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Like Trey, I've been trying too, but mine's not as fancy-schmancy as his. Good grief, it's taken me forever to do this with static images, let alone ones that fade in and out all over the screen! (Nice job, Trey!!) Anyway, I'm looking for feedback - good ol' fashioned, brutally honest feedback on anything and everything.
The one thing that I'm not so thrilled with is the clarity of the images. Is it me, or do you think they should be sharper? I don't understand why (in my opinion) they look so pixilated. I shot the images in RAW, imported to Photoshop, saved a copy as tif, cropped, saved for web, and that's it. No manipulation, no nuthin'! Yet, they look fuzzy to me.
Thanks in advance!
www.ReneeSutton.com (http://www.ReneeSutton.com)
chrisann
2007-04-27, 11:43am
Hi Renee,
I am working on mine as well and don't have anything on except the banner LOL, so, be proud!! you have got a site with actual stuff on it LOL
Anyway I kinda see what you mean about the pictures the just don't "pop" ya know? I wish i could tell you how to fix it but I am unable to assist you with that. One thing I would suggest as your using black on your site is to use "light" background for your pictures tha might help them not blend in so much. I'm certainly nit looking forward to this as can be seen by me not having anything on there yet LOLOL.
chrisann
lavendar420
2007-04-27, 4:00pm
You can either take sharper pics, or fix them up in photoshop. Play around with the images in photoshop & see what you like. Levels can be an easy, quick fix to many blah problems.
The pictures are very sharp in photoshop; they're even sharp once configured for the web. Post them to the site, and they look awful. I guess I'll have to ask pappashop what's the deal.
I know what you mean, chrisann, with the black background. Perhaps if the lighting were better and the pieces stood out more, that would help. Or, I simply could use my gray or graduated backgrounds. The thought of retaking all these photos is nightmarish, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
Thanks for the input!
Litsayn
2007-04-27, 8:10pm
Here are my thoughts on your site...
Images: Need to fill the frame more. When using them as basic images not for the gallery go more abstract rather than showing the whole necklace go for an interesting shape.
I kidnapped your banner to give you a small idea of what I am talking about. Hope you don't mind....
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2096/demojd8.png (http://imageshack.us)
I would move your links on the product page up. I don't think you need to explain how the user gets to more detail pages. Since you have the words changing color when you mouse over that should be enough.
Hope that helps
Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you, that's just the type of suggestions I need to hear! A million thanks - I like your suggestions!!!!! I know what you mean about the redundant language on the page. It's pretty stupid. What's even worse is that I can't get rid of it, at least no way that I've been able to figure out! I've got to send them another request...
Litsayn
2007-04-28, 4:53am
I am glad it helped.
BarbaraB
2007-04-28, 5:04pm
Renee,
My first impression is that it is hard to read that type against black. I have used a lot of black or near black backgrounds too and I have the same comment for myself.
You are welcome to look at mine and critic my lampwork pages. I have a problem staying consistant and I am working on that with my new version.
I have just used .jpegs almost all throughout.
Barbara
Blix Designs
2007-04-28, 8:15pm
Hi Renee,
If your photos are clear and crisp in photoshop, but not as clear when you post on your website, it's probably because pappashop has programmed your images for a particuliar size. I had the same problem (a long time ago!) with my photos and pappashop corrected.
Wendyki
2007-04-28, 9:13pm
hi I think the pics that showed up best for me were the larger ones on a white background the others i found myself skimming over to get to the bigger lighter pics. I think your work is fabulous btw :)
so i would use lighter backgrounds and biggre pics
try resizing in photoshop rather than letting the program make them for the web, i find they are clearer this way.
ro
Thanks for all your comments. I've had a couple comments about the black background, so I'll be changing it. Maybe to gray, or something. I don't want white though. I think it's too harsh. I'm also not in love with the photos with the black background, either.
This problem with the images is becoming quite vexing, indeed! All the resizing is done in Photoshop, and I've also tried using jpg instead of gif's, but there's no discernable difference. In fact, I think the jpg's actually look worse.
