microstockinfos.blogspot.com/ (included in my iPhone app)
http://microblogs.hlehnerer.com
http://photoinfos.blogspot.com/ (included in my iPhone app)

I do it for fun and to generate referrals.

« Reply #45 on: April 23, 2012, 14:26 »
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I've got two websites and a blog.  An obsession with Facebook really took me off of a steady pace of blogging for a while.  I'm slowly switching back though I'm still a bit behind (Go Kart Racing with bands Young the Giant and Grouplove made my FB page and some other sites but not mine). 

www.haywardphoto.blogspot.com

www.MHWildlife.com

www.MatHaywardPhoto.com

None of these have anything to do with stock however.  They do generate me a fair amount of business however.  I will probably be dumping the wildlife site at some point in time and converting MatHaywardPhoto.com from flash but I don't see myself blogging much regarding stock.  I've really made a point to keep the two realms of photography separate.

THP Creative

  • THP Creative

« Reply #46 on: April 23, 2012, 18:57 »
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Thanks THC, looks like you've put a lot of work into your sites. Looks great!  Funny, last night when I was putting in my rare 10 minutes trying to update my site a bit it was very fast, like "instant" fast.  Maybe the hosting traffic is a big part of the slowness.

I do admit that I have been resizing and saving at 120 dpi (72 looks so fuzzy) - so, I will definitely experiment with the "save for web". 

Hey pixart, yeah you will see a HUGE improvement using Save For Web versus just trying to optimize yourself using the standard Save dialog. It just takes a little getting used to, seeing the trade off between file size and clarity and determining what you can get away with.

« Reply #47 on: April 23, 2012, 19:36 »
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I was dissatisfied with my website for a couple of years (I created it from a template but never liked the look and it seemed too much like everyone else's).  So, not being a web developer in any fashion I bought a book called "Teach Yourself HTML in 21 Days".  I got to "Day 9" and decided I'd take a shot at it.  The result:

www.azcaptured.com

I've had the same basic design now for a couple of years and added a Smug Mug database to sell with.  It doesn't make enough money to cover the cost of a Smug Mug pro account but it's getting close.  Maybe someday I'll spend some time and set up a blog or do something else to drive in more traffic.

« Reply #48 on: April 24, 2012, 04:35 »
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I do admit that I have been resizing and saving at 120 dpi (72 looks so fuzzy) - so, I will definitely experiment with the "save for web". 

Have you tried applying unsharp mask after downsizing to view at 72dpi? Try a setting of something like 160/03/0, it makes an enormous difference.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #49 on: April 24, 2012, 04:58 »
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I do admit that I have been resizing and saving at 120 dpi (72 looks so fuzzy) - so, I will definitely experiment with the "save for web".  

Have you tried applying unsharp mask after downsizing to view at 72dpi? Try a setting of something like 160/03/0, it makes an enormous difference.

Yeah, I can't understand how the resolution makes any different on a monitor. It surely doesn't matter what resolution you set your image at: on a monitor, one pixel maps to one pixel ,so unless I'm missing something, a 600x400 image will display on a monitor at 600x400, whether the resolution is 600dpi or 1dpi. Dots are for printers, pixels are for monitors.

Added: but yes, after you've been submitting to agencies for a while, you forget to sharpen.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2012, 05:04 by ShadySue »


 

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