Seeking Opinions on Website Design

[tknterry]

Hello, I recently made some changes in my website at http://photostuff.org and would just like a few objective opinions of my website overall. I changed the menu at the top and I placed a rounded corner box around the main content. This is mainly a personal website displaying for anyone interested various photos Ive taken in New Zealand, Africa and other destinations. Is the color scheme appealing? Is the photography viewing user friendly? Is the navigation easy enough? Does my whole website just plain suck? Suggestions and constructive criticism would be welcome. Thanks and have a great day! :ytout:

[Andilinks]

I don't visit many personal photo sites but I do surf through a fair number of fashion sites and scanning through your pics is a lot easier than those. I like the way you present thumbnails. Good job!

[tknterry]

Thank you very much! Ease of use was one of my primary goals. Being xHTML and CSS standards compliant was another.

[kennylucius]

Nice design. Since you're asking for criticism, I'll mention that the display time could be better (though it is actually quite good compared to other photo sites). You call the function "loadimages()" that appears to do nothing. Are you planning to use such a function to post-load all those thumbnails? That would speed things up nicely.

[tknterry]

Kenny, thanks for the compliment. About the "loadimages()" function, thats an astute observation, but actually it does serve to load a series of tiny 'dummy' images to enable the progress bar to function. The loading progress bar simply serves to momentarily delay the user from immediately clicking on images until all the thumbnails load. If the thumbs are clicked on before it loads, the javascript image viewer that I use (Litebox) for the large image display will not function and the image will enlarge in another window. Its mainly an issue for dialup users. The progress bar does not actually directly correspond to the loading of the actual thumbnail images however. I plan on changing the javascript viewer eventually to another version which does not have a problem with users clicking on a thumbnail before they are all loaded. Then I will have no need for a delaying tactic such as the progress bar....which is kind of lame anyway I realize. The javascript large image viewer (and the progress bar and statcounter) are basically the only javascript I use on the pages. Everything else including the thumbnail viewer is 100% CSS with no tables for layout. Thanks again for your comments!

[Wassercrats]

On my monitor, which I keep darker than average, the two tones of green look black. I could only tell that the buttons are dark green. I'd change the lighter green to rgb 19,102,71 and the dark green to 14,75,52. Then the dark still looks black, but at least I see that the light green is green.

[Jeff]

I like your overall layout - nice and simple yet not the same-old, it has class.
I like your colors. The greens are perfect on my monitor and I like the dark green.
I like your text-photo rollovers - a different and unique way to display the photos from what I'm used to.

I'm not wild about the gray background texture. It's ok, but seems a bit retro for me. It's ok, but doesn't grab me.
I'm not sure how I feel about being able to see part of the text behind the full-size-image popup sides and bottom... in a way it adds some interest, but at the same time I find it a bit distracting... I'm conflicted on whether I like or hate that little detail but it draws my attention.

I don't really like the way the top buttons float in the center, especially when the gray image loading displays below them - they seem to just be floating there and I'd like to see them somehow more integrated with the layout. I guess they seem to me like a "standard" "out of the box" nav element tacked onto an otherwise unique one-of-a-kind layout.

Overall, I find it very good, and very much enjoyed looking through your excellent photos.

[tknterry]

Thanks for all your comments :kewl:
Wassercats, Ive looked at my webpage on many different monitors and the colors dont look black to me on any of them :dunno: However I know they are on the darker side and Im open to lightening them up a bit in a future rendition.

Jeff, thanks for your suggestions. The nav elements were modified from a CSSPlay design recently and although I like it generally, I agree it isnt integrated well with the rest of the layout so that I need to work on. I will get rid of the grey loading image when I change the javascript viewer. As for the text appearing on the edges of some of the images, I think I can change that to black out the text when the image appears.
Thanks again for your constructive comments. I will keep them in mind when making further revisions. I will have more photos in the coming months after I go to the Amazon and Galapagos in early May :shock:

[Wassercrats]

The first six shades of gray here (http://www.naturespic.com/NewZealand/monitorcheck.html) all look the same unless I press my monitor's SuperBright button, so I definitely have a dark monitor.

