creating my own web site. ?? I've been putting it off for a while now, but a few events cause me the need for my own web page that I can display and eventually sell photos from. If I...

Canoe50d

I've been putting it off for a while now, but a few events cause me the need for my own web page that I can display and eventually sell photos from. If I understand it so I will need to buy my own .com . Lets just say I know nothing of all this and will be open to some help here. Without getting into any arguments over what is better, I wonder if I might get a few suggestions for starting out and creating a web site that will be easy to use not only for me, but for those using it. Example of what helps to bring this up. I was asked to shoot a friends son a snowboard competition on the slopes. I was flooded by parents that all wants shots of their children. I've been told that I can post pics and offer a code so parents can access the photos from that one event and buy pics. I want the code to keep pictures of children from being open for viewing to the public. Thanks for any suggestions you can offer.

amehta Loc: Boston

Canoe50d wrote:

I've been putting it off for a while now, but a fe... (show quote)

I think using a site light SmugMug or Zenfolio makes a lot more sense for something like this. They basically let you do everything you are talking about, for an annual fee of about $100-150.

Some relevant features:
* Public albums with keywords (for search engines) and right-click protection (so they cannot simply download the picture).
* Unlisted, password protected albums, you email the link and password to parents.
* Print ordering with a price you set, you get 85% of the difference. For example, the normal price for an 8x10 is $2, and if you set the price at $12, the difference is $10 and you get $8.50.

Wendy2 Loc: California

Buy at domain name at GoDaddy.com. It is usually cheaper than buying it through a web host.

I use Zenfolio and love it. This is my website http://www.WendyPickardPhotography.com I pay $120 a year.

If you use this code D62-2K6-RVV you will get a discount and I will get credit too.

Wendy

blackest Loc: Ireland

I use OVH a shared host with a free .com is about £40 a year and has a mysql database included. There are a number of packages for online selling.

If you can't right click an image you can pretty much always choose save page in the file menu. Then retrieve the image that way. Although if you are sensible the image is too small for a decent print.

Is the internet the right way to sell picture's of kids? You really have just 1 customer per kid thier parents.

Boobarf Loc: Kyle, TX

I just built my site on Smugmug. Went with the Pro package as a result of the great additional features offered (see the feature comparison chart on their site). It didn't take but about 5 hours of learning and fixing in order to get it up and running. I did get my domain through Go Daddy, but had to get help mapping it to my site. The easier option is to get the domain through Smugmug and it gets mapped for you. I am not a technical genius, and it was fairly intuitive. The You Tube tutorials are a great help as well. You can check out my site at-

brianBfoxphotography.com

Good luck!!

Canoe50d wrote:

I've been putting it off for a while now, but a fe... (show quote)

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I used photoshelter it it is easy to use and has what you want http://mbsy.co/photoshelter/350360
14 day free trial

diensthunds

I'd steer clear of godaddy for domain registration, they lock you into a freeze (or at least they were) when you register. Basically this means that once you register a domain with them there's no way to transfer it out to another registar latter.

diensthunds

also while I'm thinking of it, Jarid Polin who's a professional photgrapher, has recommended squarespace.
http://www.squarespace.com/tour/shops shows some of the info that might be worth checking out. I'll be using them hopefully in the near future.

rstrick2 Loc: Beverly Hills, FL

I use Zenfolio as well here my web site, http://www.robertstricklandphotography.com/

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

I think you would want a good looking site that is relatively easy to use. The most important factor is that it scales to the viewers device, whether that be an iPhone, iPad, laptop or desktop. Otherwise the website will be cut off or would require laborious scrolling in order to see the images. My entire photo club (200 plus) created a focus group around Wordpress. It takes time to learn but easily maintained and once created, you will be proud to have friends and other photographers visit.

You will find tutorials on YouTube. All the more reason why you should join your local photography club.

Wendy2 Loc: California

diensthunds wrote:

I'd steer clear of godaddy for domain registration, they lock you into a freeze (or at least they were) when you register. Basically this means that once you register a domain with them there's no way to transfer it out to another registar latter.

That has not been my experience. And why would you move it? They are one of the least expensive domain sellers. I have had mine with them for 13 years.

Wendy2 Loc: California

blackest wrote:

I use OVH a shared host with a free .com is about £40 a year and has a mysql database included. There are a number of packages for online selling.

If you can't right click an image you can pretty much always choose save page in the file menu. Then retrieve the image that way. Although if you are sensible the image is too small for a decent print.

Is the internet the right way to sell picture's of kids? You really have just 1 customer per kid thier parents.

Zenfolio also offers free, but the domain name on free sites show the web site hosts name in it and it makes the domain name much longer. Harder to remember the site name because it is longer.

mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

diensthunds wrote:

I'd steer clear of godaddy for domain registration, they lock you into a freeze (or at least they were) when you register. Basically this means that once you register a domain with them there's no way to transfer it out to another registar latter.

Not true. They lock your domain for YOUR protection, not theirs. You probably need to contact a GoDaddy rep and talk this through. The domain transfer process is more involved for a reason.

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

I've created about 10 sites using Weebly.

Weebly .com will let you create a website where you can list and sell images, even with password protected pages. You can start for free, and purchase whatever additional services you need.

http://www.weebly.com/#

I buy my domains at 1and1 .com

http://www.1and1.com/

Michael Hartley Loc: Deer Capital of Georgia

You can also get a 'dot photography', domain now.