Hello, photographers! Ready to showcase your work and enhance your online presence? Our guide to the top 50 photography websites is here to help.
Our team of digital marketing experts has carefully evaluated the best photography sites, taking into account factors such as design, functionality, uniqueness, and user experience. From visually stunning designs to intuitive navigation, these sites embody excellence in the photography world.
Not only will you find inspiration for your own website, but also gain valuable tips on how to create an unforgettable online experience for your visitors.
So, get ready to elevate your photography business with the help of this guide, and create an online presence that showcases your artistic talent and attracts new clients! You’ll find website examples of wedding, portrait, commercial, fine art, and stock photography companies in this list! For examples within other industries, check out our awesome web designers blog article!
Top Photography Website Designs
1. Brandi Toole
2. Phil Chester
3. Ashley Smith Photos
4. Mack Eveland Photo
5. Levon Biss
6. Drew Makenzi Photography
7. David William Baum
8. Dolly Ave
9. Robert Clark
10. Chris Bukard Photography
11. Almost Real
12. Sarah E. Photo
13. Liller Photo
14. Tim Hawley
15. Milkovi
16. Dan Kennedy
17. Jonathan Glynn Smith
18. Carmen Hunter
19. Dave Hill
20. Twin Flames
21. James Tye
22. Will Bremridge
23. This Wild Idea
24. Scott Synder Photography
25. Greg Ross
26. Giles Clement
27. Kayla Fisher Photography
28. Eric Ryan Anderson
29. Peter Mckinnon
30. Juco Photo
31. Cassandra Ladru
32. Jeffery Salter
33. Mike Kelley
34. Gavin Gough
35. Lara Jade
36. Julia & Gil
37. Danilo & Sharon
38. Kristen Hazelton Photography
39. Alan Schaller
40. Morgan Norman
41. Sanz Lena
42. Pedro N The World
43. Amelia Allen Photography
44. Marvin Lei
45. Emilee McGovern
46. Peter Fisher
47. Haris Nukem
48. Meiwen See
49. Jonathan Gregson
50. Tffy DeJesus
How to Build a Great Photographer’s Website
Are you in the process of building a new website for your photography business? How exciting!
Let’s walk through some of the most important steps in building a new or redesigning an existing photographer’s website.
Feel free to skip the first few sections if you already have a domain name, hosting service, and website platform picked out!
1.) Purchasing a Domain Name
Choosing the right domain name for your photography website is a crucial step in establishing your online identity. It serves as the address that visitors will use to access your photography website and plays a significant role in branding and recognition.
Here’s a step-by-step process to help you choose the perfect domain name:
- Brainstorm: Start by brainstorming ideas for your domain name, considering your business name, photography style, and niche.
- Simplicity: Keep your domain name simple, easy to spell, and pronounce. Avoid using complex words, hyphens, or numbers.
- Consistency: If your business has an established brand name, consider including it in your domain name. For example, if your business name is Capturing the Moment Photography, it’s not a good idea to register a domain name like ChicagoPhotoServices.biz.
- Availability: Check the availability of your desired domain names before proceeding. Many common domain names are already taken, so be prepared with alternatives. If your desired domain name is already registered, consider reaching out to the owner to inquire about its availability for sale.
- Domain Extensions: Choose a domain name extension that aligns with your website’s purpose. While .com is the most popular extension, there are other options like .net, .org, or industry-specific extensions such as .photography or .gallery.
- Legal Considerations: Before registering your domain name, conduct a trademark search to ensure it doesn’t infringe upon someone else’s intellectual property. Avoid using brand names or copyrighted terms in your domain name.
- Register the Domain: Once you’ve found an available domain name, register it through a reputable domain registrar. We recommend user-friendly registrars like GoDaddy, or Namecheap.
2.) Choosing a Website Platform
After figuring out your domain name, the next step is selecting a website platform for your photography website.
Most photographers are going to develop content-based websites with appointment calendars, contact forms, and live chats to drive conversions.
You’ll typically only see photographers adding ecommerce if they are selling prints of their photographs to clients, but that is often through a WordPress plugin or a different platform that adds quick sales of prints directly into the website’s platform.
For Portfolio Websites:
When it comes to portfolio websites, photographers have several excellent options to consider, such as WordPress, Wix and other hosted website builders. Here is an article that discusses other portfolio website platforms, too.
- WordPress: WordPress is a versatile and widely used content management system (CMS) that offers tremendous flexibility and customization options. It is an ideal platform for photographers looking to create a highly customized website to showcase their work. With numerous photography-focused themes and plugins available, WordPress allows you to build a visually stunning portfolio. Whether you prefer a simple portfolio or a more complex website with e-commerce capabilities for selling prints, WordPress can accommodate your needs. It offers full control and the ability to expand your website’s functionality over time.
- Wix: The Wix platform offers a user-friendly page builder. It provides visually appealing templates that can effectively display your photography portfolio. Wix is a hosted solution, so you don’t need to worry about separate web hosting.
Web Hosting Requirements
If you choose a platform like WordPress or WooCommerce, you’ll need to find a reliable web hosting service.
While we recommend our own web hosting service for WordPress websites, here are some recommendations from other hosting companies:
- WP Engine: WP Engine is highly recommended for photographers. WP Engine offers a great control panel for managing staging websites and provides seamless backup processes. However, keep in mind the limits they impose on PHP max_execution_time, and note that their pricing can increase for upgraded services.