[tknterry]

I just changed the background design and the menu bar and also changed the script I use to display the larger version of my images. I also just added a galapagos page, since I just got back from the incredible Galapagos Islands last month. I would welcome any comments regarding your impressions of my background design, menu or whatever you want to say :ytcoffee:
Thank you very much and have a great day. :beer:

[Wassercrats]

The links button shouldn't drop down when you hover over credits. I'd reduce the button widths slightly, keeping the text size the same, and add a links button.

I'm not crazy about the background. It looks like the least popular colored tape for venetian blinds.

[tknterry]

The links button shouldn't drop down when you hover over credits. I'd reduce the button widths slightly, keeping the text size the same, and add a links button.

I'm not crazy about the background. It looks like the least popular colored tape for venetian blinds.

Thanks Wassercats for your comments. What would you suggest for the background?

[Wassercrats]

Kiwi skin. It's brownish, so it goes with green and matches the buttons.

[tknterry]

Hmmmm, kiwi skin. At first I thought you were kidding, but I found a good resolution image of a kiwi fruit and I think I can actually turn the skin into a background. What do you think of this to use as a background design? Im color vision-challanged, so suggestions are more than welcome :ytthink:
http://www.photostuff.org/other/KiwiSkin.jpg
Kiwi skin. It's brownish, so it goes with green and matches the buttons.

[Wassercrats]

I like it.

http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/kiwi-background.jpg

[Wassercrats]

That baboon that you have in the same directory as the kiwi skin can't be viewed in IE 7 for some reason. At least on my computer. I see the skin though. I see the baboon in Firefox.

[tknterry]

Hmmm, it cant on my computer either in IE6 or 7, but in all other browsers I have it does. Im not sure why that happens, but Im also not sure why it was in that directory anyway so I deleted it :)

Also thanks for your assistance on the background design Wassercrats. I would like a couple of other's opinions first though before I change it to the kiwiskin. So to those looking at this, please vote on either the kiwiskin background or my current 'venetion blind' (as Wassercrat fondly calls it :)) background on my website now. Thank you all for your valuable input.

That baboon that you have in the same directory as the kiwi skin can't be viewed in IE 7 for some reason. At least on my computer. I see the skin though. I see the baboon in Firefox.

[Matt]

Hello Terry,

I was browsing your photos by clicking the "N" key and Firefox 2.0.0.4 crashed upon trying to load the 3rd photo.

-Matt

[sheila]

I find the current background very busy, bright and distracting. I'm not sure whether I'd like the kiwi skin background or not, but it might be better than the current one.

[Wassercrats]

The size of the kiwi skin background could be reduced until it's almost a solid color if necessary. It's pretty hairy in my example.

[tknterry]

OK, its settled; Im trashing the current background. I will reload the previous background as soon as I have the time and seek an alternative. I will test the kiwiskin concept perhaps. Thanks for your input Shiela :smile: Matt Ive never had a problem with crashing browsers and Ive tested all of them while viewing, but I will check that out. Thanks.

[tknterry]

Matt, I just retested using Firefox 2.0.0.4 and could not duplicate the issue you had, using 'N', 'P' or the arrow keys. Is it a repeatable problem for you?

I also reverted to the previous grey background design, which I think is drab but at least it isnt overly bright and distracting as the latest one. Im going to search for something more appealing, but not distracting. Im also going to take Wassercrats suggestion regarding the 'link' and 'credits' menu items and add a separate links button. Thanks very much for all feedback. I will get it right eventually, well maybe, I think :confuz: Its a good thing I dont expect to make money off my website. :hrmm:
Hello Terry,

I was browsing your photos by clicking the "N" key and Firefox 2.0.0.4 crashed upon trying to load the 3rd photo.

