Commercial web site development

[Ford Kristo]

Can anyone provide some leads on getting a commercial photography website developed at a reasonable price?

That is, a site that:
1. can be easily updated by the photographer - both images and text
2. has e-commerce (sales) capability for digital and printed images
3. doesn't involve an ongoing parasite tax on your sales
4. doesn't involve selling your first born to pay for the development

I have searched the web, but have had no luck in finding a developer who satisfies the above criteria.

And then there are the web developers who tell you what you should have (this equates to their lack of skill) rather than designing to the specifications of what you know you need.

Thanks

[balwoges]

Its a learning curve but why not learn how to do it yourself? Dreamweaver CS5 is a good starting point plus a good text book. Good hosting services have e-carts which can be added to your website and provide tech support. If you intend to update the webpages yourself, its easy to make a mistake so why not learn from the beginning. You will be glad you made the effort as time goes by and think of the money you will save!

[smallfooties]

redbubble is free....

[Ford Kristo]

Thanks for the comments above. However:

1. I have Dreamweaver but I don't think I will live long enough to acquire the skills necessary. I would rather be shooting than typing html and producing a second rung web site. There are Content Management Systems that can do what I need but I just need to find the right nerd to design a solution.

2. Red Bubble - I want to offer clients and potential clients a professional web presence and high end, archival paper and inks. Red Bubble is not the vehicle for this.

Thanks again.

[I @ M]

Ausphotography site advertiser Photomerchant may come close to meeting your needs.

I do however find it a little hard to understand how you seem to want an absolute top quality job done for very little money.

[kiwi]

diy, www.servage.net

FREE simple website builder, FREE gallery2 image hosting, FREE ecommere plugins, etc

[MarkChap]

Host Gator, a site supporter also offer very good hosting plans

[Xebadir]

Built my own with Dreamweaver, yes its not the flashiest and best site out there, but people seem to forget that flashy often turns people off and what people are there to see if your work.
To learn the dreamweaver stuff or at least give you an idea how to go about it try lynda.com, has some great tutorials...it does cost a little bit ($25 US a month...no required length) but very much worthwhile. You are going to struggle to find a web designer who meets all your requirements, and youd probably be better to do it yourself, though if you want to self maintain its probably going to be easier to use HTML. Ecart software isn't hard to get and ingrain using Adobe resources, as are inbuilt gallery creators.

The others suggest by the above may also be options. Something like MarkChaps is a very good example of what you seem to want from a photography website.

[mwphoto]

I have searched the web, but have had no luck in finding a developer who satisfies the above criteria.

Web site design is just like photography, you often get what you pay for. The easiest most affordable way is to do it yourself or use someone like Redbubble or Smugmug. If you want a top level professionally designed website without any compromise, then paying an experienced professional web designer to create one to your specifications is the way to go.

Either that or marry a web designer

[Ford Kristo]

Thanks folks. I will check out those links.

I@M - "I do however find it a little hard to understand how you seem to want an absolute top quality job done for very little money"

One of my business mission statements is to give my clients the highest quality product for a reasonable price - I expect the same! Paying many thousands of dollars and/or ongoing sales percentages isn't good business sense. Image sales on the web is a brave new world and there is no shortage of developers who want more than they deserve for their effort.

[kiwi]

Lol, they probably have the same respect, or less, for images and photographers

[Erin]

Thanks folks. I will check out those links.

I@M - "I do however find it a little hard to understand how you seem to want an absolute top quality job done for very little money"

One of my business mission statements is to give my clients the highest quality product for a reasonable price - I expect the same! Paying many thousands of dollars and/or ongoing sales percentages isn't good business sense. Image sales on the web is a brave new world and there is no shortage of developers who want more than they deserve for their effort.

LMAO! I'd find that comment offensive if I wasn't so used to hearing it already. Hehe

Mate... you spent what? $7000 (average) on a new camera set-up and gear? I just spent $15,000 on school fees alone for studying (and graduating) to be one of those developers, nevermind the extra few grand on software, computers, harddrives, new monitors and analogue stuff like pens, paper and paints. We sit there, hours on end, focusing on what the clients want (even if it's against our better judgment), designing and redesigning, tweaking and using our skills to provide kick-arse facilities from concept stages to implementation. Damned skippy I want to be compensated for my time and skill! LOL

If you want a fully-integrated commerce/gallery site that's been designed from scratch, expect to be paying around $1000-$5000 for someone fairly decent.

