Creating A Website For Photography for Exhibiting or Selling: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this article, we will walk you through 8 simple steps to creating a website for photography that showcases your work to a broader audience or potential clients.

Step 1. Define Your Photography Website’s Objective

Analyzing and setting a clear goal for your photography website is the foundation of your online presence. It is crucial because it provides direction and purpose to your website, helping you achieve the desired outcomes effectively.

Here are the steps you may need to take to find the ultimate goal for your photography  website:

1. Understanding Your Purpose: Ask yourself what you want to achieve with your website. Are you looking to showcase your portfolio and attract potential clients? Do you want to sell your photography prints and products online?Understanding your purpose will help you create a website that aligns with your goals.
2. Identifying Your Target Audience: Know your target audience – professional photographers, freelance photographers, or hobbyists – and understand their needs and preferences. Tailor your website’s content, design, and features to appeal to this specific audience, making it more engaging and impactful.
3. Setting Measurable Goals: Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Measurable goals will allow you to track your progress and make necessary adjustments.

By setting a clear goal, you can build a website that resonates with your target audience, promotes your work effectively, and achieves the desired outcomes for your photography business or passion project.

Step 2. Select a Website Builder

Selecting the right website builder is pivotal in creating your photography website. With numerous platforms available, each offering different features and capabilities, choosing one that aligns with your goals and technical expertise is essential. Here are the key factors to consider when making this choice:

• Ease of Use: As a photographer, you want a website builder that is user-friendly and intuitive. Look for drag-and-drop editors and pre-designed templates that simplify the website creation process, allowing you to focus on showcasing your stunning photography.
• Design and Customization: Ensure the website builder offers a wide range of visually appealing templates or the option to customize the design to match your unique style and branding. The ability to personalize your website’s appearance helps create a memorable and professional online presence.
• Responsive Design: With many visitors accessing websites through mobile devices, choosing a builder that optimizes your website for various screen sizes is crucial. A responsive design ensures your photography looks stunning on both desktops and smartphones.
• Image Quality and Gallery Options: Your photography website’s success depends on the quality of the images you display. Look for a platform that supports high-resolution images and provides various gallery options to showcase your work in the best possible way.
• SEO Capabilities: To attract a broader audience and potential clients, your website needs to be search engine optimized. Ensure the website builder allows you to optimize metadata, image alt tags, and other essential SEO elements to improve your site’s visibility in search results.
• E-commerce Functionality: If you plan to sell prints or products directly from your website, choose a builder with integrated e-commerce features. To streamline your online store, look for secure payment gateways, inventory management, and order tracking capabilities.
• Customer Support: Reliable customer support is crucial, especially if you encounter technical issues or have questions about building and maintaining your website. Check if the website builder provides responsive customer support through various channels.
• Pricing and Scalability: Consider your budget and the pricing plans offered by the website builder. Choose a plan that aligns with your current needs and allows room for scalability as your photography business grows.
• User Reviews and Recommendations: Research user reviews and recommendations to gauge the builder’s reputation and performance. Feedback from other photographers can provide valuable insights into the platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

1. Shopify – Best all-around photography website builder

When creating a photography website, Shopify is an all-around option encompassing everything photographers need to showcase their work effectively. Here’s why Shopify shines as the best all-around photography website builder:

• Portfolio, About Page, Contact Information, and Booking System: Shopify provides photographers with all the essential elements to create a captivating photography website. With customizable portfolio layouts, you can beautifully display your stunning images and create an impressive online portfolio.
• Blog Functionality: Shopify’s blog functionality allows you to maintain a photography-centric blog seamlessly, fostering a deeper connection with your followers and potential clients.
• Visually Pleasing Themes: Shopify boasts a wide array of visually pleasing themes designed to highlight photography at its best. These themes feature elegant and modern designs, ensuring your images take center stage on any device. 

