What Photographers want...(slight rant)

I am a photographer of 20+ years who tweaks and plays in wordpress. (dangerous…I know) Let me start by saying I have used many of your themes for myself, in other ventures, and for clients/friends.

There are so many photography/portfolio themes. I can’t find one that fulfills a few very basic needs for most photographers. Full width blogs (900+ px) and large full image ratio (6:4, not weird skinny crop ratio) sliders or slideshow portfolios. Lightbox portfolios are cool for many, but are much less desirable to photographers, and sidebars just are not necessary in most cases. All this, yet still maintaining a simple, not too busy homepage option. Some of the navigation just gets too weird.

With so many of us moving away from ugly flash based portfolio sites and integrating a full blog/site using wordpress, the desire for FULL screen widescreen images has become less important, in exchange for a good sized Full width blog for current work.

And also, I am sorry, but those full width widescreen homepages with the weird overlaid textures and patterns over the whole image just dont help sell the work. It degrades the images, and is just not attractive.

I really want to pair up with a developer to try and create a perfect, versatile blogsite which would really work for many types of photographers. If someone is interested, please get in touch.

I have complete respect for all of your fine work, and in no way am I discounting what you do. I just want to explain what I feel is lacking for many photographers purposes.

thanks Andy </rant>

twistngo said
I really want to pair up with a developer to try and create a perfect, versatile blogsite which would really work for many types of photographers. If someone is interested, please get in touch.

Good to have a photographer feedback. Thanks for this.

RubenBristian said
You’re also a perfect web designer?

Sorry, to clarify, no. I am not. I was merely offering my input from a photographer’s view. But I would love to consult on a project, and would even consider paying for time to some extent. If it’s worth it to someone. I am tired of throwing money at themes that just don’t work without major re-working.

twistngo said
> I am tired of throwing money at themes that just don’t work without major re-working.

I recommend getting a developer to work for you and create a custom theme especially and only for you, it will work just as you want it.

Hey @twistngo – I really appreciate you taking the time to come to the forums and outline some expectations and requirements for photographers – I for one would love to tap in to your mind for a future theme for photographers and was hoping you would be available for this? Just for the record however this wouldn’t be a custom build for you it would be our product for sale where we want but your feedback would be invaluable to us and of course a free version would be yours.

I’m not looking for too much info but more of a little feedback when we start this – if you are interested then please use the contact form on my profile page to make contact as we don’t have your contact info I’m afraid.

Many thanks

Jonathan

Hello Andy

How do you feel about a touch swipable image slider without annoying AJAX loading icons? I find Tablets to be ideal to showcase photography portfolios.

Anyway, we have a HTML5 (not Wordpress) photography theme in the early development stage and are interested in working together!

So you may contact us through our profile page.

Cheers!