As a professional photographer, one would understand the importance of aesthetics and communicating through visuals. And, therefore, the website of a professional photographer should focus a lot on its overall UI design; as that’s what the website visitors would be expecting. 

However, being a great photographer doesn’t really make one a professional graphic designer. For a professional photographer, the points of concern are, F-point, depths of field and balancing empty space all the time. They are unlikely to be privy to things such as user experience, Call-to-Action, website navigation, SEO, etc. 

A photographer’s website is considered their primary selling tool and a summary of their brand identity. It is the design of the website that will define how potential clients see you as a brand. 

A poorly designed website will call your professionalism into question. And it will discourage potential clients from contacting you for an estimate.

And, therefore, it is important to consult professionals in the field of graphic design to ensure a great photography website design. 

In this article, we will discuss some very useful tips to create a custom design for a photography website. 

Fix up your theme

The key to a successful photography portfolio is to have a theme or themes. And to keep them tightly focused.

Now, of course, there are plenty of free website templates available online that you may use to create your own website design. However, even if you’re using a pre-definedwebsite templatetheme to save some time or money, you should still put in some effort to personalize it as much as possible.

Don’t just add your logo and some images; look for things to make your site unique, such as:

• explore different background colors
• look for new fonts to better suit your site’s tone of voice
• get more creative on your About Us page
• make your blog posts more prominent

It is important to define the one main goal/objective of your website and tailor your photography website design accordingly. Find your niche and follow that to create a custom website design.

If you are a wedding photographer, design your theme accordingly. If you are a wildlife photographer, design your theme that fits the bill. If you are a food photographer, design your website theme that creates that hunger to learn more. And so on.  

Not only will this approach help in making your website theme more efficient and effective but, also will make it unique.

 

Use only your best work

If you are one of those photographers who believe that using a plethora of your clicks would make an extra impact on the website visitors then, you are already walking on a slippery slope.  

In fact, whether it is a brick-n-mortar shop or an online gallery, in both places, you want to feature only your best work. Especially if you use your photography website as a portfolio, you want to show off your best work and only your best work. Short and sweet makes a stronger impression than drawn-out and average.

A great way to go about making things simpler for the users is by categorizing your work in sections such as, “personal collections” or “selected works”.

Social media channels are a great platform to share the rest of your work and offer your audience a more general look at your capabilities.

A great portfolio doesn’t mean continually updating your new work. It means presenting a concise collection of your images that speaks to your intended audience. It tells them about the kind of work you want to do and what they can expect from you.
 

Include a blog section

Ok, we get it! You are a photographer and visual communication is your thing. However, when we talk about the effectiveness of a photography website design, having a dedicated blog section cannot simply be neglected. That’s how important blogs are for the success of a website. 

Blogs have huge SEO benefits. For example, having a WordPress powered blog connected to your website can increase your SEO and website ranking. But, more importantly, they create a more personal connection with your audience. 

Blogging is a powerful marketing tool that can help you connect to your ideal audience. It reminds your followers that you are a working photographer. When you’re regularly publishing new articles and share glimpses into your recent photography projects, visitors will trust your website more and keep coming back for updates. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a wordsmith to run a blog section on your website. Simply focus on what you are passionate about. 

You can share behind-the-scenes anecdotes, technical tips, creative and inspirational projects, How-To guides, etc. 

 

Ensure clear navigation

One of the most important points of any website design 101, and possibly the most important of all photography website design tips on this list, is making your site easy to browse. 

If visitors feel lost even for just a second they’ll probably close the tab and never come back. To avoid this, make sure there’s always a clear way to move to another page or return to the homepage. A fixed menu that appears across your whole site is the best way to do so.

“83% of visitors leave a website because it takes too many clicks to get to what they want.”

Visitors should find it intuitive to navigate the site. You can follow some basic best practices as mentioned below:

• keep the number of menu items to a minimum (up to 5 or 6 ideally)
• the menu should be placed either on the top or on the left side
• whatever the location, the menu should be in a consistent place throughout the site
• a quick way to get back to the homepage should always be present (usually through a “Home” menu item, or by clicking on the logo)

But that’s just about the main menu bar on your website. Along with that, there are several other navigational points that you should be wary of; such as:

• A clear call-to-action (where should visitors on the page go to next?)
• Quick navigation between images (left/right arrows and keyboard controls)
• Easy browsing in and out of galleries
• Quick access to contact information
• Important areas in the site should be accessible in 2 clicks max

 

Give a strong introduction

Who are you as an artist, is important to be showcased and will be defined by your work. But, who are you as a person, is equally important for your website visitors to know. And, that is why having a strong and clear “About Us” page is important for your photography website design. 

Use your About Us page to talk a little about yourself and share some personal details. In a few paragraphs you have, try to show your human side. 

Outline your initial struggles and how you overcame all that to achieve what you have today. Explain your passion for your work and what made you choose this field. 

This is also a good place to include your previous clients or publications.

Successful photographers have learned to pay special attention to this page and have written their bio in a clear and concise way. However, it is equally important to include SEO keywords; particularly your geographical location and specializations in order to get a targeted audience. 

Don’t forget the contact page

Now, this goes without saying but, we don’t want to take any chances. So, yes! Including contact info on your site is essential to running a photography business. 

You never know where the next business opportunity may come from. This is why visitors should be able to reach out to you with minimal effort. 

Having a well-designed and well-placed contact page is, therefore, another very important part of your photography website design. 

Let’s be very honest. Hiring someone from the internet can be scary and seeing a phone number or populated social media feed can ease some fears that you’re still active or even that you exist.

Also, because your visitors will all have different preferences, you want to include as much contact information as you can to accommodate everyone. Be sure to offer your email, telephone number, and links to all your social media. 

Often customers are looking for local photographers to cover events. So, mentioning your city or town is also crucial because it tells visitors where you operate.

 

To conclude…

You may be a great photographer of your domain and may even have friends who could recommend you to a few new customers. However, this approach will take you only so far. 

In order to expand your audience outreach and make a brand name for yourself, you need to start with having a well-designed website. 

GraphicsZoo has helped several small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs by providing them with unlimited graphic design services. 

If you too are looking for professional design support for your photography website design, then simply get in touch with us at support@graphicszoo.com