I did discover an oddity, however. When I upload the images to Pappashop, the size (dimension) is increased by 25%! Needless to say, when you're dealing with an image with 72dpi and the size is increased, it degrades its quality. I've exchanged emails with Alex at Pappashop, and it was through that that I discovered this. I've not heard back from him since I pointed this out, so I hope he's working on a fix.
There's also some text on the Catalogue page that I didn't put there, I don't like, and can't remove; so, I'm waiting to hear about how to get rid of that, too.
Thanks, Wendy! I'm glad you like my work. It's scary putting your work out there for all the world to see.
Cabaribeads
2007-04-30, 12:17pm
Another option instead of changing the background to white is to change the type to white.
I think the black background makes photos pop more.
BarbaraB
2007-04-30, 12:56pm
I just checked you site and the copy is much easier to read. That is a great improvement.
I keep changing the background color! :roll:
If anyone else looks at my site, would you do me a huge favor, please? Would you check out this link: http://www.reneesutton.com/go/view.php?image=images/BraceletPolkaDots500.jpg and let me know if the image is sharp and clear, or not? On my computer, the image doesn't look good. The edges of the polka dots aren't nice and crisp. That same image, when viewed on my computer in Photoshop, looks fine, however. The easiest bead in the image that shows this is the blue and white one in the lower left corner.
All of the images on the site seem to have that same issue, to varying degrees, at least when I view them. Please help my sanity and let me know if that image really does look bad, or if I'm losing my mind! Thanks!!
sharp and clear to me, all the pics i opened were. some pics, necklaces esp. seem dark to me.
ro
Thanks, Ro! I appreciate your taking the time to look. I agree with you on the dark images. I'm going to be retaking them this week.
Thanks, again!!
Cabaribeads
2007-05-01, 12:58pm
The image is sharp and clear for me ,too. I understand changing the background color. I changed mine about 5 times and ended up with black. I looked at alot of other sites and I felt the black background made the colors pop more than others. My next fav was white. Oh, yes just looked at the redo and I really like it . Sophisticated and the pics show up great.
Patricia
I keep changing the background color! :roll:
If anyone else looks at my site, would you do me a huge favor, please? Would you check out this link: http://www.reneesutton.com/go/view.php?image=images/BraceletPolkaDots500.jpg and let me know if the image is sharp and clear, or not? On my computer, the image doesn't look good. The edges of the polka dots aren't nice and crisp. That same image, when viewed on my computer in Photoshop, looks fine, however. The easiest bead in the image that shows this is the blue and white one in the lower left corner.
All of the images on the site seem to have that same issue, to varying degrees, at least when I view them. Please help my sanity and let me know if that image really does look bad, or if I'm losing my mind! Thanks!!
Thanks, Patricia! I like the dark background, too. I got the idea from pipyr, who has a graduated background that I really, really like. What she told me made all the sense in the world - with a dark background, product images do not compete with anything else. The only color on the page is from the products. Yup, made sense to me!
BarbaraB
2007-05-01, 8:08pm
Renee, This is very elegant. This is my always my favorite look.
Thank you, Barbara. I appreciate your comments, and everyone elses, as well as all the suggestions! I'm coming to realize that this will be an ongoing process for a while yet!
sislonski
2007-05-03, 9:40am
Hi Renee,
I have a few suggestions if you don't mind.
The banner looks fine in my opinion. The only thing that you could maybe improve upon in the banner is maybe the quality of the photos, other than that it's good.
Below the banner I'll start with the bar along the left side. It should either be a lot lighter shade of black or have a light bar between it and your main page as you do with the banner. It's too much the same color as the rest of the page, so as a result it throws the text out of balance on the overall page, makes it look out of place.
As for the main center page text...I don't think you need the links up at the top and on the side in the cataloque as well. It makes the viewer think they have too many things to click on. Or which ones do I click on the ones at the top or the ones on the side? I think having them in one place is enough. Look at my website for example all the products are listed on the left side under Products but in a smaller and lighter font color.