• User-Friendly Interface: Shopify’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for photographers without technical expertise to build and customize their websites effortlessly. The drag-and-drop editor simplifies arranging images, creating galleries, and crafting appealing layouts.
• Fast Load Times: Photography websites require quick loading times to showcase images in their full glory and keep visitors engaged. Shopify’s robust infrastructure ensures short load times, enhancing user experience and reducing the risk of potential clients bouncing off your site due to slow-loading pages.
• E-commerce Integration: If you wish to sell prints or other photography-related products, Shopify offers seamless e-commerce integration. You can set up an online store, manage inventory, and process secure payments directly from your photography website.

Shopify offers different pricing plans, starting with the Shopify Starter plan at $5 per month. You can click here to take a look at all Shopify pricing plans.

2. Wix – Easiest to use photography website builder

For those seeking a photography website builder that offers simplicity and ease of use, Wix is a standout option. With its user-friendly interface and intuitive features, Wix allows photographers of all skill levels to create stunning websites without coding or technical expertise. 

Wix’s user-friendly interface, ready-made templates, mobile optimization, SEO features, and app integrations make it the ideal choice for photographers who prioritize ease of use and want to quickly create a visually appealing website to showcase their work to a broader audience.

Wix offers a free plan with basic features, allowing you to explore and familiarize yourself with the platform before committing to a paid subscription. You can either opt for their utterly free plan or choose from their paid plans, which start at $16 per month.

3. SmugMug – Best for photo security

Regarding safeguarding your valuable photography assets and ensuring maximum photo security, SmugMug is the top choice for photographers. With a strong focus on protecting your images and providing a secure environment for your clients and visitors, SmugMug offers a range of features that make it the best option for photo security. 

To further enhance photo security, SmugMug allows you to add watermarks to your images. Watermarks serve as a visual deterrent against image theft and unauthorized usage and a way to promote your brand or logo on your photos.

Experience SmugMug’s features and capabilities with a free 14-day trial, and the best part is, no credit card is required.

Step 3. Choose a Subscription Plan

When choosing a subscription plan for your photography website, it’s essential to consider your specific needs and the features that align with your goals. 

Let’s take Shopify as an example, as it offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different user requirements. Here’s a breakdown of Shopify’s pricing plans:

• Shopify Starter: Priced at $5 per month, this plan is an excellent option for those just starting and who want to test the platform’s features. However, it may have limitations in terms of advanced features and scalability.
• Shopify Basic: At $39 per month, the Basic plan provides more functionality, including access to abandoned cart recovery and gift cards, making it suitable for small businesses with growing needs.
• Shopify Advanced: Priced at $399 per month, this plan is designed for businesses with higher volumes of traffic and transactions. It offers advanced reporting 5 staff accounts.
• Shopify Plus: The Shopify Plus plan is $2000 monthly, tailored for large-scale enterprises with extensive customization and priority support requirements.

When considering which plan is right for you, evaluating your specific needs and future growth prospects is essential. Here are some factors to consider:

• Budget: Decide on a plan that fits your budget without compromising essential features. If you’re starting, the Starter or Basic plan might be suitable, and you can upgrade as your business expands.
• Ecommerce Requirements: If you plan to sell your photography or products directly from your website, opt for a plan that includes ecommerce features, such as secure checkout and inventory management.
• Website Traffic: Consider the expected volume of visitors to your site. If you anticipate high traffic, the Advanced or Plus plan might be more appropriate, as they offer better performance and support for increased visitors.
• Customization: Evaluate the level of customization you need for your website. Advanced plans provide greater flexibility to customize your site’s design and functionality.

Step 4. Find a Desired Template

As a photographer, your website’s design is crucial as it directly impacts its credibility and showcases your creativity. Therefore, choosing a website builder that offers a wide selection of templates and allows for easy customization is essential. Let’s explore the photography templates provided by Shopify, Wix, and SmugMug:

• Shopify: Shopify provides a diverse range of templates for photography websites, catering to various styles and aesthetics. You can browse through their collection and choose a template that aligns with your photographic vision. The templates are designed to be visually appealing, ensuring your images stand out to potential clients.
• Wix: Wix offers an extensive library of templates specifically designed for photography websites. You’ll find some templates that suit different photography niches and styles. With Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily customize the chosen template to match your artistic preferences.
• SmugMug: As SmugMug is primarily centered around photography websites, templates are tailored to showcase images beautifully. These templates are optimized for photographers and allow you to present your work in a visually captivating manner.

