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Author Topic: Updated Site: Feedback  (Read 11559 times)

mitchdob

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« on: February 16, 2007, 01:25:01 pm »

Based on a previous post and some great input from people on this forum, my website has been updated to make viewing the images a bit more fluid. Not sure if it’s pushed far enough yet, so would like to get any feedback you feel appropriate.

I’ve also updated the site with some new images shot this past month (“Recent” link).

The site is: www.mitchdobrowner.com

Thanks for the help again.
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mitchdob

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« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2007, 04:09:23 am »

Wanted to make it easier to link direct off the post.......

The url is: http://www.mitchdobrowner.com
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jorgedelfino

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« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2007, 08:36:13 am »

Great Pictures! I don't know if is the speed of my connection, (300 Kbs), or your viewer, but I found it slow and confusing to use, Page layout and pictures are just stunning!
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mpdillon

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« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2007, 04:51:38 pm »

I'd like to echo the image and speed comments. I think these are beautiful B&W images. With regard to speed, the first gallery I on which I clicked took appox 20 seconds to load. After the first everything else was very quick. Cacheing maybe? Anyway, I do not believe it is my connection as it is fiber and consitently measure 15MB download.
pat
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David Anderson

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« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2007, 08:52:30 pm »

Nice shots..


I think it would be easier to follow if the image switched when you change galleries, for example when I went from land to water the last land shot I viewed stayed up, if you went to the first of the new gallery it might flow better..
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mitchdob

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« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2007, 12:12:11 am »

Thanks for the feedback, its really helpful.

The first time you access the site, you're right, it's caching. That delay won't happen the next time(s) you access the site - but I understand.... you don't have a second chance to make a first impression.

I just re-compressed the image files by another 50% to attempt to reduce that initial load/cache time. Let me know if that helped any. It seemed to cut the initial time it took me to cache (the first time you access the site) to approx :07 sec on my wireless laptop over cable modem.

Next I look how to resolve how images from the old link come on when you click on a new link.  Again, thank you for the feedback. It's what I need in order to help tune the site. - Mitch
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Chris_T

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« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2007, 11:44:10 am »

I missed the earlier version of your site, but agree with some of the comments, such as:

- You met your objective of having a very simple site focusing on images.

- I dislike flush (slow speed), and may like your site better without it.

My comments on your current version, and pardon me if some were already stated the first time around:

- I like the very legible text and wide line spacing. (probably corrected from the earlier version?}.

- I have mixed feelings about the small thumbnails. I know how many images are in each gallery, and can easily navigate to the Next/Previous image. But I can't see ALL the thumbnails at the same time and view only a particular one. Once I start viewing the images sequentially, I can't selectively jump back/forward to a particular one. Many web galleries are designed this way, and it is one problem I'm trying to resolve for my own site. I dislike being "forced" to sequentially view each and every image in this kind of design. If I were in a brick and mortar gallery and "forced" to do the same, I won't stay long or return. I feel the same about web galleries.

- The enlargement's background area seems to be a fixed size and have a slightly different shade of gray than the overall background. Some enlargements would leave tell tale edges around them.

- I like the simple text in the Info pages. However, I think they can be even better. Once I get there, I lost the gallery navigation buttons. The Info pages may work better by combining them all into one, and making Methodology, Awards, etc. into links. The quote occupying an entire page and causing an extra click is annoying.

- I like the fluid design that scales the pages according to window sizes. But does it come at the cost of speed, or something else?

- The image caption is taking up way too much room, with lots of empty space under them. Actually, I think  that there are too much wasted horizontal space in the layout in general.

- The home page has no text at all. Adding some may bait search engines. Or, perhaps the Info quote can be here instead. The image has no caption.

Comments on your images:

- Like everyone else, I like them. The tonal range and contrast show very nicely, but they can be sharper.

For those who are interested in site critiques, here's a recent, lengthy and opinionated thread:

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=13890

For the web designers, we need to see some web gallery designs that you consider to be great.
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OnyimBob

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« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2007, 04:55:55 pm »

Love the photos, but the thumbnails are virtually unusable. When I hover the mouse cursor over them they just take off out of control, often stopping halfway between frames. This may just be my computer, but that shouldn't happen with good web design surely?
I much prefer a simpler thumbnail system that allow me to really concentrate on your stunning photos.
Bob.
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Bob Munro.
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DarkPenguin

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« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2007, 05:43:13 pm »

Love the photos.  But the thumbnails scroll like they're on a tilt a whirl.  I do like the look of the site.  But I spent more time trying to figure out what was happening with the thumbs than anything else there.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2007, 05:43:27 pm by DarkPenguin »
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larkvi

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« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2007, 11:01:56 pm »

Mitch,

As always, I love your photos, but find the jumpy little thumbnail navigator night unusable. Perhaps the arrows could forward the thumbnail, and only select the larger photo when it is clicked on? I find that I have an easier time trying to look at the thumbnails that way, but as soon as I go to click on the image, it spins around to other images much too fast.

Loading speed seemed a bit better this time than the first, but I experienced some odd problem in Safari (not in Firefox) where the code to animate the thumbnails took much longer to load than the rest of the sites--I had paged halfway through the recent gallery before it engaged, and took me back to the beginning.
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LoisWakeman

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« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2007, 06:42:55 am »

Hi Mitch,

I also find the skeetering thumbnails pretty annoying and fiddly to use! Anyone who has slight motor problems would find the full sized images almost completely inaccessible: aging baby boomers amongst them.

