The brief for my first assignment in Multimedia for Broadcast and Production is to design a three page website for a new fictional local media company. I have decided I am going to create a website for my own photography company "Shauna Richards Photography". I have made a logo for my company, so now I have to start designing my website.
Designing my website
Firstly, I decided to have a home page in the style of a blog, so I can update my website regularly with my new work and speak about my photographs, and my experiences and possibly give tips to new photographers put there in the world. My second page will be an about page about myself (the photographer). I think this is an important page to show on my website, because most contemporary artists and photographers do so, so I'd be following a trend, but also, because I can show that I am growing myself from a student to a professional freelancer...hopefully. To show it's possible. Lastly, I would like a gallery on my website to show my all my work in an organised fashion.
Home Page Initial Designs
These are my three initial designs for my home page. They all have the simialr content, but have different features in different sections of the website.
The first design is very structural. It is simple, and easy to follow.
The second design is logical again, however now it is in a horizontal view, rather than the stereotypical vertical appearence.
The third design is unusual with the navigation bar on the side of the website.
My favourite design is the first design, because it follows typical website conventions, and it tidy and organised. It shows some of my work on the first page, which I think is important.
About Page Initial Designs
These are my two initial designs for my about page. Again, similar content but different features in different places.
The first design has a simple structure, and so does the second design. The only difference between these two is that the first design shows examples of my work. The same examples as the home page and the gallery page. I like this idea, because viewers will find my work recognisable as myself. The intention is for people to see me and think of my photographs.
My favourite design is the is the first, because it shows examples of my work and follows the same structure as my favourite home page.
Gallery Page Initial Designs
These are my two initial designs for my gallery page. They are both very different from the past 2 pages, because they show a lot on the page.
The first design shows more of my work in folders.
My second design shows the same three examples of work continueing from the past two favourite designs of my home page and about page, but it doesnt show as much of my work as I would've liked to. However, it is still possibly if I dont aim to create all the pages the same size.
My favourite design is the first design, because it follows the same sturcture as my two other favourite pages. However, I will try to show as much of my own work as possible.
Developed Designs
Now I have chosen my favourite initial ideas it is time to add to the designs. Adding photographs and text to the design can really bring the idea to life.
These are my developed designs of my home page, about page, and gallery page. I created these designs on Microsoft Word using the tables insert.
There are aspects, which I still intend to develop. For example, I would like the example images on every page to fill the box, which they have been allocated. Also, I feel that the navigation bar could be sligtly smaller, because the black really attracts attention, and it was not intended, and I dont think it works very well. I have had to leave small gaps in places and create different tables on Word, because my iPad will not merge columns for an unknown reason.
Overall, I really like these designs, because they show all the work I intend to show, and they have a common, clear structure, which is simple and easy to follow. I feel when I make further adjustments and add in little features I have yet to incorporate into my designs such as, social network links and small roses (from my logo) to the buttons on the navigation bar, the designs will start looking like a functional website.
