critique of my new website.

[loman]

Hi everybody.

I finally finished redoing my website.

http://www.madshartmann.com

I would love some critique, positive or negative.
I took quite a bit of time doing this (Not considering the few hundred hours it took to print the photographs on the website).


Thanks in advance

Mads

 

[dehk]

After I click photograph on the menu, you have the info for the different gallery on the right, i wish those were click-able links too.

The photos are slightly too big, i have a 15 wide screen and 17 inch square, both slightly too wide.

About could be a little longer.

Good job, over all its simple, and most importantly, it works.

 

[Eric Rose]

When you click on commercial it takes you to a blank screen.

On the about page the link to the album is black which makes it to hard to see. Actually all your clickable links are black. Since you are using a rapidweaver template this should be easy to fix.

The images are a bit to tall as I had to scroll up and down to see the entire image.

Takes to long for the photo navigation icon to come up at the bottom of the first image of each set. Not really self evident on how you get from the first image to the next.

Beyond that nice site.

 

[SuzanneR]

When I click on photographs, that's what I want, not a menu with information. In other words, from the time I get to your site, it shouldn't take more than a click to get to some pictures. I'd try to save the explanations for each portfolio in some kind of "info" option that can be clicked with the pictures, or for the end of the portfolio. Also, a few portfolios only have about three or so pix in them... all very nice, but unless you have about 10 or 12, then I'd skip adding those pix to your site until you have enough for each portfolio to feel complete. Very nice work, by the way.

 

[Q.G.]

Black on dark grey???
You don't want people to find and follow the links?

I hate when a link opens a new instance of the browser. If people go to see a new page, they have little to no use for the old page. So display the new page in the exisiting browser instance. Even if the link leads to an outside page.
And if we want/need to go back, we all have a "back" button.

And flash... Why can't i decide how long i want to watch an image myself?

 

[fotch]

Flash crashed, first time I've experienced that.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I like it, but I did have a hard time reading some of the text, especially the link text which is pretty close to the background color on my monitor. Actually, I would like more contrast for all the text, I found it was tiring to read.

 

[loman]

Thanks everybody for the insightful critique. I have some changes coming up. The problem with the links in rapidweaver, is that their color is tied to the the topbar (which I find horrible), so it was a compromise.
Anyway there's a lot of changes to do.
I'll report here when it's done.

Thanks again.

Mads

 

[loman]

So I changed quite a lot of stuff. Made the resolution smaller (photographs are now all 660x495), so it should be watchable at almost all computers without bars. Also the pictures should load quicker.
Acces to photographs is more direct now. and last but not least there are a few more of them.
What do you all think?

http://www.madshartmann.com

 

[fotch]

Better

 

[Eric Rose]

Quote: The problem with the links in rapidweaver, is that their color is tied to the the topbar (which I find horrible), so it was a compromise. End Quote

Go into the CSS and do your changes there if you can.

 

[loman]

I would love to... but how do I do that? I'm no html buff.
Kind Regards
Mads

 

[Mike Crawford]

If I'm forced to criticise, I would prefer the play/pause/forward palette, (not sure what it's called technically), to be below the images not over the bottom of them. However, I only posted to say how much I like your photographs. Nice work!

 

[Q.G.]

I would prefer simple buttons, without flash.

 

[loman]

Mike and Q.G. I would actually prefer simple buttons without flash as well, but since I'm a novice at html coding, I'm stuck with the ideosyncrasies of rapidweaver. It does either flash or shows the pictures as thumbnails. And the thumbnail option simply looks ridiculous.
Mike thanks for your kind words. How did you make your website? I really like the layout of it.

Kind Regards
Mads

 

[rorye]

The photographs are beautiful.

 

[loman]

Thanks Rorye.

Kind Regards
Mads

 

[Mike Crawford]

How did you make your website? I really like the layout of it.

Hello Mads
I know as much about making websites as flying jumbo jets! A friend who was learning web design a few months ago did it for me. We collaborated on design and I took her advice in most instances. Will ask her about what programme it was done on and PM you the details.

Best wishes
Mike

 

[loman]

Thanks Mike.
That's much appreciated.
Kind Regards
Mads

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I think that the issues you are encountering have everything to do with using a template driven program that is designed to protect you from the underlying code. One option to consider is to look at other templates, there are a bunch available on the developer's web site at http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/. I personally use Coda, it is available at http://www.panic.com/coda/. It is a really amazing program, but it does require a decent level of familiarity with the code. I am by no means a code expert, however, and I am really happy with Coda, so if you are feeling kinda adventurous and want to give it a whirl, it might be worth a try. Also, a simple book or web based CSS tutorial might help a lot. You could find out where your css file lives and go in and just change the text color, and anything else you want. I don't know how Rapidweaver handles it if an underlying file is edited outside of the program, however, so that is something that could trip you up.

The web site in my signature was built using a flash template system and I am going to get rid of it as soon as I can. I did build Dead Link Removed using Coda plus a couple of downloadable scripts for the slideshow on the home page and the gallery page.

Good luck!