Crimson Star Software - Web Site Management For Photographers: Web Design Ideas

Web Site Management for Photographers:
Web Design Ideas
by Crimson Star

Web site design is time-consuming and expensive. Up to 60% of your web site development costs will be design-related. Will you need to re-mortgage your house, or is some of this design expense avoidable?

If your web site design must be 100% original and unique, then head straight for your bank. A small web site will cost you at least $10,000. Some photographers are spending considerably more than this on their sites.

Say, what?

Most of you simply want a web site that is effective. You don't want a web site that costs a fortune. Could it be that you want a cost-effective web site? Warning -- don't mention this phrase to your web designer. It is not a concept they have ever heard of. I only mention it because I was a certified accountant once.

Use existing design ideas to save money. Find a design element that you like and incorporate that element into your own design. For example, if you already have a company logo for your business cards or letterheads, adapt it to your splash page, banners, and navigation bars. Create a style and color scheme for your web site based upon these elements.

Find sites on the Internet that you like and that might inspire you. Don't waste your time looking for ideas through the popular search engines, however. Any keywords that you enter will result in thousands of hits, many of which will be out-of-date or just plain irrelevant.

Beware of Strangers

Visit the web sites of the people you already know and respect. Your first stop should be PhotoSource International. Examine the design of the site. Look for features that might work on your site. Talk to the webmaster!

Your second stop should be Crimson Star Software. I have created a valuable (but free!) resource for photographers who want to create a web site. You will find design ideas, examples and tips. Read my book reviews, to learn if there are any books that might help you. Follow my links to the web sites that help me in my design work. Review the web sites that I have built recently. If you have questions, I probably have the answers.

Next Month: Are you a net dodger? Let's examine several misconceptions you may have about the Internet that are costing you money every single day you're not on it!