your own website or hosted sites?

pete_pf · 05-20-2009, 06:32 PM

are they called hosted sites? i dunno, correct me if there's a term i'm unfamiliar with. i'm referring to zenfolio, smugmug, and the likes.

which do you use? i've been doing stuff on my own site for awhile now, which is fabulous for the freedom and custom stuff i can do, but also quite nerve wrecking (one post i made earlier about the hosting is one example of nerve wrecking). i'm seriously considering just dropping the site and working from a hosting company and show my stuff there, cause the work that goes into your own website is so time consuming. but then would potential customers or visitors think less of you without a "proper" website?

maxwell1295 · 05-20-2009, 06:39 PM

Do you want a website or a gallery?

For galleries there's Pbase, Zenfolio, Smugmug, Flickr. For hosted websites you could by a template from a place like Bludomain.com and have them host it for you or host it with someone like GoDaddy.

George Lama · 05-20-2009, 10:16 PM

If you don't want to deal with creating your own page from scratch, manage your own server configs, deal with every detail regarding your setup, then go for a service. Zenfolio, Smugmug, and Flickr offer different classes of service based on your needs so you should be able to find something to suit your needs.

attack11 · 05-20-2009, 10:38 PM

flickr powers my portfolio (via set) and blog (partial photo stream & sets). it really depends on what you want.

pete_pf · 05-23-2009, 10:50 AM

i had to switch hosts right, so now trying to restore my backups, but am running into some nasty errors and blank screens. i've backed up and restored lots of times and this time it's really getting to me lol i'm quite convinced i can't run a website haha having my stuff hosted elsewhere is becoming more of a reality as the days go by.

i figure if you have your work on flickr or zenfolio, i can only imagine more time for shooting instead of dealing with website bullshit

sevenarrow · 05-25-2009, 11:08 AM

I do a combination of both.

My own website serves as a portal or gateway to my galleries. My main website introduces potential customers to me and my photography business. It's sort of the "front door" or "front office" to my business. If they want to look at sample galleries or photos from their photo session, they click on the appropriate link that takes them to my Zenfolio galleries.

Once they are in a gallery at zenfolio they can order prints in whatever size and quantity they desire and pay by credit card.

The great thing about a hosting site like Zenfolio is that I am storing the full-resolution original images there and of course prints that customers order are created from the full-size images. This serves as a great backup of my photos.

pete_pf · 05-25-2009, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by sevenarrow

I do a combination of both.

My own website serves as a portal or gateway to my galleries. My main website introduces potential customers to me and my photography business. It's sort of the "front door" or "front office" to my business. If they want to look at sample galleries or photos from their photo session, they click on the appropriate link that takes them to my Zenfolio galleries.

Once they are in a gallery at zenfolio they can order prints in whatever size and quantity they desire and pay by credit card.

The great thing about a hosting site like Zenfolio is that I am storing the full-resolution original images there and of course prints that customers order are created from the full-size images. This serves as a great backup of my photos.

i've been looking into zenfolio and smugmug for hosting and selling, but the s&h is just soooo ridiculous. $17 for a 4x6 print??? i just can't sign up for that, too harsh of shipping charges. i may sign up to host photos on one of the sites, but would have to find another way to sell them, or hopefully they'll sign up a canadian print lab.

k100d · 05-25-2009, 02:37 PM

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-talk/57651-flickr-zenfolio-smugmug-impressions.html

although i don't really care about the selling photos bit and didn't mention it in the comparison

sevenarrow · 05-25-2009, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by impete82

i've been looking into zenfolio and smugmug for hosting and selling, but the s&h is just soooo ridiculous. $17 for a 4x6 print??? i just can't sign up for that, too harsh of shipping charges. i may sign up to host photos on one of the sites, but would have to find another way to sell them, or hopefully they'll sign up a canadian print lab.

With Zenfolio I chose Mpix as my print lab. They charge only $6.95 for S&H. That still might seem expensive for just one or two 4x6 prints but it's also ridiculous for someone to order only one or two 4x6 prints. It isn't worth the photographer's or the print lab's time, effort, and expense for such a small order. We need to make at least a little profit.

Buddha Jones · 05-26-2009, 07:40 PM

I host my own site... well I did, and I will again some day.

xjjohnno · 05-26-2009, 10:53 PM

I host my own site or should I say use a web hosting package that's pretty cheap, nothing fancy, using Jalbum with a modified template and fairly basic html pages for the main navigation. Uploading and backup I do by ftp with it all being quite painless.

