Welcome comments on updated web site

Steve Sherman · May 15, 2005

Friends,

A four month project of up dating my web site has finished. I welcome your feedback especially on design and flow of the site. www.steve-sherman.com

photomc · May 15, 2005

the link above does not work...try this one.. http://www.steve-sherman.com/

BTW Steve, nice work....from first look

david b · May 15, 2005

steve....looks great.

A bit of technical info on the site would be great too.

BWGirl · May 15, 2005

Hey Steve!
From a usability viewpoint, I would like to suggest that you add a link in your list enabling the viewer to get back to your gallery. When I clicked on a different link ("Darkroom"), I found that I had to either use the back button or start over ("Home") to get back to the gallery.

Also, when I clicked on any of the images in your gallery, I thought it would show me a larger verision (maybe even a 'slide-type' show), but all I got was a 'phantom' box.

Your photos are beautiful, and I like the toned work of the entry page. Hope this helps you!

Ian Leake · May 16, 2005

Hi Steve,

You've created some beautiful photos, and you've obviously put a lot of thought and effort into your site.

What I like are your photos (of course), the colour scheme, and the simple almost minimalist layout. The way the pop-ups open is pretty good too.

However, there are two things which don't gel for me. The first is that until I worked out how the navigation worked I was a bit frustrated when I clicked on a photo and, rather than see that image enlarged, I was moved to another page. You may want to consider changing your sign posting slightly to differentiate between images which are for navigation and those that actually show you a larger image.

My second concern is your use of pop-ups. Although your implementation of these looks really good, they were blocked by my browser (IE6 on XP SP2). This will probably happen with other browsers too, so you may find it worthwhile to put a note on your home page reminding people to switch on pop-ups for your site.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,
Ian.

photomc · May 16, 2005

Would agree with the above post about the pop-up windows. And while the browser allows pop-ups, have noticed on 2 different computers (both using IE6) that when clicking on an image, it would appear the pop-up window starts..then disappears. Click it again, and it comes up....just one of those things.

One other thing, you might consider some mention if the prints are available for sale or not..the work is certainly nice enough for someone to ask.

c6h6o3 · May 16, 2005

Steve Sherman said:
Friends,

A four month project of up dating my web site has finished. I welcome your feedback especially on design and flow of the site.
[url="http://www.steve-sherman.com/"]www.steve-sherman.com[/url]

Wonderful. One click and the viewer is presented with a smorgasboard of gorgeous images.

One enhancement which could benefit your bottom line: create a Paypal link which will enable viewers to buy prints online, just as you did for your personal instruction payments. Perhaps this would interefere with your gallery agreements, but it's what I would do.

Beautiful work (even the Slot Canyon pictures, which usually cause me to groan "Oh not again..." are done with a freshness and vitality that kept me looking quite a while), Beautiful site.

Jim Shanesy

c6h6o3 · May 16, 2005

After reading some other comments and then going back to the site to click around, I have to agree that the links need reworking. Specifically, make sure that the anchor tag for the Penile Colony picture, which is what really grabs the viewer's eye when that page is first opened, opens an enlarged copy of that picture. Right now is takes you to another page with no link to that photograph at all. It's obviously a stunning photograph. Milk it to the max.

panchromatic · May 16, 2005

Steve,

I must first comment that your site is done quite nicely in respect to how the tones of the background and text compliment your photography quite nicely. It seems to add to the feeling without you really noticing its there. Your hand of man section really hits home with me since a large amount of my photography has to do with what man has created, either good or bad. Anyway as far as the site goes, I like the lay out nicely, its easy, and simple to nav. Not personally what I would've done but its quite successful.

Thank you for sharing.

Patrick M · May 16, 2005

I can agree with what other people wrote before. It just took me some time to notice that there is that small navigation for the gallery in that corner.
What I really like are the colours, they work fine with the tone of the (beautiful ) photographs.

George Losse · May 16, 2005

Steve,

Great work and nice site.

My biggest comment, I think your name should be a little more noticable on more then just the splash page for the site. People might print out a page to think about a photo or something in the writing, you want your name displayed on that print-out.

