It doesn't matter if photography is your profession or your hobby: almost all photographers would like as many people as possible to see their photos. And what better than a photography website to be able to reach the maximum number of people with little effort , also focusing attention on the images..
Today there are a number of affordable and simple ways to design a professional-looking photographer website and make it visible on the Internet. For this, you do not need special web design skills. In this article, we present everything you need to know to create a professional photography website quickly and inexpensively , regardless of whether you are a professional photographer or in your spare time.
IONOS supports restaurant owners, retailers and SMEs to make the leap to digitization or find the solution that best suits their business. Expand your reach to maintain and strengthen your online business..
For professional photographers, publicizing their work is essential. However, a website created specifically for this not only serves as a business card , but also as a corporate brochure and sales platform . With a photography website you can achieve the following:
For those who practice photography as a hobby, these points also interest them. Above all, if they intend to obtain an economic benefit with their images, since it must be taken into account that the Internet is today the main source of information to search for products or services. Those who give up creating a photographer website are also giving up potential jobs.
Photographers with a digital photo archive often use the cloud to store and back up their images. In our analysis on different cloud storage services you can learn more about the available cloud solutions..
The coronavirus crisis is taking its toll on the photography industry. In particular, for the self-employed, these moments are being very difficult, as they may even see the exercise of their profession threatened. It is true that many of the jobs on the horizon or already scheduled have had to be canceled . A large number of family events or celebrations, such as weddings and birthdays, have not been held or are taking place in a very small circle that does not include professional photographers. They are probably the few who can cope with financial losses . Without savings or a second job, this health crisis can turn for many photo professionals into a crisis of survival.
The government has applied a series of measures in Spain to support the self-employed in the coronavirus crisis. They are detailed on the page of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and digital transformation.
At IONOS, we also want to stand by photographers as strong allies during the pandemic. Access the multifaceted offer of support on the following information page.
This is how professionals from other sectors do it:
If you have decided to create a photography website, it is time to think about how you want to do it. You have several options, each with its advantages and disadvantages:
Programming and designing a website for photographers requires extensive knowledge in the field. One of the advantages you get when programming your own website without external help is that you can do it at a good price with a design that fully meets your expectations. The big disadvantage : very few people have the necessary knowledge for programming and web design. Acquiring them requires a great deal of time, and the first few attempts do not result in a professional-looking result.
A relatively safe way to get a good website is to hire a design agency for its programming and design. However, this is also possibly the most expensive way to do it. Also, it is important to note that hiring an agency for this task does not mean that you do not have to take care of some tasks. In fact, it is ideal that before contacting her you know as precisely as possible the content you want to add to your website and the structure you want to give it . After all, agencies are limited to developing the ideas that you have specified about the design of the page and its content. It is very common for the client and the agency to work together to develop a concept for the website before starting the development work. The more general this concept and the fewer concretions present in the beginning, the more time it takes, and, consequently, the higher the price.
Using the web design service of a reputable Internet provider can be a cost-effective alternative to an agency . A website for photographers is usually created in a personalized way based on design templates: from the beginning, you decide how you want your website to be and what elements it should contain. A quality web design service integrates, in addition to professional website and text design, a large selection of attractive design templates and personal advice , especially with regard to maintenance and further development of the website. In addition, it must be presented in a clear tariff structure specifying what services are included in each of the packages.
The MyWebsite Design Service also offers photographers comprehensive support in designing a professional online presence .
Content management systems or CMS, such as WordPress, are a well-known means of designing and publishing competent web pages at a reasonable price. To use them, it is not necessary to have programming knowledge, although in larger projects knowing HTML or CSS can be very useful. WordPress, for example, offers a large number of different design templates (themes), which can serve as the basis for designing a website. Many of these themes are available for free, at least in their basic version, and most commercial themes are priced well below 100 euros.
In the article Create web pages with WordPress you get more information about this CMS. In addition, to know the advantages and disadvantages of different content management systems, access the following CMS comparison.
In order to have a professional page that has its own domain, you must install and host the content management system you have chosen, an activity that can be complicated if you do not have much experience. That is why certain Internet providers offer the most popular solutions, TYPO3, Joomla or WordPress, already pre-installed , which will save you time and work.
IONOS WordPress Hosting offers a completely pre-installed platform. Thanks to this, you can quickly and easily start with the design of your website with WordPress.
Today, web builders are the easiest way to design and publish professional-looking web pages at a good price. The biggest advantage for those who do not have much experience in creating web is that the Internet address, storage space and software come from the same provider. When using modular systems to create web pages, a layout template is typically chosen, which is then customized as desired and completed with your own content. These website builders are characterized above all by the following characteristics:
There is a range of high-quality modular systems that are used by even medium-sized companies, due to their diversity of functions. For photographers especially, modular web builders are an inexpensive way to design and publish custom web pages quickly and easily . Having high quality photos can contribute significantly to giving a special touch to your website.
MyWebsite Now website builder offers a large number of design templates for virtually any type of website. With the integrable eCommerce and social media purchase button you can turn your website into an online store.