Step 5. Upload Photos and Write Content

Now that you have your website’s structure, it’s time to fill it with captivating photos and compelling content. Here’s a breakdown of how to add content to each section:

Homepage

Your homepage is like the front door to your photography website, and making a solid first impression is crucial. This is where you want to grab visitors’ attention and entice them to explore your portfolio further. Here are some essential elements to consider for your homepage:

• Striking Visuals: Feature a captivating image or a slideshow of your best photographs at the top of the page. This will immediately showcase your talent and style.
• Engaging Headline: Craft a powerful headline that reflects your photography niche and captures visitors’ curiosity. Keep it concise and impactful.
• Navigation: Ensure that your website’s menu is easily accessible and user-friendly. Make it simple for visitors to explore different sections of your site.
• Call-to-Action: Include a clear call-to-action that directs visitors to take a specific action, such as exploring your portfolio, contacting you for bookings, or signing up for updates.
• Photo Gallery: Create an attractive gallery section where visitors can browse your best images. Organize them by projects or themes if applicable.
• Testimonials: If you have received positive feedback or testimonials from clients or fellow photographers, showcase them on your homepage. It adds credibility to your work.
• Social Media Integration: Incorporate social media buttons or an Instagram feed if you are active on these platforms. It allows visitors to connect with you on other channels as well.

Present your images

Presenting your images effectively is crucial for showcasing your photography skills and attracting potential clients. Here are some tips for presenting your images in the best possible way:

• Use a Gallery: Shopify offers various gallery apps and themes that allow you to create stunning image galleries. You can choose from grid-style galleries or captivating slideshows to display your work. Visitors can quickly scroll through your images and interact with them, giving a seamless viewing experience.
• Organize by Theme or Project: Create separate pages for “Portraits,” “Street Photography,” and more. Each page displays a curated collection of images related to that specific theme, making it easier for visitors to explore the type of photography they’re interested in.
• Showcase Your Best Work: Remember, quality over quantity matters. Feature your most impressive and recent images prominently on your homepage or in the galleries. Avoid overwhelming visitors with too many photos, which may distract from your best work.

About page

Your About page is a valuable opportunity to introduce yourself as a photographer and showcase the person behind the lens. It’s a chance to share your story, passions, and experiences, allowing visitors to connect with you on a personal level. 

Contact page

A clear and accessible contact page will make it easier for potential clients to contact you, increasing your chances of new opportunities and collaborations. Include your email address, phone number, and other relevant contact details. You can also add a contact form to allow people to submit their inquiries directly through your website. 

Online store

If you want to sell your photography and generate income from your work, setting up an online store on your website is crucial. Fortunately, platforms like Shopify, Wix, and SmugMug offer seamless options for creating your online store and monetizing your images.

Blog

Adding a blog to your photography website can be valuable, but it’s important to consider whether it aligns with your goals and resources. A blog can serve various purposes, such as sharing photography tips, behind-the-scenes stories of your projects, or discussing topics related to your niche.

When creating blog posts, focus on providing valuable and engaging content that resonates with your target audience: professional photographers, freelance photographers, and hobbyists. Share your expertise, insights, and unique perspective to establish yourself as an authority in your field.

Step 6. Install apps

To enhance the functionality of your photography website, you can install apps on platforms like Shopify, Wix, and SmugMug. These apps offer various features to improve your site’s performance, marketing, and user experience. Here are some useful apps you can consider for your photography website:

Shopify: Shopify offers an extensive app store with many options to enhance your online store’s capabilities. Some recommended apps for photographers include:

• Instagram Feed: Connect your Instagram account to display your latest photos on your website, increasing engagement and showcasing your work to a broader audience.
• Product Reviews: Encourage customer reviews on your photography products to build trust and credibility among potential buyers.
• Printful: If you plan to sell physical products like prints and merchandise, Printful can help you automatically fulfill and ship orders directly to your customers.

