Website Research Assignment

HTML Sites

1.Brooks Reynolds http://brooksreynolds.com

Brooks Reynolds is one of my favorite photographer so obviously I had to have it on there. It works prefectly on any Apple device since it is html. It is also non-scalable which I prefer. I like the minimalist design with the black background and the small logo on the top left. The black background, indeed, reinforces the moody and dreamy images he produces so it is a perfect match. However the images could be a little bigger but I guess it's fine when you don't want your work to be stolen. The gallery works well too, it's fast, simple and the transition is good. Everything is clear, simple, straightforward and that is how websites should be, nevertheless I would go with bigger images since it is way more spectacular and impress more.

2.Max Abadian http://www.maxabadian.com

Max Abadian is an impressive fashion photographer so I was looking for an impressive website. My feelings were mixed when I went on the website. His website is in html, non-scalable, it's good news and it's easy to navigate on it even with an iPhone. The menu is simple and his logo is tight. However, the website would be great for an entry-level professional but for a photographer his caliber, it lacks dynamism. The gallery is simple and straightforward, the white background fits the fashion mood but I just feel it is too simple for such a talented man. So in the end, I think it's fine but it lacks something.

3.Simon Duhamel http://www.simonduhamel.com/

Simon is a great Montréal advertising photographer so I was expecting a good website. To start, it works fine on an iPhone, not too slow. What struck me first was how his logo is cheesy feels 90's and on top of that the off-white/grey gradient background doesn't help. The design of the website feels old and cheesy but it contains all you need and is kept simple. The gallery system is fine but the images take long to load. I liked the way it was scalable too usually it doesn't look good but this time it was fine. Overall, an OK website but doesn't look as professional as the guy is, I mean his work is outstanding but yeah...

Flash Sites

1.Miles Aldridge http://www.milesaldridge.com/

Miles Aldridge is one of the few fashion photographer who really caught my eye so obviously once again I had to have it on there. Unfortunately for him, his website is really badly designed. It is flash and it does not work on Apple devices so I guess it is not up to date which is really important in my opinion to look professional. At least it is scalable. First of all, there is music on there and it is just annoying, we're not in 2005 anymore, thus we don't need this cheesy feature. Secondly, it works very slowly, the transition are too slow, the loading time is too long, the gallery is confusing and there is too much work to look at. Third, sometimes nothing appears when you open the site, you have to refresh the page and then it will work. On top of that, it forces full screen mode which is harrassing. Oh and the gallery system if bad and confusing too. However the menu is simple, easy to understand, there is no logo but Miles' name is in small at the top left corner and that's enough. The black background and the big images are also a plus. Overall, a website where the content is incredible but where it is hard to navigate and impossible if you are on any Apple devices.

2.Jordan Voth http://jordanvoth.com

Jordan Voth is one of my first flickr contact and he evolved tremendously in the last 3 years. He is often considered a copy cat of Kevin Russ (hell his website is heavily inspired by the website Russ had) but is getting quite a good reputation. So his website has fashion/lifestyle content so I was looking for a dynamic, good looking website. I'll start with the bad: the logo on the top left looks amateur, the white background weakens the images (I feel), the design is on the verge of looking amateur and the loading time for images is too long (thanks to Flash). It is also not scalable but it's laggy and doesn't look good when you try to scale it. The good: it is a flash website and it works on Apple devices, the image size forgives the white background and strengthens the images a lot and it's easy to navigate. Overall, a good website and the downsides could be fixed easily in my opinion.

3.Zeta Production http://www.zetaproduction.com/

On the biggest rep agency in Montréal. The website is in flash and at first it looks really nice. They thought about Apple devices and made a mobile version of the website which include the portfolios. It works well and it's fast. When you scale it it re-loads the page but at least it is done quickly. The website looks clean and very professional (the white fits well) however the gallery system is confusing and is far from being the best. However visually it is well designed. Overall, a strange website that can be hard to navigate at first but contain a lot of information and portfolios.