Then for your main title....I would make it the same font as the font in your banner, but leave it the size that it's at. Then the text that is just below it, I would leave the same font but "Italic" it and possibly make it slightly smaller but I think just making it Italic will be fine.
The photo in the center I would enlarge a bit to give it more substance.
Then the text below the photo I would center it. Having everything else on the page centered and then that small text left justified looks out of place. Center it and where you start "Every Item is unique" start that on it's own line so that you don't have that lingering text or few words on a seperate line if you know what I mean?
Other than that I think the black is fine and I find it easy enough to read the grey text against the black.
As for your photos, I think that they are a bit dark, however that can be easily solved when you have your photo in photoshop by using clicking on "Image", then "Adjustments" then "Brightness/Contrast".
For example I've taken this one image that you had in the gallery and brightened it up for you. It makes all the difference in the world. A bead that you couldn't really see before is now an amazing looking bead.
Shari, thanks for taking the time to look at my site. I do appreciate any and all comments & suggestions. There is one aspect that is quite frustrating when it comes to using/modifying a premade template, namely limited control. I agree that the top line in the body would probably look better in the same font as the banner. The only way I can achieve that is to create an image in Photoshop and import it, which I'll probably do. Unfortunately, I can't change it in the admin section of my site because there are only a handful of fonts available, and the one in the banner isn't one of them. I'm also rather limited with font size.
The image in the center probably would look better enlarged. I'll play with that, too. Ultimately, what I want for that space is a slideshow, but I have to learn how to do that first.
The image quality, in general, is my largest source of frustration. I've been corresponding with my webhost about this problem, but a fix doesn't seem to be in the works. For whatever reason, when I import the images into the site, they are enlarged by 25%. That wouldn't be such an issue were it not for the 72dpi resolution. The results of increasing an image that much with such a low resolution are less than pleasant. I'm not pleased with the current image quality, to say the least, particularly when compared to the original. I've got to figure out how to correct this, because I can't have such horrible pictures!
Some of the images that appear dark is from my poor decision to shoot a dark bead on a dark background. I'm going to reshoot some of them. The blue silver-core bead is a rather dark bead to start with. Your enhancement certainly does show the detail much better. It's much lighter than the actual color of the bead, though I do see your point.
The links on the left? Well, they, too, are a source of some frustration that I'm working on!
Thanks, Shari, for taking the time to look and write all your comments!! It's greatly appreciated.
Cabaribeads
2007-05-04, 10:37am
Renee,
I had the same frustration with limited fonts available in my premade template. I found I was able to upload fonts to my website program after saving it to my harddrive. Just a thought. I found one I loved so I did it. Let me know if you want me to look back to see how I did it. It was a long time ago. As far as image quality I have had a great experience with Irfanview which is a free program that I discovered through my brother. It is SO easy and you can crop, improve quality, upsize, down size,sharpen, play with color. You can look at it and just do it cos it's so easy. If you like it's site is irfanview.com
It's looking good, though. Smiles
Patricia
sislonski
2007-05-04, 1:11pm
Dont' get too frustrated Renee, It's still a wonderful site, you've done a great job with it.
They are only little improvements that can be made over time as you learn more, they're not going to be a deal maker or breaker. They're only minor adjustments that can be made.
Regardless it's still a very beautiful site!
Shari, thanks. It is frustrating, though. Some days, today being one of them, I just have to put it aside. Ya know?! But you know what they say - it's the little things that mean a lot!
Patricia, thanks for the info on irfanview.com. I really appreciate it. I'll check it out. I just don't understand why the darned things are enlarged 25% when I put them on my site. This is another one of those things that is on the back burner for today.
I think I'll go make some beads, and leave the web stuff for tomorrow! Thank you so much for everything!!
Cabaribeads
2007-05-04, 7:31pm
Renee,
I just looked at the beads on your site and they are beautiful! I love the black and gold vessel. It stands up on feet made out of dots! I like what you've done on hte southwestern bead with the reactive streaks doen the middle. You r site is looking good. I still go back and tweak mine and it's been finished over a year now. You'll get it where you wan it. I still need to learn how to do thumbnails. I have been too lazy to try yet. I have spent so many hours to get it where it is. LOL. It's on the list. :D
Patricia
Aw, thanks, Patricia! If you need help with thumbnails, I'd be happy to help you out. Just let me know. Okay?