Had a little trouble with the popups like others but was able to see what I wanted to.

Great work, thanks for sharing the link/work, I enjoyed it.

Daniel Grenier · May 16, 2005

Hi Steve. Here's my take on your website (sorry if some if this has been mentioned before).

First, I really like the front page. The colors, the layout, the image. Looks great. However, I can't say I'm in tune with your using the "Where real photographs are born wet" statement. I know exactly what you're saying - and couldn't agree more - but I don't think this cheap shot at digital is appropriate. You are, obviously, a very talented artist and belittling another approach to photography will elevate your work in no way shape or form. The opposite may be true, in fact?

Second, upon entering the site, I found your text on either sides to be too small to read comfortably. A couple font sizes larger would benefit me (and my glasses).

Third, I found the link on either sides of the main images to be confusing. Rather than take you to the actual image, the link takes you to the entire "Land of Man", or, "Hand of man" portfolios. You may want to rename those links to reflect the portfolio's names?

Fourth, The Darkroom link might be best named "Workshop" as it better reflects what you are offering.

Other than that, it looks terrific. Well done. Your photographs are truly beautiful, Steve, and may you have great success with your new website.

Steve Sherman · May 16, 2005

Thanks for your comments

Thanks Guys and Gals, That is exactly what I wanted, comments on the construction and ease navigation of the site. Sounds like it still needs some attention. I have relayed your comments to the web guy.

Again thanks, Steve

hortense · May 17, 2005

Steve -
You web site is one of the BEST - and your images are superb.

By the way, I learned a lot from the discussion you and Sandy King had on the Azo forum regarding stand development and pryocat-HD. Am 8x10 LF camera is too heavy for my beat up body - so I am interested in learning to make 8x10 negaive from 4x5 so that I can try out contact printing with Azo.

Lee L · May 17, 2005

Steve,

I use the Firefox browser, now at about 11% of the browser market (doubled its share in the last three months), and its default popup killer stops your website's popups. As more people upgrade their Internet Explorer or adopt Firefox, your site might become a pain to navigate.

Lee

panchromatic · May 17, 2005

Lee L said:
Steve,

I use the Firefox browser, now at about 11% of the browser market (doubled its share in the last three months), and its default popup killer stops your website's popups. As more people upgrade their Internet Explorer or adopt Firefox, your site might become a pain to navigate.

Lee

I use firefox as well, but when firefox killed the popup i easy changed it to allow popups from Steve's site alone. Though that can be a pain you set it once and forget. I think the benefits of firefox out wieght the pain of IE. Either way it wasn't a big deal for me.

Lee L · May 17, 2005

panchromatic said:
I use firefox as well, but when firefox killed the popup i easy changed it to allow popups from Steve's site alone. Though that can be a pain you set it once and forget. I think the benefits of firefox out wieght the pain of IE. Either way it wasn't a big deal for me.

Ryan,

Yes, it's true that you can easily get to the prompt to allow popups from a specific site in Firefox, another of its nice features, and I've done that for a very few sites. However, I think many people who have blocking set up are likely just to leave the site straightaway if popups are required for important site navigation, as I do on most occasions.

Since the question was on usability, ease of navigation, and user friendliness of the site, I figure that Steve might want the whole site viewable without requiring configuration adjustments in the visiting browser.

Lee

jp80874 · May 17, 2005

Steve,

Let me first say that I think your work is stunningly beautiful and I hope to see more.
I agree with the navigation problems described and the workshops/darkroom comment. The one problem I have that was not mentioned is that I am 85% color blind. For me this means that on your opening page I can read your name. I can barely read Enter Site I can read nothing below that. Usually when I have this problem I can highlight the words and they become legible. I cant do that here. (Windows XP/Netscape)

The figures I have read are: 1/3 of males are partially color blind, 1/16 woman have the problem. For some it is so minor that they dont realize it until later in life. One co worker discovered it at age 45 trying to follow a wiring diagram.

Hope this helps,
John Powers

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