05-20-2009, 06:32 PM	#1
pete_pf Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 599	your own website or hosted sites? are they called hosted sites? i dunno, correct me if there's a term i'm unfamiliar with. i'm referring to zenfolio, smugmug, and the likes. which do you use? i've been doing stuff on my own site for awhile now, which is fabulous for the freedom and custom stuff i can do, but also quite nerve wrecking (one post i made earlier about the hosting is one example of nerve wrecking). i'm seriously considering just dropping the site and working from a hosting company and show my stuff there, cause the work that goes into your own website is so time consuming. but then would potential customers or visitors think less of you without a "proper" website?

05-25-2009, 11:08 AM	#6
sevenarrow Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 61	I use combo of both I do a combination of both. My own website serves as a portal or gateway to my galleries. My main website introduces potential customers to me and my photography business. It's sort of the "front door" or "front office" to my business. If they want to look at sample galleries or photos from their photo session, they click on the appropriate link that takes them to my Zenfolio galleries. Once they are in a gallery at zenfolio they can order prints in whatever size and quantity they desire and pay by credit card. The great thing about a hosting site like Zenfolio is that I am storing the full-resolution original images there and of course prints that customers order are created from the full-size images. This serves as a great backup of my photos.

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05-20-2009, 06:39 PM	#2
maxwell1295 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Island, New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,703	Do you want a website or a gallery? For galleries there's Pbase, Zenfolio, Smugmug, Flickr. For hosted websites you could by a template from a place like Bludomain.com and have them host it for you or host it with someone like GoDaddy.

05-20-2009, 10:16 PM	#3
George Lama Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Buffalo/Rochester, NY Photos: Albums Posts: 1,133	If you don't want to deal with creating your own page from scratch, manage your own server configs, deal with every detail regarding your setup, then go for a service. Zenfolio, Smugmug, and Flickr offer different classes of service based on your needs so you should be able to find something to suit your needs.

05-20-2009, 10:38 PM	#4
attack11 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON - Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 658	flickr powers my portfolio (via set) and blog (partial photo stream & sets). it really depends on what you want.

05-23-2009, 10:50 AM	#5
pete_pf Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 599 Original Poster	i had to switch hosts right, so now trying to restore my backups, but am running into some nasty errors and blank screens. i've backed up and restored lots of times and this time it's really getting to me lol i'm quite convinced i can't run a website haha having my stuff hosted elsewhere is becoming more of a reality as the days go by. i figure if you have your work on flickr or zenfolio, i can only imagine more time for shooting instead of dealing with website bullshit

05-25-2009, 01:11 PM	#7
pete_pf Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 599 Original Poster	Originally posted by sevenarrow I do a combination of both. My own website serves as a portal or gateway to my galleries. My main website introduces potential customers to me and my photography business. It's sort of the "front door" or "front office" to my business. If they want to look at sample galleries or photos from their photo session, they click on the appropriate link that takes them to my Zenfolio galleries. Once they are in a gallery at zenfolio they can order prints in whatever size and quantity they desire and pay by credit card. The great thing about a hosting site like Zenfolio is that I am storing the full-resolution original images there and of course prints that customers order are created from the full-size images. This serves as a great backup of my photos. i've been looking into zenfolio and smugmug for hosting and selling, but the s&h is just soooo ridiculous. $17 for a 4x6 print??? i just can't sign up for that, too harsh of shipping charges. i may sign up to host photos on one of the sites, but would have to find another way to sell them, or hopefully they'll sign up a canadian print lab.

05-25-2009, 02:37 PM	#8
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-talk/57651-flickr-zenfolio-smugmug-impressions.html although i don't really care about the selling photos bit and didn't mention it in the comparison

05-25-2009, 07:31 PM	#9
sevenarrow Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 61	Originally posted by impete82 i've been looking into zenfolio and smugmug for hosting and selling, but the s&h is just soooo ridiculous. $17 for a 4x6 print??? i just can't sign up for that, too harsh of shipping charges. i may sign up to host photos on one of the sites, but would have to find another way to sell them, or hopefully they'll sign up a canadian print lab. With Zenfolio I chose Mpix as my print lab. They charge only $6.95 for S&H. That still might seem expensive for just one or two 4x6 prints but it's also ridiculous for someone to order only one or two 4x6 prints. It isn't worth the photographer's or the print lab's time, effort, and expense for such a small order. We need to make at least a little profit.

05-26-2009, 07:40 PM	#10
Buddha Jones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,587	I host my own site... well I did, and I will again some day.

05-26-2009, 10:53 PM	#11
xjjohnno Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,115	I host my own site or should I say use a web hosting package that's pretty cheap, nothing fancy, using Jalbum with a modified template and fairly basic html pages for the main navigation. Uploading and backup I do by ftp with it all being quite painless.

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