Wix: Wix’s App Market provides various applications to add extra features to your website. Here are some helpful ones:

• Wix Pro Gallery: Create beautiful image galleries with options like grid or slideshow layouts, allowing visitors to ‘like’ and interact with your photos.
• Wix Forms: Set up custom contact forms to receive inquiries and messages from potential clients directly through your website.
• Social Media Feeds: Integrate your social media accounts to display real-time updates and posts from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SmugMug: As a dedicated platform for photographers, SmugMug offers a range of photography-specific tools and integrations. Some notable apps include:

• Adobe Lightroom Plugin: Seamlessly publish and manage your images from Adobe Lightroom to your SmugMug portfolio, simplifying your workflow.
• Watermarking: Protect your images by adding custom watermarks to your photos, preventing unauthorized use and maintaining your copyright.
• Print Labs: Utilize SmugMug’s print lab partners to offer your customers high-quality prints and other merchandise, expanding your revenue streams.

Step 7. Promote Your Photography

Having a stunning photography website is just the first step; now it’s time to get your work seen by a wider audience. Implementing effective strategies to promote your website and increase its visibility will help attract more visitors, potential clients, and opportunities for your photography career. Here are some essential steps to get your photography seen:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Enhance your website’s SEO to improve its ranking in search engine results. Use relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt tags for your images. Create unique and valuable content to attract organic traffic from search engines like Google.
• Social Media Promotion: Leverage the power of social media platforms to showcase your photography. Share your images on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other relevant networks. Engage with your followers and interact with other photographers and potential clients in your niche.
• Blogging: Consider starting a photography blog on your website. Share behind-the-scenes stories, photography tips, and insights about your projects. Blogging can help establish your expertise, improve SEO, and keep visitors engaged with fresh content.
• Email Marketing: Build an email list of interested subscribers and clients. Use email marketing to announce new projects, promotions, or upcoming exhibitions. Offer exclusive content and special discounts to encourage sign-ups.
• Collaborations and Networking: Partner with other creatives, businesses, or influencers in your industry. Partnerships can expose your work to new audiences and open up exciting opportunities.
• Online Portfolios and Directories: Submit your work to online photography portfolios and directories. These platforms can showcase your talent to potential clients and photography enthusiasts.
• Participate in Photography Contests and Exhibitions: Enter photography contests and submit your work to exhibitions and galleries. Winning or being featured can provide valuable exposure and recognition.
• Optimize for Mobile Devices: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as many online users access websites from their smartphones and tablets.
• Utilize Analytics: Monitor your website’s performance using analytics tools. Understand your audience’s behavior, popular content, and traffic sources to make informed decisions for improvement.

Step 8. Preview and Launch Your Site

Before you make your website live, conducting a thorough review is essential. Take the time to proofread all your text, test all your links, and rearrange your gallery if needed. Ensure everything works smoothly and looks perfect.

• Thorough Review: Before going live, carefully proofread all text, test links, and rearrange your gallery if necessary. Ensure everything functions smoothly and appears perfect.
• Seek Feedback: Gather valuable opinions on the user experience by seeking feedback from friends and family. Their input can help you enhance your website before reaching a wider audience.
• Hit Publish: Once fully satisfied with your website’s content and functionality, confidently hit the publish button and make your website live. Congratulations on this significant milestone!
• Regular Updates: Remember that your website journey doesn’t end with publishing. Keep your site fresh and engaging by regularly updating it with your latest and best photos.
• Optimize for Visibility: Refresh alt texts and keywords to improve your website’s search engine visibility. This will attract more potential clients and customers to discover your work.
• Embrace the Platform: Embrace the potential of your new online platform to showcase your photography skills and talents. It’s a powerful tool to promote your work and attract new opportunities.
• Continual Refinement: Keep refining and updating your website to maintain its effectiveness in showcasing your work. A well-maintained and up-to-date website will leave a lasting impression on visitors.

How to make a photography website: FAQs

Summary

This article has provided everything you need to know when creating a website for photography. With this, we hope that you will have your own beautiful photography website soon.