How did you get rid of that annoying search/catalog function on each page?
I also have a pappashop website and find it so distracting to have that show up on every page.
Thanks
jjglass
2007-05-08, 7:45pm
Be careful with funky fonts, not everyone will have the same font or want to download it. Generally you are safe with Arial or Verdana, Verdana being the better of the two as it will be the same across browsers and operating systems. Brightening up the photos will help but also the file format makes a big difference. GIF images will reduce the size of the image as well as the number of colors. You may want to give your customers two views. A quick view where it is a GIF and then a detailed view where you can use a JPG or PNG. These will be larger files but the quality of the image will be better.
Hope this helps!
Starrr, are you talking about the search that has the drop down with the item numbers? If so, you have to go into your template, and delete that line. I'm sorry to say I don't remember exactly what it was called, but it seems to me that it was fairly easy to find. If you're not sure if you've got the right line, change the color of the text first, and see if that's it. PM me if you need some help doing that. I'll be glad to help further! Also, if you get rid of it on your template, it's gone from all the pages. The only search I have is located on the Catalog page. I'm not exactly thrilled with that page's layout, but there's only so much I can change and then there's a charge for other stuff to be changed.
JJ, except for the banner, which is an image, all of the fonts should be arial. Did you find some that were problematic? Were the images slow to load for you? Are you on dial-up? I originally had all the images as gif's but was having a real issue with clarity. The ones that are jpeg's, though, aren't any larger (file size) than the gif's.
I am very appreciative of your comments! Please do let me know if you had any particular difficulties. Also, are you on a Mac or PC? I'm just curious to help me get this set up as best I can for all concerned.
Thanks to you both!!
jjglass
2007-05-09, 2:13pm
No problem with fonts, I just saw someone else mentioned using a custom font and wanted to throw the red flag up before you had issues. In an image is not an issue, as a font in the HTML is a PIA for your customer.
I'm on a pretty fast cable connection so I didn't have any issues with your site.
If your images are in JPG and about the same size as the GIFs, that's great! Use JPG for sure then as you will get a crisper more vibrant picture. Try brightening them up through Photoshop as was previously mentioned and play with the contrast as well to make them pop.
Good luck!
Thanks, JJ! You're right in that some of the pictures do need brightening, and it's on my list of things to do asap. I also want to exchange some gif's for jpg's because the image quality of some of the pic's is pretty poor. Thanks bunches for your input!! I really appreciate any and all advice, suggestions, and critiques!!
Starrr, are you talking about the search that has the drop down with the item numbers? If so, you have to go into your template, and delete that line. I'm sorry to say I don't remember exactly what it was called, but it seems to me that it was fairly easy to find. If you're not sure if you've got the right line, change the color of the text first, and see if that's it. PM me if you need some help doing that. I'll be glad to help further! Also, if you get rid of it on your template, it's gone from all the pages. The only search I have is located on the Catalog page. I'm not exactly thrilled with that page's layout, but there's only so much I can change and then there's a charge for other stuff to be changed.
JJ, except for the banner, which is an image, all of the fonts should be arial. Did you find some that were problematic? Were the images slow to load for you? Are you on dial-up? I originally had all the images as gif's but was having a real issue with clarity. The ones that are jpeg's, though, aren't any larger (file size) than the gif's.
I am very appreciative of your comments! Please do let me know if you had any particular difficulties. Also, are you on a Mac or PC? I'm just curious to help me get this set up as best I can for all concerned.
Thanks to you both!!
Renee, Thank You! for taking the time to answer my question and sorry it took so long to reply, I'll probably just delete the catalog search from my template. It's been about a year an a half since I had Pappashop do my website and let it go because I just, well, hate doing it. I checked the other day and found out that I am now LIVE, didn't know I was, so I have a blank website, with a very cool template,( My friend is a professional graphic designer and did my logo and home page ).
Edie
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