website

[BobDavid]

I've been noodling on my website for several months. Little did I know when I began, that it would require so much CSS and HTML to set up formatting and to debug. The site is built on a WordPress platform. The upside to WP is that if you pay for the business plan, the online support can be very good. Although sometimes not. It all depends on the tech, or in WP argot, "Happiness Engineer."

The site is still and will always be a work in progress. I've got five portfolios up. The "HOA" is incomplete. The photos are there, but the captions have not been completed. So the narrative is spotty.

I am interested in feedback on anything that comes to mind: content, design, subject matter, how well or not well the site loads and displays, etc. I am thick-skinned, so don't be timid. Thanks!

bobrosinsky.com

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Bob,

I finally got a chance to check out your new website.
It is excellent! The home page image is first class and really grabs me. The portfolios shown so far are all excellent.
The captions you have for HOA are fine. Perhaps a few more might be good, but I definitely feel that they don't all need captions.

Stunning and varied work. I'll be back to visit it from time to time.

Eric

[RSL]

It's great stuff, Bob. You did a fine job on that web. Bravo!

[HSakols]

Bob,
Thanks for sharing your site. Your portfolios are very nice - thought provoking images. 

Hugh

[graeme]

+1 to all of the above comments. Nice work.

Graeme

[BobDavid]

Well, I guess you are an easy crowd to please. Thank you.

[graeme]

Well, I guess you are an easy crowd to please. Thank you.

Easy to please? This is the LuLa forum

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Easy to please? This is the LuLa forum

We're easy to please if you only show us first rate images.   

I am reminded that I really need to cull about two thirds of the images on my own website.

One of these years...

[Jeremy Roussak]

It's a simple, well-designed site, with a refreshing absence of "clever" features, which is why it's good. That, and the excellent photographs, of course.

I do have a couple of comments:

1. You've used two different designs for the portfolio pages. "Horizon" and "Dog" show the images side by side, and (one of my pet foibles) the arrow keys work, allowing scrolling between them. The other three have the images above each other. Unless you have a good reason, I'd suggest sticking to one - and my vote would be very strongly for the side-by-side version.

2. Why write your "about" page in the third person? It's your site. It belongs to you. It's about you. Use "I"!

Jeremy

[BobDavid]

It's a simple, well-designed site, with a refreshing absence of "clever" features, which is why it's good. That, and the excellent photographs, of course.

I do have a couple of comments:

1. You've used two different designs for the portfolio pages. "Horizon" and "Dog" show the images side by side, and (one of my pet foibles) the arrow keys work, allowing scrolling between them. The other three have the images above each other. Unless you have a good reason, I'd suggest sticking to one - and my vote would be very strongly for the side-by-side version.

2. Why write your "about" page in the third person? It's your site. It belongs to you. It's about you. Use "I"!

Jeremy

Thanks, Jeremy.  I "get" what you're saying about not using the same format for each of the portfolios. Ideally, using "side-by-side" for all portfolios is preferable. The problem I've run into is that some types of images work while others are degraded. For now, I am using the generic slider that comes with the WordPress theme. "Dog" and "Horizon" work well. I think that may have something to do with the compression algorithm not being as obvious with those subjects. "HOA," "Night Watchman," and "Maritime" don't display well. The contrast flattens out and the images get a bit fuzzy. Also, the side-by-side format (as is the case with "HOA"doesn't display captions  well). ... It is frustrating to discover technical quirks and find workarounds. As my skill level increase, I may be able to override the generic side-by-side template and replace it with a plug-in. For now, I'm just starting to dip my toes into CSS and HTML. There is a learning curve. ... The "About Me" blurb was written by a professional curator/art consultant. She advised that 3rd person accounts are the norm in the art world. I think she'll be amenable to signing her name. I have yet to add my CV to the "About Me" page.

I appreciate your critique. As I acquire more skills, I'll attempt to further customize the site. Unfortunately, the WP theme I chose was not coded for customizing. Still, it was the best choice for a clean and minimalist look and feel.

Thank you for taking the time to study my website and for pointing out specific weaknesses. I think your comments are spot on.

[sdwilsonsct]

It's a simple, well-designed site, with a refreshing absence of "clever" features, which is why it's good. That, and the excellent photographs, of course.

Yes, the images load directly. Great impact.

Until I came upon what the acronym meant, I thought that HOA was a quiet cry in the dark, as in "The HOA! The HOA!".

[BobDavid]

Yes, the images load directly. Great impact.

Until I came upon what the acronym meant, I thought that HOA was a quiet cry in the dark, as in "The HOA! The HOA!".

That's a great connection. I think I may want to find a way to weave that into the story. ... On some level, I had my share of quiet cries in the dark while taking the dogs on their nightly strolls. I observed nasty and mean spirited behavior from three or four of the members of the association. And yearly HOA meetings were harsh, very harsh.