-Matt

[Matt]

Yes, I can duplicate the problem. After it happened, I reloaded the page, hit "N" to go forward and browser crashed upon trying to load the third image. Running Windows XP, if that matters. Try hitting "N" quickly, like you are trying to skip to the next image and see if you get crash.

[tknterry]

Matt, thanks for the reply. When I get home tomorrow I will try it again when hitting 'N' quickly with Firefox. I only have IE6 here. Does it happen with your browser only when using the 'N' key, but not with the forward arrow key or when clicking the right side of the image? Does it happen only with the 3rd image in particular? I also run Win XP. Thanks very much for any other info you can provide. I havent heard of this issue before.

Yes, I can duplicate the problem. After it happened, I reloaded the page, hit "N" to go forward and browser crashed upon trying to load the third image. Running Windows XP, if that matters. Try hitting "N" quickly, like you are trying to skip to the next image and see if you get crash.

[tknterry]

Matt, if you are still following this, Ive just tried to duplicate your problem with the same version of Firefox as you have, using the 'N' key rapidly (as fast as image loading allows) and I wasnt able to reproduce it on any image. Im not sure what caused Firefox to crash in your case.

[Matt]

Hi Terry,

I cannot duplicate the problem on my work computer either, so it appears to be an anomaly.

BTW, I like the new background better

-Matt

[tknterry]

Matt, thanks for checking on your work computer. I like the current background better too. Its actually the one I have been using for a long time, but I changed it for a couple days until others told me its too distracting and bright. :eeww: Im going to try out a couple more backgrounds though, that are less grey than my current one, but not distracting either.

Hi Terry,

I cannot duplicate the problem on my work computer either, so it appears to be an anomaly.

BTW, I like the new background better

-Matt

[tknterry]

Hello again,
I just put up a test page with an alternative background design I put together. I was aiming for something that is a bit more visually appealing than my current background but not distracting from the main focus of the page, that is the photos.
It will be greatly appreciated if someone would take a look and tell me how the test page strikes their eyes with the different background. The test page is located at:
http://www.photostuff.org/galapagostest.html
The menu links are disabled on the test page.
My existing webpage with my currently used background, for reference, is located at: http://www.photostuff.org/galapagos.html
Thanks very very much for any and all opinions.
--Terry

[Wassercrats]

It's OK, but your current one is OK too, and brighter. The test page is darker than I'd like it. The only real problem with the test page is that there are rectangular shapes of a lighter color being repeated on the left and right sides. On the left they're about 1/2" wide by 3/4" high. See them?

[tknterry]

Thanks again for the reply Wassercrats. Yeah I see the rectangular shapes. In fact I made them a little less pronounced in my image editor, but yes they still are a bit distracting. And I agree it is darker.
I think I will just stick with my current background for now and focus on the main goal of my website, that is getting my photos up and running, such as this one from the Galapagos, a nesting Blue Footed Booby on North Seymour island in the Galapagos, with a newborn chick under the right wing in shadow:

http://photostuff.org/images/other/galapagos/nestingbooby1.jpg

It's OK, but your current one is OK too, and brighter. The test page is darker than I'd like it. The only real problem with the test page is that there are rectangular shapes of a lighter color being repeated on the left and right sides. On the left they're about 1/2" wide by 3/4" high. See them?

[Wassercrats]

Yesterday I noticed that you don't have any closeups of flamingos. :sad:

[tknterry]

I didnt see any while I was there this time. Next May I will be in the Galapagos for a full 15 days, so I probably will then. I have lots more photos of boobies, penguins, cormorants, iguanas, etc that I havent put on my website yet from my trip last month. I have to work on another page soon. :ytcoffee: Thanks for looking!

Yesterday I noticed that you don't have any closeups of flamingos. :sad:

[Snarpy]

They've got Flamingos on Floreana. Or whichever island it is with the post office barrel. We didn't get close though - we only saw them from a distance.