Critique site please. Tear it apart if you want to :)

[berci]

I would change the font or the presentation of the font to something softer.

 

[enochRoot]

smarty pants...hehe

just lookin' out for the guy. i do this for a living, and i try not to "get up in" discussions like this too much (so as not to be called a smarty-pants 😀 ).

 

[enochRoot]

also...i forgot to mention that i LOVE your photos khaled!

 

[pesphoto]

No, i was actually impressed what you said.

 

[enochRoot]

No, i was actually impressed what you said.

thanks 🙂 it just pains me on threads such as these how everyone is quick to dish out personal opinion without a hint of objectivism, or any rationale behind their thinking. there needs to be a way to weed through personal taste, and arrive at comments and advice that can help accomplish the original poster's goal while retaining *their* vision (and not inheriting someone else's vision).

 

[Khaled]

Guys, I'm very happy to read your comments about the pictures, you give me the strength needed to go out and show the work! I think that it's very important to feel confident about the work, I'm sure the great photographers we admire have (had) a very clear idea of what they want (ed) to accomplish.

Jocko, Leonard Cohen has been a great influence in my life, his songs inspire me and make me dream, I put those quotes as a tribute to him.

Robert, I got your e-mail, Thanks for your kind words.

Smarty Pants 🙂 (enochRoot) What is it that you do for a living? (I didn't understand very well your phrase). I agree with you that it would be nice to have purely objective criticisms but I think that in photography (as in art, design, etc) it's very difficult to remain objective, our own tastes make our judgement subjective.

Thanks.

Khaled

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Pics are great but some need spotting/dust removal. Nice work.

Todd

 

[rbiemer]

Khaled,
Site works fine for me today. I personally like the stark look.It doesn't distract from your fine photos. I also have to say, I don't usually enjoy "slide shows" ; on most web sites the show just doesn't work well with my pc( they load pretty slowly and/or the photos are tiny) But, yours is the exception to that. I watched both and they came up quick and I liked that the photos were a decent size. The timing is a good pace for me as well.
Rob

 

[Jocko]

thanks 🙂 it just pains me on threads such as these how everyone is quick to dish out personal opinion without a hint of objectivism, or any rationale behind their thinking. there needs to be a way to weed through personal taste, and arrive at comments and advice that can help accomplish the original poster's goal while retaining *their* vision (and not inheriting someone else's vision).

I have to disagree. I've been a professional writer and occasional artist for over 20 years. In all that time I have found nothing more useless than anodyne praise - the only possible result of the impersonal process you describe. The best friend any creator can have is a honest critic. Objectivity is a myth and creativity thrives on a continual process of constructive friction - in the words of William Blake "opposition is true friendship". I wish that I had one tenth of Khaled's talent, but I know that even the most medioce artist must continually question their own work - or in this case the context in which it is displayed.

If we were confronted by a lot of rotten photographs, the design of the website would be irrelevant. Instead we find beautiful and extraordinary work which deserves the best possible display environment. We can be sure that Khaled will not simply do as others suggest - but he will think "is this the best?" and perhaps develop the site in ways yet truer to his vision.

Ian

 

[robert blu]

Slide show ? I do not see a slide show . I only see pages which pictures (to be exact nice puictures) where I have to scroll down to see them all. Is it correct or should I see something diffeent?
robert

 

[Pherdinand]

My comments (sorry did not read the whole conversation, i might repeat someone)

Site loads quick at this moment
About section: I would add links to the titles and brand names
Personal/Commercial work: What's the first empty image with the one black pixe in the middle???Looks funky.
Can't suggest any design thing, maybe find a web designer who can do that. It looks indeed a bit sterile, but i like the images you've selected🙂
Final remark: The site does not make it clear why you made it. Nothing tells me that you are looking for work.

 

[Pherdinand]

Ah and the Welcome and Home links on the top look like "Welcome home" as single text when not mouseover, which looks weird.

 

[rbiemer]

robert,
when I went to the site, after clicking on either "personal" or "commercial" galleries, at the top part of those pages is a little "start slide show" thingy. Just below the "I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons" quote in the personal gallery.
Rob

 

[zuikologist]

Khaled

Very nice photos.

The site/slide show seemed a little slow to upload at least on my PC, which left me wondering if there was anything happening. Do you have an option in iWeb to show a clock or some other object to indicate that photos are loading?

 

[Pherdinand]

You could also sneak in a shot of yourself somewhere, after all you are a photographer🙂
In case you are not too scary looking, of course😉

 

[robert blu]

Rob,
thank , maybe I did not wait lomg emough and moved to pics too quick.
grazie, ciao
robert

 

[robert blu]

Yes, now I see the slideshow. it s ok, ciao
robert

 

[enochRoot]

Smarty Pants 🙂 (enochRoot) What is it that you do for a living? (I didn't understand very well your phrase). I agree with you that it would be nice to have purely objective criticisms but I think that in photography (as in art, design, etc) it's very difficult to remain objective, our own tastes make our judgement subjective.

Thanks.

Khaled

oops...sorry khaled. i'm a visual communication designer, and work on websites (among other things). i agree that purely objective criticisms are hard to come by, but entirely subjective statements (that are open) such as "i don't like it" provide no help whatsover. it is making an objective suggestion based on your subjective viewpoint. ie: you have a goal you are trying to accomplish (ie: a look you want to portray). to convey this worldview...there are a number of ways to achieve your goal. if you want the photos to speak for themselves, and the site to be minimal and unobtrusive (so as to let the photos to speak for themselves)...that is a goal you have set, and something people should not speak to. instead...they should help you arrive at the best solution to resolve that challenge.

good feedback should always include a suggestion to help rectify the issue brought up in the critique. ie: "i understand you want the site to be minimal and unobtrusive, but i find the white background a bit too stark. maybe you could try a very light grey to give it some additional depth and feeling, while retaining the minimal element you are trying to achieve"

if this were focus group testing...that would be another story. it's not. you asked for a critique...so people should give one (and not just weigh in w/ a one sentence "i don't like it"). once sentence is obviously ok if someone feels it accomplishes your goals 100% as-is.

that is what i meant anyhow 😉

 

[enochRoot]

I have to disagree. I've been a professional writer and occasional artist for over 20 years. In all that time I have found nothing more useless than anodyne praise - the only possible result of the impersonal process you describe. The best friend any creator can have is a honest critic. Objectivity is a myth and creativity thrives on a continual process of constructive friction - in the words of William Blake "opposition is true friendship". I wish that I had one tenth of Khaled's talent, but I know that even the most medioce artist must continually question their own work - or in this case the context in which it is displayed.

If we were confronted by a lot of rotten photographs, the design of the website would be irrelevant. Instead we find beautiful and extraordinary work which deserves the best possible display environment. We can be sure that Khaled will not simply do as others suggest - but he will think "is this the best?" and perhaps develop the site in ways yet truer to his vision.

Ian

i think you missed the point i was trying to make dude. it sounds like we are saying the same thing. read the above post for khaled. the important part you state is that the critique needs to be constructive. that is what i was talking about. never once did i say it should be "sterile". it should be constructive and objectively stated based on a subjective viewpoint (while helping to steer the project in a direction that will accomplish khaled's goals).

and seriously...discussions like this are what i was talking about when i mentioned i try not to "get into it". i have studied design extensively, and worked professionally for a while (12 years). i have to talk about things like this on a daily basis for work...and i come on this site to escape that rather than dive into it during leisure time! 😀

 

[iñaki]

i like the site, very clean an elegant design (I like Leonard Cohen too)
The photos are wonderful