hikercheryl Loc: Madison, NC

I have a free Weebly website and it works for me. My computer skills are limited and yet I set up this site alone after reading the instructions and viewing a few videos. Take a look and see if it would meet your needs.
http://www.throughcherylseyesphotography.com

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

Leyman69,

There is nothing easy and inexpensive in building a web site. You will spend some serious money getting it set up and working. You must consider not just, your funding, but your time as an expense.

You can hire someone to create the site, but you will learn little about the overall process. You will have some control over the content and visual impact.

If you 'do-it-yourself' you will learn a great deal about the back end of the process of publishing a commercial web site. If you purchase, or use an ISP free service to create your web site, you will have very little control over the layout and appearance of the content of your pages. They use templates to build the pages and the templates are set in stone. They are also called "Cookie Cutter" web sites.

You can purchase software that will allow you to create web pages, but most of these will not create coding that is compliant to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This will cause many web browsers to fumble the display of your pages. When a web page is written in non-compliant code a web browser (IE, Firefox, and Opera) will shift into "Quarks Mode" and make a best guess in rendering what it thinks you meant in the coding. You can purchase software that will create web pages in compliant styles, but you will be limited in how you can make the page look and feel to your visitors.

You can download; use freely, page builders that are called: “What You See Is What You Get” (WYSIWYG wise-wig). These programs will construct individual web pages (documents), link a master page (Home) to subordinate pages, control the appearance of page content with Cascading Style Sheet coding (CSS), and upload the pages and content to a web server. To have maximum control over your entire web site and all documents you will need to know and understand HTML code and CSS coding. If you want control over the web server, you will need to have a FTP program to access the web host and add/delete web files. Before you make the upload of any documents, you will need to test the documents for web standards (W3C) with an HTML Validator to make sure your web documents will render correctly across all computer platforms, browsers, and cell phones.

Now that you have a little insight into the complexity of web sites (I have only touched the surface), you can get an idea that building a decent web site is not a simple ‘walk in the park’. You can do it yourself if you have a lot of time to spend learning, making mistakes, and correcting the errors. I have not mentioned selling services or products; that is another monster to figure out. Something else you will need to figure out is how to get your new web site in the top listings in Google.

It can be done, but it will cost you something, money, or your time.

Michael G

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

First of all, when you reply to a post, click the Quote Reply button. That way we know who you are responding to. The other thing you need to do is get some business cards printed up with the web address on them. People won't find your site by just having it up there. You need to drive them to the site to view your work. Everybody and their uncle has a website with photos, so don't depend of the web site for your advertising. It will be you who will be advertising. The least expensive way to start is to give out a card when you talk to anyone about photography.

The main thing about your website is the work better be worth looking at. I see many, many sites, and the photography is mediocre to OK at best.

These are just a couple of thoughts.

500px.com has galleries to post your images, and Wix.com has some nice templates that are easy to set up. You don't need a complicated web site to start.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Why don't you try posting a few picks here so others can provide you with their opinion as to whether you are ready for this jump? there are many accomplished photographers here that can provide some direction. Maybe a hint or two. What subject matter will you be photographing?

Leyman69

Cheryl

Thanks so much...you're so talented!!!

Leyman

Leyman69

Cheryl

Thanks so much...you're so talented!!!

Leyman

RedIris Loc: MN, USA

If it's just for photography, why not just use Flicker or 500px. The paid accounts sell photos for you.


If you're looking to sell something, not just photos, the free host sites do not allow sales. You'll have to pay for a business account. (I could be wrong though about weebly and other new free sites.. it's been a while.)

Leyman69

Bozsik

Thank you for taking time to give me
some sound direction.

Have A Grand Day!

Leyman

Leyman69

Thank you for your good suggestions!

Leyman