Warning: Do not attempt to review if you are prone to depression

**AlexG2490** · 08-18-2007, 02:12 AM

Oh my God.

I don't design bad websites. I don't! I've been involved in 5 medium-large scale sites now, and I have not
really had a problem before. I've studied a lot about design dos and donts, and so some of the stuff I have
put together looks okay in my view.

My uncle recently started a photography business, and asked me to help him with the site. Most of the time
when I'm given a site to do, the person says, "Go. Do whatever you want. I am clueless." But this time, I have
some very concrete limits on what I can and can't do, and it's a problem. This site looks amateurish, empty,
and... ugh. I didn't think it was so bad when I was putting it together but I came back to the computer to
look and thought... man. I have a really crappy site. I don't want to START bad, so I was hoping for some
feedback and concrete suggestions for what to do with it to make it better.

We aren't live yet - thank God - so I have included a screenshot of the crapfest... erm, site... so far. The
black text is my commentary describing what the restrictions are (like, for example, the fact that he wants to
keep his logo with the rainbow gradient and a background that is blue in some way) and what I already know I
need to change. What I don't know is HOW to change it, or what to change it to.

Right at the moment, it looks like an old Geocities site, not a business. I need serious help here.

As I said in the topic title, do NOT view the image if you are prone to serious depression, because honestly,
the site is so bad that you are liable to bang your head against your desk until blood comes out. That's how
disastrous this is. Help me, Wembaster-Talk.com. You're my only hope.

The screenshot:
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...reviewsite.jpg

**ADAM Web Design** · 08-18-2007, 11:45 AM

Dude...if this guy's putting that many dumbassed restrictions on you, you're screwed.

The only thing I can suggest that might help is to try and use pastel/light background colours. It won't solve all of your problems, but at least it will mute some of them.

Maybe a picture of a rainbow if they want one so badly, too.

**KkillgasmM** · 08-18-2007, 12:28 PM

You're probably better off calling Jerry Springer, so that you and your uncle can reach some sort of negotiation! lol

**LadynRed** · 12:31 PM

I have to agree with Adam. The restrictions are not good - for you or for the site. The dark blue is just too dark. Rather than inviting and open, it makes it look dark and rather dreary. Is that truly the image they want out there on the web ?

That rainbow graphic is so 1995 and really overpowers the name of the business.. all you can SEE is that bright gradient... is that really what they would want ? I doubt it. Any way they would agree to tone it down at least or, as Adam suggested, use a photo/graphic of a real rainbow instead ?

I would really suggest you get away from the nested tables idea and go with a fluid CSS layout instead. It will give you far more flexibility and make maintenance (and redesigns) much easier. If they're going to have a gallery, a CSS-based layout offers a lot more options too.. with tools like Lightbox.

Since they want a site in the here and now, they're asking for a site design that's in the last century, something else they need to consider. That example is not at all slick and clean - or professional-looking, which is something I'd think they'd want to entice new customers. Show them sites for their competitors if there are any, and if not, show them some other photographer's sites that are impressive.

**Cheshire_cat** · 08-18-2007, 12:53 PM

Doing pastel colors and maybe not a straight gradient, like take the background of ladynreds’ avatar with a texture or lighting effect. Don’t make your header and navigation windows boxes. A new logo. Good luck with it though maybe if you ask for your uncle to trust you and show him what it might look like without so many restrictions.

**fitnfree** · 08-19-2007, 05:55 PM

Maybe some CSS button look-alikes -- those buttons truly are awful and out-dated. And like Adam and LadyinRed said -- maybe a real rainbow graphic?

And maybe a white background with a deep blue text instead? would he be open to that, do you think? Or is he stuck on the BG being blue?

Boy, I'm sorry. You've got your hands full with this one.

**iMountain.com** · 08-19-2007, 06:06 PM

Some Web2.0 look might be in order too.

If you like the dark backgrounds, a less vibrant color like charcoal would be good.

And yes, I think the rainbow needs to go, I'm sure you can work some rainbow colors in there somehow..maybe a smaller graphic?

**MrTom-UK** · 08-19-2007, 06:15 PM

Perhaps it would be good to find websites of other photographers (good websites) and show what could be done.
Point out what makes them good websites.

**Chromatic** · 08-26-2007, 03:29 AM

As you already know, this is quite terrible.

I don't have much to say. I'm usually positive but I honestly have nothing positive to say here.

I can't even come up with anything constructive to say. You'd be better off just getting rid of the blue background and using white. At least thats a start.

Good luck, you're going to need it there.