Ya know, i really have to learn to type faster.

Pretty good... the pics might look better without frames or with charcoal rather than white frames... oh, I'd also re-word the last About Me paragraph to get rid of the orphan 'request'.

km

Ok, he come da kree-ay-tiv di-rektir! Lotsa good comments here, and I'll add a few from a marketing perspective:

The site is clean, but just a wee tad austere. Needs a touch of warmth that adds context to your photos. Not sure how much flexibility the MobileMe templates afford, but even just a subtle touch of color in the top nav bar will help.

The photos are really nice, but think a/b limiting the portfolio to no more than ten samples per category (the best of the best). Less is often more.

Whether you use iWeb or the provider from whom you bought the domain name, you definitely want that URL pointing to your site and being displayed in the browsers URL bar.

Regarding copy, I would limit the personal/family content, and keep your professional creds, POV, and promise out in front. For example,

• Don't mention a home studio at all. You shoot in your studio or on location — period.

• It's a family business, and your wife and son often assist on shoots.

• Customers don't really care what brand equipment you use. Only the quality of your work matters, so I don't know if you need to mention "favorite equipment". Likewise "Favorite Vacation" spots... "What You Should Know" should present professional factoids.

• However, you can add a blog-like page — or create a Facebook page (and link to it) where you can turn up the volume on personal content. When you try to merge personal and professional information, the impression is confusion, Who/what is this person? When you separate the two, but create linkage, you show more depth, Talented photographer. And an interesting guy, too.

I think you've got some real good bones to work with. Just needs some finessing.

Thanks Steve! I'll do the changes when I get home.

I agree....I have too many samples. My wife is going through them right now to help me narrow down which ones plus going through new ones too.

I appreciate the critiques!

Well, I probably goofed up getting MobileMe. I didn't do enough research and thanks to Waleed, he pointed out that Smugmug is the cheaper way to go.

So I'll be re-doing this and letting MobileMe expire next year.

I would go so far as to say that you shouldn't get Smugmug either. If you serious about this as a business, register your domain and pay $6 per month for true hosting. Run Wordpress with a nice photography focused theme (there are some fantastic ones out there!). Wordpress is easy to customize.

People will always be somewhat "distrusting" of sites that use these SmugMug/Flickr, MobileMe hosting packages - thinking they're not really serious about the business. And in your particular business, there is no second chance when shooting a wedding - so people are always going to side-with the people who appear to be more professional, even if it is not truly the case.

Also agree with most everything Steve said.

"Most?"... "MOST"???

I am currently using hostmonster but it expires soon, that's why the switch. I haven't tried Wordpress...thought that was a blog program?

ok, I found Word Press on my control panel via Host Monster. Geez...what a confusing mess that is. How the heck do I create a site with that?

WINNER !!

WINNER !!

WINNER !!

yes we have a WINNER !!


Awesome , John !!