Website - What would you do?

PopeBuckfastXVI

Hi All,

I'm thinking about setting up an online Gallery, like much of you have yourselves.

I have access to free webspace with any sort of php/database/whatnots I want , but I'm stumped as to what to do with it.

I don't want to put up a huge amount of pictures, I'll be keeping my pix.ie on the go for 99% of my stuff, if you get what I mean.

Basically what would you do? Roll your own (I got some s/w skillz0rz) or go with a CMS... I'd like to customize the look & feel as much as possible, so if it's a CMS I'd like it to be at least skinnable (and free!)

I'd really appreciate it if people who have done this before would give me a few pointers. I had a look at the the faq's already, but there's not a huge amount in this area.

Paulw

You're generally better off having your own website. It can be your own portfolio online, rather than just your FlickR/Pix photos.

All my photo galleries were built using Lightroom. Dead simple, and you can customise a whole lot of it.

My website was dirt cheap, and is very basic really. I had some initial help with design configuration from 440Hz (thanks again), but the rest was all just simple after that.

There are many packages out there for galleries so you should have plenty of choice. I just took the simple route, since I already had Lightroom.

Sniipe

I asked a similar question before and was posted to http://coppermine-gallery.net/ very nice skinnable and easy to use CMS.

elven

Extra points for reading the FAQs Fenster had an excellent tutorial about customising the simpleviewer gallery, isn't that in there?

I just started putting something together, very simply with html from scratch, then i used css to plug in a couple of the flash photoshop cs3 galleries, very nice interface and pretty customisable. I won't post the result until i get it looking a bit more presentable though

I know a few people round here do the coppermine thing, though.

There's also splashr.com that gives you little galleries from particular tags or sets on flickr that you can embed into a web page, if i remember correctly.

GristlyEnd

Wordpress, a photoblog theme and NextGEN gallery would be an easy option. Very easy to setup (max 10 mins for wordpress) and you can then customise the photoblog theme to suit your needs.

My website was setup with wordpress and a hacked version of the nish!ta theme. If you decide to go this route, I will gladly answer any questions you have on the setup or customisation of the theme.

magicbastarder

a mate set up coppermine on our site - since i wasn't doing the work, i let him pick. it's not perfect - max. 10 file uploads at one time, and the interface is not idiot proof. though i haven't tried customising it much yet.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Thanks for all the input guys!

That coppermine looks good alright. I'm thinking I just might try to roll my own. I'm not concerned about having comments or anything, and I can see it being fairly static... and when that falls flat on it's face I might try coppermine!

now... time to start experimenting in my IDE (aka notepad!)

CraggyIslander

The one I'm running is Zen photo

Very similar to coppermine, but less of the 'coppermine' look :pac:

kensutz

I'm currently trying to get mine up and running but having severe teething problems. In the last 2 days I've deleted and uploaded 4/5 different designs. Hopefully will have more time this weekend to work on it.

Fenster

http://www.bhalash.com/

Wordpress with Simpleviewer and some Ajax. The front page is interim.

Calina

I'm currently running Coppermine. I've had enough of it and am in the process of rebuilding everything on Clikpic.

nilhg

If you have the webspace and Lightroom this might be of interest.


I've done a proof of concept type thingy using it, auto index and shadowbox gallery. I got it working with very little hassle, now I need to customise it and pick some decent pictures to show.

kensutz

Just tried that lightroom effort. Here's my site www.kensuttonphoto.com

Ricky91t

kensutz wrote: »

Just tried that lightroom effort. Here's my site www.kensuttonphoto.com

Cool those lightroom things are really good..might give em a try :rolleyes:

RoryW

kensutz wrote: »

Just tried that lightroom effort. Here's my site www.kensuttonphoto.com

i got one of those forbidden messages when I clicked on your web address

kensutz

It's in the process of an update. Been making some silly errors and should be back tomorrow.

kensutz

After some messing about I have the bones of it set up now.

City-Exile

kensutz wrote: »

After some messing about I have the bones of it set up now.

Ken, a button to take you home from the gallery would be nice.
I'm still in the process of getting my site together.
Looking to get a few years of site hosting, while the dollar is so weak.

I'll probably go down the lightroom route, since Paulw is available 24/7 for support.

Trying to decice what to put up there, is another matter completely.

kensutz

I agree City-Exile. It's all a big experiement at the moment. I'll work on more of it tonight if I'm doing nothing in work.

kjt

Nice and simple site Ken. You might want to add some metatags to the site to help you go
up a bit in google. Also one thing that really grinds my gears on a site is when you click on the
contact button and expect a contact page/a bit of info but instead get outlook opening straight
away. Great to see your site validates too!

nilhg

kensutz wrote: »

I agree City-Exile. It's all a big experiement at the moment. I'll work on more of it tonight if I'm doing nothing in work.

Ken clicking on your gallery index link should open a index of individual galleries not just one, for example.

Keep at it.

kensutz

I just stuck that gallery in as a stop gap. I'm going to try and implement the AutoIndex into the website and hopefully I won't run into problems.

Ricky91t

I tryed the lightroom app's really like them just get used to using them and im sure my site wont stay how it is for long but im really pleased with it
My new site
nilhg thanks for posting

nilhg

Since I threw up the LightRoom links I'd better let ye all have a look at my quick take on it, just one gallery for the moment, I still have to decide exactly what approach to take to picking shots for it.

Ricky91t

nilhg wrote: »

Since I threw up the LightRoom links I'd better let ye all have a look at my quick take on it, just one gallery for the moment, I still have to decide exactly what approach to take to picking shots for it.

Cool nice site i like it

YogiBear

kjt wrote: »

Nice and simple site Ken. You might want to add some metatags to the site to help you go
up a bit in google. Also one thing that really grinds my gears on a site is when you click on the
contact button and expect a contact page/a bit of info but instead get outlook opening straight
away. Great to see your site validates too!

Thanks for the link for metatags. Did it in college but don't think I have the notes on it anymore.

kjt

No problemo!