Website Revamp, need constructive criticism

[Nina]

I just updated my whole site with some new, lighter graphics to make it easier on the eye, instead of an all-black color scheme. I took one of my drawings, watermarked it in Photoshop, and set it as my background for all the pages. I also created new link buttons.
There seems to be something wrong with the navigation; if you click on the back button you will sometimes get placed to a whole different page. Not sure what's going on there but I am working these next few days to fix it as well as tweak some other things. The price list especially needs worked on. I am changing it and coming up with a new and complete price list.

www.outdoor-dreams.com

[Cole]

Your thumbnail files in your gallery are way too large. Even though they are only 100 x 100 pixels, they are over 200kb each, and causing slow page loading. The proportions on the thumbnails is off too, causing them to look fat, or squished. I like the watermark, but I might make it just a touch lighter so that it doesn't interfere with the text on the page. The quality of the work on the site is of course outstanding. Keep up the good work!

[Nina]

Thanks Cole. Not sure how to fix the thumbnails. I am not very good with computer stuff, I just know basic html coding, and what I don't know, I search on the web to find the code I need. That is why I do not design websites for other people. lol

[Brad Jones]

Nina, nice job, I am not sure what Cole is experiencing but everything loads quickly on my computer.

[Cole]

It's not so much what I am experiencing...but for a dial up user the gallery pages are going to be a nightmare. Nina, what photo editing software are you using to crop and re-size your pics?

[Bobbi Meyer]

loads quickly on mine as well, but I will agree with the thumbnail distortions.

[Nina]

It's not so much what I am experiencing...but for a dial up user the gallery pages are going to be a nightmare. Nina, what photo editing software are you using to crop and re-size your pics?

Photoshop Elements 2.0

[ed150]

i like it

[Marty Dupertuis]

Nina,

I like a lot of things about your site!  One thing I would suggest is to use a better picture on your home page.  The bright sky right behind the mount really takes away from the picture.  Potential customers might get a bad first impression of what is really a nice mount if they could see it better.  Good luck!

[huntingdreams]

Nina,

I agree with Marty, a better picture make even better.  Otherwise it is very nice.

[Glen Conley]

Nina, Cole is correct!  Those file sizes are killing your site!  I initially saw this thread at lunch time.  I clicked on your gallery button and then ate my lunch while the photos downloaded, and I’m a slow eater.  I’m currently using a dial-up connection, and let me tell you, there’s lots of  dial-up customers out there.  ALWAYS cater to the dial-up users when you build a site.
 
You really, really, really, really, really, really, really need to learn how to change your file sizes.

Use the HELP function on your program and locate file size or file resizing.  I’m using Adobe 5.0, and it’s just a simple little slider thingamabob to change the file size.

Once I can get back on my computer, I’ll use that same buck photo you have on your home page in one of the taxidermists’ whitetail directories with a link back to your site.

[Becky P]

You should be able to change the file sizes with any photo program, compress them as small as you can go without losing quality. Are you doing each pic manually or doing them as a batch in an album maker?

Also, I have a little trouble reading your black lettering over your background.

[RDA]

DAMN GLAD  TO SEE YUR POSTS AGAIN  GLEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Becky P]

http://www.web-album-maker.com/ Here's a free one but I don't know anything about it.

I use Fireworks now but I orginally resized everything manually (ok if you have only a couple of pics, PITA if you have many).

I also noticed that you don't have any meta tags in your coding. They can help you with search engines.

[FreeSpirit (Wayne)]

Nina looks good I think you should try Video clip your pictures 3second poss
and also should take your price list out
get the client to email or phone and request a price list from you a little more personal and their showing interest
in your Artistry