DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

I use it - click on my profile for the link. It's very easy to get started and setup. You can use their web templates or customize it with your own web design. I can create galleries from Lightroom and export directly into the gallery. There is a small learning curve to learn how to manipulate your galleries so they look like you want but not bad. Selling is simple and straight forward and you can customize your own price lists. You can even have multiple price lists with the pro subscription.

CamB Loc: Juneau, Alaska

So many here say good things about SmugMug that I will have to clear my mind and approach it fresh. I'm not sure why I am finding it so difficult. My main problem is terms they assumed I knew so are not explained very well, and/or steps left out of the directions. I'm gearing up to give it another shot. Thanks for the encouragement.
...Cam

JW S

CamB...... You expressed my frustration as well.... I did not share earlier, but I basically keep my site hidden and share individual Folders with my clients.... Mostly because I never got a full grip on the more complex customization issues.

larosene Loc: San Jose, California

As a photography ‘neophyte’ I don’t yet have a body of work to justify a website - but even if I did, the fact that you haven’t sold one photo is damn depressing. Your pictures are beautiful. For what it’s worth (And it ain’t worth much) they are an inspiration for me to keep learning.

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

I was in charge of the website at my work for a while - so I actually know a little about building websites and I could NOT figure out Smugmug! It was the worst experience ever.

Have Camera

By all means take advantage of the 20% discount. SmugMug is great. Their tech support is the best in the business. Many times I have contacted their tech support and have had an answer in less the five minutes. Their tech support is available 24 hours a day. They will even go into your site and correct mistakes. I have used SmugMug for over five years and am extremely happy with the site.

You can go find many YouTube videos on how to set up your SmugMug site. SmugMug is the greatest!

JW S

You aren't "building" a website with SmugMug.... It's more about placing your own information in predetermined "boxes."

It's easier to build what you want from scratch than modifying what you created last year.... That's where I got frustrated and basically "Locked the front door." So now, my clients Enter their own password protected Folder to access their galleries. They see nothing else of the site. But I do have password protected LINKS to show clients examples of my work - Headshots, architecture, Sports, real estate, weddings, etc.

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...yes it can be a problem. The great majority of shots I upload to SM are native (2x3) aspect ratio of the camera I use, but sometimes I get creative and change that and, in fact, go off on tangents and create panos and such. I've dealt with these oddities in my disclaimer, which I *hope* customers will read...and then, when I'm processing, making sure to put the new aspect ratio in the title of the image (ex: THHS 2356-4x5.jpeg) so they'll know what they're dealing with. I crop all my shots but sometimes somebody wants an 8x10 when 8x12 would be so much better...go figger, lol. I very rarely use links and passwords, such is my biz...

JW S

Aways helps to be verified Chasgroh.. LOL

So I create a file name 1234_8x10_Sophie-BDay and then next to it is 1234_4x6_SophieBDay .... And later hear that the "Print company cut off my little girl's toes!! LoL

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...hahaha...thanks for that!

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

Question do you print the photos and send after they are bought, or does the company you use?

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

I assume you're addressing your question to me (it helps to use the "quote reply" button, that way we know to whom the question is directed)...everything is handled by SM...you choose the printing company beforehand (of the options I use Bay Photo, great quality and never a complaint)
you price, SM does the money transaction, takes their cut, ships the prints, and puts your bux in an account which you can access monthly if you want. Once set up, really easy. Nice thing is, you can order printing for you to mount or sell from home at reasonable prices and, like I said, the quality is super ...and there are options galore (it's fun when a customer puts their kid's mug on a coffee cup or mouse pad...you can set a percentage above what SM wants and not bother to go that deep into the price list if you like).

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

Thank you. I wasn't directing to anyone in particular, just to anyone who had experience with these.

JW S

Chasgroh.... Answered correctly....

I'll add...... that since my print requests are few & far between, I just tell the client my price for the basic sizes.... 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, and occasionally the metal prints which are nice .... They pay me thru PayPal... Then I order the prints with direct shipping to the client address.

This does two things, in exchange for my troubles,.... 1) Since there is no markup by SmugMug, (I am purchasing at the lowest rate) there isn't a 15% fee collected by SM & 2) I know the order is placed accurately.

Bay Photo is a good print company......

Angel Star Photography Loc: Tacoma, WA

JW S covered your questions very well regarding SmugMug. I, too, have been very satisfied with SmugMug and their service. I have been using SmugMug for a little over a year and my initial set up was only both easy and fast. I dove in without really any idea of how I wanted to organize things and, thus, experimented with several options. The experimentation was easy to accomplish using their many templates and when I finally settled on one that I like, I made copy of the template and modified it to fit my preferences. It took me about a week working with it during the evening between work and family priorities.

Later, I created private sections for those who have asked for my services or for candid family photographs. Likewise, this was just as easy to set up, set the appropriate security parameters, and allow for different functionality such as downloads only or downloads and prints.

Their support is impressive, too. I have only had to ask for help twice and both due to getting a bit tangled up with the security settings of folders, galleries, and the site overall. In one case, they took a look at the mess I had made, corrected it, and then wrote to explain what I had gotten so twisted up in. In the second case, they only needed to answer a few questions which sent me on the right track immediately. In both cases, the response was within an hour or two. There was also one situation to which I am still pondering to which I was creating a private page covering my great granddaughter's second birthday. I had a specific appearance I wanted to give the page but was struggling with how to pull it all together. I had added pieces, deleted pieces, moved sections, and uploaded photos but just could get the same look as I had accomplished on my public pages. I had resigned myself to delete everything and start fresh in the morning but also I would contact them for help in the morning. I left the page---a mess as it was---up on my screen as a reminder for the morning. When I awoke and began to work on the problem, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the page was now as I had wished it to be. I can only speculate that from their logs they observed the struggle, analyzed it, and were able to create what I was attempting to accomplish. Initially, I thought that perhaps I had done something to bring it all about but I had too much of a mess to go from where it was to what I wanted without some intervention. I immediately saved the configuration and published.

They also have online videos to guide you through many of the tasks of creating your site and when I joined, one of the first thing they did was set up a webinar session with me and other to walk us through everything.

I think you would be very satisfied with SmugMug. I certainly am and many others have responded in kind as well.

C. R. Smith (Charles)
Angel Star Photography
www.angelstarphotography.com