Review my site: www.africapic.com - Stunning Africa and Wildlife Stock Photo Library

[keepitafrican]

Hi All

Please review my site: Africa Pictures
We are an African Stock photography library, with stunning wildlife and African landscape pictures.

Please offer comments on
1) the homepage (please offer ideas of layout, colours, etc)
2) general structure?
3) any other thoughts

We also offer our pictures for free for web use. Just find your picture and copy the code provided. What are your thoughts of this feature?

Many Thanks

Alex

[graspit]

Nice Website but you have to fix the text and gazelle image in your homepage ,try to resize them so that they fit your template.

[Botman]

Great content with the pictures, I really like them. Good quality on the content.

I believe the presentation on the front page could be better. Maybe organize the specific categories with a particular pic you can click on and get into the sub folders. That big space above the gazelles with just a little text seems like wasted space.

[qcyzjg]

nice website ,and the picture is also good

[TannerC]

Hello again Alex, you've made a bit of improvement since your previous review request, it looks good - but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

First, the homepage seems chaotic with scattered content. I would recommend simplifying the homepage layout by adjusting your layout grid. Instead of having the grey "Galleries (free photos available)" section sitting in the middle of the page, try making it horizontal and place it just below the navigation. The alternating colors (black, grey, black) make it look busy and un-inviting.

You could also try boxing out some of the content, instead of just separating everything with a thin white line, add a box with rounded corners - or just a plain box would do - to split up the content.

Next, you're using simple effects and that's great, but the lack of detail here makes the site look dull and boring - like something from the 90s. Even adding a simple logo would improve the quality of the design. Boxing out content like I previously mentioned would help as well.

Good luck with future revisions, you're doing a great job and I can see improvement - it's just not quite there yet.

[JimmyP]

Hello, (i am viewing in MOzilla FF , and windows xp)

First impressions, nice colors, but a bit boxy

The logo should be moved a bit over to the right because its a bit too close to the border.

I am not toally sure about the 3 column layout either. Just wondering if it would look any better with a centred layout, width about 1000px.

Also, just a suggestion, the nav links rollover color is not the same as the border color,,, maybe they could also act as tabs for the pages. - so that the rollover state is in place when on a particular page.

This page is a better width than the rest of the site in my view : http://www.africapic.com/cb.php

Anyway. Overall a very nice site. And to be honest I would not change too much if i were you. The colours suit the theme and the layout works well, everything taken into consideration

[keepitafrican]

Ok...seems to be general uncertainty about three column layout...

I'm also not getting people to click on the gallery links which are the three photos.

PLEASE! Does anyone have any ideas? I'm all out for the moment on how to get people to the three galleries! :-)Please be specific.

Alex

[navyfalcon]

Ok...seems to be general uncertainty about three column layout...

I'm also not getting people to click on the gallery links which are the three photos.

PLEASE! Does anyone have any ideas? I'm all out for the moment on how to get people to the three galleries! :-)Please be specific.

Alex

May want to add "click here"
Both GIMP (free program) and Photoshop have tutorials on how to have an image come out of the picture frame. Your site would be a perfect example of using this, ie animals comming out of the frame.
hope this helps
falcon

[keepitafrican]

Hi

Do you mean an effect similar to a shadow, using an effect layer? or are you referring to something else? Great idea...I know how to do this using layers...I hope that's what you mean.

Alex

[jiminigrist]

Pictures are great but the site takes away from them. It seem cluttered and disjointed. You should look at www.stockphoto.com and see how they do it. Clean and appealing to the eye. Being an artist I appreciate my work be showcased in a manner that compliments my work. Plus I think it sells better.

[navyfalcon]

Hi

Do you mean an effect similar to a shadow, using an effect layer? or are you referring to something else? Great idea...I know how to do this using layers...I hope that's what you mean.

Alex

The details are listed on my website
http://freetutorials.name
under computer applications > Design & Photo > Photo Editing Tutorials
"Gimp Tutorial-Popout Photo" also
Photoshop Tutorial "Make an Image Jump out of Frame" and
"Out of Frame Gallery"
I can get more examples if requested
These are detailed tutorials. By the way Gimp can do almost what Photoshop can do and its free.
Let me know if and when you apply this technique, I want to see the photos
also let me add a link to your site with a tutorial on how you did it and what image editing program you used. I have several free ones listed on my site.
hope this helps
falcon

[keepitafrican]

Thanks....we are working on the homepage...any more suggestions would be appreciated.

I want to create an atmosphere of trust and professionalism.

What do I need to do to do that?

Alex

[navyfalcon]

Viewing screensize 800 x 600 using ff in win xp
Main page - pix and text past rt boundry
Navigation - may want CSS dropdowns
Click to enter gallery - Good directions
some wasted space by gazelles
note: http://www.stockphoto.com their use of thumbnails
on the main page
hope this helps
falcon

[navyfalcon]

May want to look at:
http://www.wildlifestockphotos.com
http://www.naturepl.com/
http://www.photographersdirect.com/s...w/wildlife.asp
check their homepage layout for ideas and check their description and keywords
-
By the way, if you made a few out of the frame pictures for your main page, that would create interest
hope this helps
falcon

[navyfalcon]

First I want to add that Flash is only to be used to enhance a site
May want to look at:
http://freetutorials.name
computer applications > Design and Photo > Slide Show software
ANVSOFT Flash ...> view sample flash...> Cool flash from users
Pictures Dresden
Note: free slide show software
If used modestly it could enhance your site
hope this helps
falcon

[navyfalcon]

Just some suggestions and examples
Check "http://FreeTutorials.name"
Computer Applications > Design & Photo > WebDesign Resources
Free Stock Photos 'close to bottom' African Photos
> Egypt "their use of thumbnails" and the left side navigation
or you could use dropdowns
3 up from African Photos - Free Stock Photos (Public-Domain-Photos)
Their use of thumbnails
You have very good content (content is king)
You have a nice site - just want to give you some ideas that may help
Notice their place of advertisement, type of advertisement, navigation, keywords and description. These are only suggestions
hope this helps
falcon

[keepitafrican]

thanks.

[webbizo]

Great content but the homepage could be improved a bit (just my personal opinion). Maybe the "paid" galleries on top and the smaller pictures.
I'm quite that the most important for you is the sales you can make, but a more professional design could help.

[kairo147]

For what it is for I like it and think it works. If you incorporate more advanced functionality down the road advance the graphics side of it but for now I say good job.