wedding photography website for critique

[janisr]

Hello - I will be glad to hear any comments or critiques of my new website - dedicated to wedding photography.
www.janisratnieks.com

thank's

[AndyS]

Hi,

I'm not normally a fan of flash-based sites, but this I actually quite like

It's simple, loads quick (at least on my machine) and is easy to navigate. Personally I would be inclined to leave the music off by default and let the user choose to turn it on. Automatic music often seems to irritate people on websites, particularly if they're already listening to something of their own - although the music you have chosen provides a nice atmosphere.

My only other criticism would be that the gallery doesn't re-size for a display of 1024x768 (on firefox, haven't tried on IE). Most people are probably on 1280x1024 now, but some laptop users may not be, and it could lose you some interest.

Some lovely pics too!


Cheers,

[LoisWakeman]

Janis - really lovely pictures, but I don't like the music and find it obtrusive and distracting (as in 99.9% of noisy sites - I'd rather choose my own soundtrack thanks!).

As the mute button was hidden off the screen, I had to scrabble to turn it off. I have several toolbars and tabs in Firefox, so only about 2/3rds of the page was visible on my 1280x800 laptop screen. I don't know if I'm typical of the sort of customer you want to entice. But if I am, you need an elastic design.

While the cryptic bio and wide open spaces on the 'about me' page may project the image you want, it might look rather frivolous to someone who actually wants to know about you as someone they are thinking of employing for lots of money? (And you mis-spelt your own name - whoops.) Establishing trust is the hardest thing to do over the web.

[janisr]

Janis - really lovely pictures, but I don't like the music and find it obtrusive and distracting (as in 99.9% of noisy sites - I'd rather choose my own soundtrack thanks!).

As the mute button was hidden off the screen, I had to scrabble to turn it off. I have several toolbars and tabs in Firefox, so only about 2/3rds of the page was visible on my 1280x800 laptop screen. I don't know if I'm typical of the sort of customer you want to entice. But if I am, you need an elastic design.

While the cryptic bio and wide open spaces on the 'about me' page may project the image you want, it might look rather frivolous to someone who actually wants to know about you as someone they are thinking of employing for lots of money? (And you mis-spelt your own name - whoops.) Establishing trust is the hardest thing to do over the web.
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fair enough, thanks

[sergio]

I like the street photography approach in many of the pictures. Wedding photography doesn't have to be boring.

[The View]

Very good work! Goes beyond wedding photography.

Reminds me a bit, in its melancholy and wit in the situations, of the Polish photographer Bogdan Dzivorski.

Congratulations! Very good website.


PS: I'm not a fan of music on websites, but the music on your site is good. It doesn't overpower the images, but submits itself to them. it's well suited to the mood of your images.

I love the photo of the girl and the bridge in the very, very dark, green grass.

[popnfresh]

Most wedding photography is unspeakably awful, but you have elevated it to an art form. Superb work.

It almost makes me want to move to Latvia and get married just so I can hire you.

[kaelaria]

First of all - love most of the shots, very well done.

Second - this may have been a fluke in traffic levels - but it took 15 seconds to load the first image for me.  The music was instant and the site frame loaded - it just sat there waiting.  After that it was instant.

Not a fan of the music, it doesn't portray a joyous mood.  When I have my potential clients in for a viewing, they always comment on some of my selection - things like - oh I love that song, we are walking the isle to it, or it's going to be our first dance, etc.  I would not bet the song on your site would ever be a wedding selection by a bride.  Just MO...

[janisr]

Most wedding photography is unspeakably awful, but you have elevated it to an art form. Superb work.

It almost makes me want to move to Latvia and get married just so I can hire you.

Sure, you are welcome!
thank's for your comments
about the music - well  - the opinions vary, depending on taste - so, I like this