In principle, the elements that make up the websites of photographers are very similar to those of the websites of other small and medium-sized companies. However, it has a clear difference: here, images are given a special status. Users who visit these pages tend to give more importance to aesthetics than, for example, those who seek an online tax advisory service.
The website of a photographer must have at least the following elements, which of course can be expanded little by little:
The page start is the most important site because the first impression often be decisive. A good home page should summarize the content of the web clearly and allow the visitor to know at a glance what it is about. Many times, including quality images conveys a clearer message than using (too much) text. Furthermore, from this page, users must be able to locate the content they are looking for as quickly as possible. A well structured design is reflected in its navigation menu. Of course, simplicity must prevail: the home pages should include the basic information without confusing elements, accompanied by some quality photos; if they are "overloaded", they can overwhelm the visitor.
In this section, the photographer offers an overview of the services he offers and his specialties . For example, travel, wedding, food photography, etc. Here, potential clients should be clear at a glance about the services offered by the photographer . Some photographers also include prices; indicating, for example, the prices of packages for weddings.
Both photos and reference projects are essential on a photographer's website. With this, potential clients can get a clear idea of the photographer's style and skills. Ultimately, using quality photos as a reference is the most important selling point for a photographer. Image galleries are often used to present photos.
Those who publish images of people on their website must have their consent (at least in the case of individuals). This applies to both professional and amateur photographers. Inform yourself properly about image rights before posting photos of people in your project.
The section? About me? or? About us? provides information about the photographer or photographers whose photos appear on the website. Many clients are not only interested in the quality of the photos, but they also want to know who they are dealing with; for example, when they want to hire a photographer for their wedding. Many photographers display information about their education and experience, their? Philosophy? or your personal vision of photography.
The contact section , on a photographer's website, is the fundamental part so that clients can make their inquiries. You should make it as easy as possible for potential customers to contact you. Especially in the local sector, it is recommended to include a visible contact number on the home page. The more people contact you, the greater the number of orders.
In the legal notice and privacy policy sections , you must provide the information required by law. Providers often offer advice to create both the legal notice and the corresponding privacy policy
In general, for amateur photographers the same elements are also used on web pages. However, in many cases it is enough to create a home page with an attractive design and some subpages with photos, for example in the form of image galleries. To be safe from a legal point of view, amateur photography websites should also include a legal notice and a privacy policy, especially if it can be associated in the broadest sense with commercial activities.
A photographer's website is an essential vehicle for success in a highly competitive industry. After having presented the most important components of this type of web page and the solutions available to create them, in the following paragraphs we explain the steps to follow to be successful with your project .
Basically, every web page needs a domain (Internet address) so that users can access its content through the Internet. The choice must be considered carefully: a well-chosen domain may receive a greater number of visits, as search engines will find it more easily.
Pay attention to the following factors when choosing your domain:
In short, to choose the correct Internet address for a photographer's website, you will have to weigh the points mentioned, having to reach a balance between all of them.
Find out for free with the IONOS Domain Checker whether the domain you want is available. If so, you can easily proceed to purchase and register it with IONOS.
Regardless of the solution you choose to create your website, it is not so easy to find a design that fits you and at the same time is attractive to potential clients. Also, you always have to keep in mind that the web is intuitive. Concepts such as user-centered design, which put the visitor experience in the foreground, have proven their worth in recent years.
Although design agencies and services have expert knowledge when it comes to web design , don't lose touch with external partners during the planning phase. In this way, you will ensure that the final product does not stray from your initial idea. If you've opted for a website builder or a CMS, you don't need to start designing from scratch. You will have ready-made templates, mostly responsive . All you have to do is choose the template you want as the basic structure of your photographer website and customize it as you plan.
As a user of IONOS MyWebsite, you can choose from a large selection of industry-specific design templates. Among others, you will also find suitable templates to create your own photographer website.
Programming and implementing an attractive design is crucial in the development of web pages for photographers. However, the heart of a photographer's website is content. In the section on the elements that must be present on a photographer's website, the type of content that should not be missing under any circumstances has already been presented. Unlike the web pages of other professional sectors, you already have the photographic material. Although, do not forget that this is also the case with your most direct competition. Therefore, carefully choose the photos that you will publish as references and use interesting and captivating texts where you show your artistic eye.
Once your web project is online, it is very likely that, along with Facebook or Instagram, the main source through which you will receive visits is Google . Therefore, it is important that your website has been designed with search engines in mind. In short, the goal of a search engine is to provide the best results for queries made by users (or for certain search terms). You should create your photography website in such a way that search engines can register and rank it as easily as possible. This way you increase the chances of being found more quickly on Google and others. However, it is important that you take into account the following criteria:
The optimization of search engines has become a field of highly professional work. The tips mentioned are just a few basic points that you should keep in mind when designing your website. If you use WordPress, you will have special plugins for SEO. With website builders it is even easier, as they are technically optimized for search engines. Many ISPs offer comprehensive tools to analyze how your website performs in search engines so that you can optimize it accordingly. You can find more information in the article Improve your online presence in our guide.
The IONOS rankingCoach analyzes your website and helps you make it more attractive to search engines, which will have a positive impact on the number of visits.