If you don't want to do that, then definitely use photomerchant. It's probably your best option.

[I @ M]

One of my business mission statements is to give my clients the highest quality product for a reasonable price - I expect the same!

Sounds like a match made in heaven then, you are going to provide totally gobsmacking images at bargain basement prices to the paying public after you have your web presence sorted out by the most gifted IT guru in the world for the price of a couple of beers.

Please do let us know how you go mate.

[Ford Kristo]

I put this post up to seek advice.

My comments spring from my experience with developers. To date, this has been less than productive and the prices I have been quoted are ridiculous.

It's good to see that smug sarcasm hiding behind anonymity is alive and well on the web.

[Kym]

Reality check... (I've been working in IT since the 70's)

In my previous job (IBM Software Architect) you could have had me for $2,100 per day plus GST. For that you got good advice and a solution architecture.

Ok, that's the top end of town, lets consider the competition system (unique bespoke development) here on AP. Even at a low $80/hr software contract rate it is worth around $20k now.

FYI we are about to hire some contract developers at work, you will normally pay $100 to $150/hr. You want System Admin, Custom Development and Graphics - they are not cheap skills.

A good custom commercial web site is 50-200 hours work [graphics, sys admin and programming] (also depending on features, eg. flash etc), which is why people use Redbubble and other pre-canned solutions.
It is unlikely to get all the skills in one person, usually the graphics will be a separate contract.

Yours is a commercial development for someone who intends to make $$.
AP on the other hand is a free service to which I'm happy to provide top level IT skills for the fun of it (it is really worthwhile).

[ricktas]

I put this post up to seek advice.

My comments spring from my experience with developers. To date, this has been less than productive and the prices I have been quoted are ridiculous.

It's good to see that smug sarcasm hiding behind anonymity is alive and well on the web.

Actually it is good to see members being open and honest with you about what you will get for what $$$. Maybe take on-board their advice rather than calling their comments 'smug sarcasm', eh. People are entitled to voice their opinions on this site, even if it does happen to disagree with your own, as long as they are not attacking you personally. A little respect for other views, even if different to your own!

[Ford Kristo]

Firstly, "Sounds like a match made in heaven then, you are going to provide totally gobsmacking images at bargain basement prices to the paying public after you have your web presence sorted out by the most gifted IT guru in the world for the price of a couple of beers.
Please do let us know how you go mate." Replete with smiley face!

This is not advice, a view or an opinion - this is sarcasm, pure and simple...

Secondly, thankyou to Kym for your rational, informed analysis.

[Kym]

@Ford ... I agree with Andrew's (I @ M) view 100% --- I just worded it differently Andrew's post did communicate the truth.

It really is a variation "Please do a full of pro shoot for me, bring all the lighting, do all the PP, and I'll buy you a beer and give you great exposure" but applied to software.

[Ford Kristo]

Well, again I reiterate, I began this post to get useable advice.

I didn't at any time state that I was offering the "two beers" equivalent as remuneration. In fact, I haven't been in pub for more than 20 years, so I wouldn't know what the BEER$ is worth nowadays. I do however, believe that the figures I have been quoted are excessive (>$6000).

It seems that assumption rules. Some in this forum assumed that I wanted to pay less than sweat shop rates; and I assumed that I would get some useful information that would assist me to find a solution to a question. Unfortunately, on this occasion, no one goes home with a cigar for either theory.

Now that I've used up my "Ask the audience", it looks like I'll have to phone a friend, Eddie.

[junqbox]

Everyone has a different version of what is a 'reasonable price', as you didn't provide an indication of this in the initial post it was inevitable it would follow a similar trajectory to the 'how much to pay/charge to do 'such n such' a job. Your opening comments weren't all that complimentary to anyone who works in that field, of which there are literally millions across the world.
As with any project, without a clear brief from the beginning, things get messy and expensive. Without knowing your full intentions, the RedBubble solution is probably a good way to stick your toe in the water without going bust on paying for a website, before you're certain of the volume, breadth, etc., of your venture.