(Especially as I couldn't find a way to use the keyboard to navigate inside the site at all. Not good! Sounds like your web designers need to read this page:

http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/   )
« Last Edit: February 19, 2007, 06:43:26 am by LoisWakeman »
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Chris_T

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« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2007, 09:25:09 am »

I only clicked the thumbnail's Back/Forward buttons and therefore did not notice these problems.

Typically, a group of thumbnails are displayed so that a viewer gets a preview of a gallery's contents (and can select a random one to enlarge). This thumbnail of a single image does not serve these purposes, and I don't see it serving any other purposes. Why not just get rid of the thumbnail completely, and move the image count and Back/Forward buttons to the enlargement side? Hope this suggestion can offer more than just criticisms.

Also hope that your web designer is not charging you with each revision. Hint: measure twice, cut once.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2007, 09:28:58 am by Chris_T »
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mitchdob

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« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2007, 12:43:03 pm »

I appreciate this feedback!! Also glad you all have a sense of humor (right?). I knew the thumbnail/filmstrip weren’t working great but was hoping we shirted the issue by people going the arrows to go forward>backwards (like Chris T did the first time)… but ya right – it either needs to be more controllable, so it may have to change. I just liked the concept. Trying to first see if it can be adjusted to work, but if not… will need to implement something along the lines that larkvi suggested.

I’ll post again once a change has been made (probably within the next day). Then back to the fade in/fade out issue (when you click on a new link).  I also wanted to thank everyone who posted so far, as the feedback has been great in helping focus in on the issues with the site.   - Mitch
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mitchdob

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« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2007, 03:56:38 pm »

The thumbnail viewer has now been updated/reimplemented to address the issue of the "out of control" filmstrip. At the same time the issue of image load/cache speed and the fade in/fade out issue when you click on a new link (per previous postings) have also been addressed.

In Firefox and Safari it's all there. In IE there is a small visual item that needs to get addressed, on the main page the first time you access the site. Its the left/right arrows that hover above the main links. But that doesn't interfere with navigation as it disappears as soon as you click on a link. That's to address next.

Let me know what you think now. And thank you for the feedback (ahead of time).   - Mitch
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jule

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« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2007, 05:13:01 pm »

Quote
The thumbnail viewer has now been updated/reimplemented to address the issue of the "out of control" filmstrip. At the same time the issue of image load/cache speed and the fade in/fade out issue when you click on a new link (per previous postings) have also been addressed.

In Firefox and Safari it's all there. In IE there is a small visual item that needs to get addressed, on the main page the first time you access the site. Its the left/right arrows that hover above the main links. But that doesn't interfere with navigation as it disappears as soon as you click on a link. That's to address next.

Let me know what you think now. And thank you for the feedback (ahead of time).   - Mitch
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=101979\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
When you click on a new portfolio eg Land, the last image of the previous portfolio displays again momentarily before the first image of the new portfolio.

Julie
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mitchdob

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« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2007, 05:24:53 pm »

hummm... not seeing that on any browsers or systems I've tested with (Firefox, IE, Safari, XP,2000, OSX). What browser are you using, and can you cleared your cache before loading the ste? Thanks for the trouble.  - Mitch
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larkvi

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« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2007, 02:38:55 am »

Quote
When you click on a new portfolio eg Land, the last image of the previous portfolio displays again momentarily before the first image of the new portfolio.

Julie
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=101996\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I had the same issue in Safari. I duplicated the problem twice.
Also, the first time I clicked on a filmstrip image, the filmstrip reset itself to the first image.
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-Sean [ we

mitchdob

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« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2007, 12:08:41 pm »

Yea, seeing some bugs... especially in IE. But for the most part it looks like Firefox and Safari are working well. Looking at getting the IE bugs fixed, but it will have to wait until next week. Will ping the forum again once they're addressed.

Most of all, I'm looking forward to getting back to my first love of shooting pictures again (had enough of websites, browsers, navigation and bugs).  

- Mitch
http://www.mitchdobrowner.com
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jule

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« Reply #18 on: February 24, 2007, 03:16:01 am »

Quote
Yea, seeing some bugs... especially in IE. But for the most part it looks like Firefox and Safari are working well. Looking at getting the IE bugs fixed, but it will have to wait until next week. Will ping the forum again once they're addressed.

Most of all, I'm looking forward to getting back to my first love of shooting pictures again (had enough of websites, browsers, navigation and bugs). 

- Mitch
http://www.mitchdobrowner.com
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=102624\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Sorry Mitch, I am using Firefox and I am still having the same problems - as Larkvi has as well.

Julie
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Danijela D. Karic

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« Reply #19 on: February 27, 2007, 09:32:14 am »

Quote
Based on a previous post and some great input from people on this forum, my website has been updated to make viewing the images a bit more fluid. Not sure if it’s pushed far enough yet, so would like to get any feedback you feel appropriate.

I’ve also updated the site with some new images shot this past month (“Recent” link).

The site is: www.mitchdobrowner.com

Thanks for the help again.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=101244\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[span style=\'font-size:12pt;line-height:100%\']Very nice images!!![/span]. With regards to the web design, I admit it is simple and straight forward but I think it could be better if the title of the image was elsewhere Right/Below, etc. and the image itself just a bit more centered.

Regards
Danijela
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