PROPOSAL

BA (HONS) Photography - Salford University

Elizabeth Chandler (Level 5)

Project Proposal

Areas Of Photographic Practice B - (Self Promotional Website)

Project Deadline - Tuesday 8th January 2013 - 1:30pm (HT013)

To design and produce a completed self-promotional website that is easy to use, reflects personality and on that is memorable. It will showcase examples of my portfolio of work. The ultimate aim of the site is to attract future clients who practice within the design industry. These clients include fashion/design magazines, advertising and branding companies. The final online presence will assist in promoting myself as and up and coming lens based communicator. 

Keywords I have established in order to help me construct a site that meets my expectations:

professional - very important first impression

sleek

sophisticated

creative - show my creative flare

uncomplicated - easy for any user to navigate

straightforward -easy for any user to navigate

graphic - nice design

informative - lots of relevant information (accessible if user chooses) 

uncluttered

classic - yet modern and up-to date (no features that could potentially restrict future use/development) 

timeless

clear - defined message 

geometric

aligned - consistent grid structure

neat

tidy

considered - all elements considered, font, structure, colours, arrangement ect

relevant

consistent 

accessible - for all users

exciting - yet still professional 

aesthetic 

option - giving users choices in regards to how the view content - full screen, toggle visible thumbnail navigation bar ECT

possibilities

potential -potential to develop with me

developable - potential to grow with me

welcoming

personal

thoughtful - needs of different users considered

suspense - user is excited to see the work as the design build great confidence in ability to produce great work

For this assignment I propose to design and create a user friendly site that expresses my own creativity as well as meeting the professional standards of competitors sites. 

A lot of photography sites mimc the same layout which is effective in its delivery and aesthetically pleasing. However one thing I feel a lot of them lack to deliver is a personal touch. Many of them feel quite clinical. 

As much as this minimal approach is a visual appearance which appeals to me, after looking at site after site I did notice that the impact of them was lost slightly, in a way I knew exactly what to expect and only a handful got me excited and kept me engaged long enough to see the sites entire content. I then thought about potential clients/customers who are visiting hundreds of sits looking for the one candidate who suits their role. If I was one of these clients/customers stumbling along one site which matched the high quality and exceptional standard of work yet brought a new exciting viewing experience my way I would be instantly inclined to considering them over the competition. 

The lack of engagement with such sites, for me wasn’t that I was un-impressed with the work, in fact quite the opposite. 

The problem for me was that they all functioned so similarly that I go bored of physically repeating the navigation method. 

That being said, I am aware that such features are in place as they are effective and they work. I have no intention of creating a risky off the chain site which narrows down my target audience, however what I am proposing it to combine these successful features and the overall effectiveness of the minimal sites as well and introducing some of the elements which excited me and kept me engaged in the site for a considerably longer time. 

I have had to make a difficult decision in regards to my target audience for this project as I feel there are two diverse sides to my photographic interest, both aimed at completely different markets and users. I concluded that the only way to make my site successful, direct and appropriate in it’s content and delivery is to eventually have two different sites which reflect my different practices and photographic personalities. 

Combining the two I feel would be confusing and more significantly would make prioritising content almost impossible as different work would be targeted towards different users. 

In light of the above statement I have concluded that I will be aiming this site at a more professional art/gallery audience for work in that field, whether that be elements of curating and gallery/exhibition work or exhibiting my own work or creating images to a set brief. There are two main reasons for this decision. The first one being my main intention for future work and also my personal opinion that aiming work towards that that particular audience is more difficult and requires a more concise overall message. Little things like the wording of supportive text and ability to copyright and make that text concise and appropriate is a skill in itself. In that respect I think it would be more beneficial personally for me to take advantage of the professional opinions and advice available to me throughout this project.