- SiteGround: SiteGround is known for its excellent support and reasonable pricing. SiteGround provides responsive live chat and email support, making it a reliable choice for photographers. Their backup tools are user-friendly and their pricing is suitable for photography studios.
3.) Choosing a Website Template
For most photographers, purchasing and customizing a pre-built website template is a cost-effective and time-saving solution. However, if you prefer a custom-designed website, you can always hire a custom web designer or custom ecommerce developer to create a unique theme from scratch.
To help you set up your photography website, let’s focus on finding pre-built website templates. Here are some links to popular theme marketplaces:
WordPress Photography Themes
Explore free themes at wordpress.org or consider photography-inspired templates on ThemeForest.
Novo – Themeforest
$59
Oyster – Themeforest
$59
Reflector – Themeforest
$59
TopPic – Themeforest
$69
Wix Photography Themes
Explore free and paid themes available in the marketplace at wix.com, some of which are well-suited for photographers.
4.) Creating Content & Adding Images
Now that you have your domain name, website platform, and theme in place, it’s time to start developing content for your photography website!
Follow these tips to create engaging and effective website copy:
- Know your target audience: Gain a clear understanding of your target audience, including their demographics, preferences, and needs. Tailor your content to address their pain points, offer value, and resonate with them. This will help you rank higher in search engine results for photography-related queries relevant to your business.
- Define your key messages: Determine the main messages you want to convey through your website content. These messages should align with your brand, highlight your unique strengths, and clearly communicate the benefits of your photography services.
- Keep it concise and scannable: Online readers tend to scan content, so ensure your writing is concise and easy to digest. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, subheadings, and bold text to break up the content and improve readability.
- Create clear and compelling headlines: Craft attention-grabbing headlines that immediately convey the value and relevance of your photography business. Well-crafted headlines can entice visitors to explore your website further.
- Incorporate keywords strategically: Conduct keyword research and incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your content. This can improve the visibility of your photography website in search engine results. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact readability and user experience. Tools like Ahrefs or Semrush can assist with keyword research.
- Maintain a conversational tone: Write in a conversational manner that resonates with your photography audience. Avoid jargon or overly technical language unless it is necessary for your target audience. Engage your readers by addressing them directly and adopting a friendly, approachable style.
- Edit and proofread: Always edit and proofread your content before publishing. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure your content flows smoothly, adheres to your brand voice and style guidelines, and aligns with your intended message. Tools like Grammarly can be helpful.
- Utilize ChatGPT for assistance: If you need help generating ideas or refining the content on your photography website, consider leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT.
Break up lengthy sections of text by incorporating relevant and high-quality images into your content. Here are some tips:
- Use high-quality images: Opt for visually appealing and well-composed high-resolution images. Avoid using blurry or pixelated images that may diminish the overall quality of your photography website.
- Ensure relevance: Select images that are directly related to your content and effectively illustrate your message. The images you choose should enhance the text and provide additional context or visual interest for your photography portfolio or services.
- Consider stock photo resources: Explore reputable stock photo websites like Unsplash, Pixabay, or Shutterstock to discover a wide range of professional-quality images that align with your photography theme. Be mindful of licensing requirements and attribute images as necessary.
- Customize images when possible: If you have the skills or resources, consider customizing or branding images to ensure they align with your photography brand. This can help create a cohesive visual experience for your visitors. Tools like Adobe Photoshop or Canva can be helpful.
- Optimize image file sizes: Compress images to reduce file sizes without compromising quality. Large image files can slow down your photography website’s loading speed, affecting user experience and SEO. Tools like TinyPNG can assist with image optimization.
5.) Post-Launch Actions
Once you have built and launched your photography website, there are several important tasks and services to consider to maximize its effectiveness. Here are some essential suggestions to help you navigate post-launch activities:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Implementing SEO strategies is crucial for improving your photography website’s visibility in local search results. Conduct keyword research, optimize your content, and ensure a solid internal linking structure. Regularly update and create fresh, high-quality content to attract organic traffic. Consider hiring our SEO team or explore third-party providers like The HOTH.
- Paid Advertising: For faster traffic results, consider using paid advertising platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads to drive targeted visitors to your photography business. You can hire our PPC management services or find skilled professionals on websites like Mayple.
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Analyze your photography website’s performance and user behavior using tools like Google Analytics. Identify areas where users may drop off or encounter barriers to conversion. Conduct A/B testing with tools like VWO to make data-driven changes that improve your website’s conversion rates and overall user experience.
- Website Security: Protecting your photography website from malware and other threats is crucial. Ensure you have robust security measures in place, such as SSL certificates and web application firewalls (e.g., Sucuri). Regularly back up your website and keep your CMS, plugins, and themes up to date to minimize vulnerabilities. Monitor your website’s uptime using a service like UptimeRobot.
- Website Maintenance: Regularly maintain your photography website to ensure optimal performance. If you’re using WordPress, this includes updating plugins and themes, monitoring website speed and performance, and resolving any broken links or errors. Consider hiring our website maintenance services or finding freelancers on platforms like Upwork. Regularly backup your photography website to protect against data loss or technical issues.
- User Feedback and Testing: Actively seek user feedback to understand visitor experiences and identify areas for improvement. Implement user testing to gather insights on how users interact with your photography website. Use this feedback to make iterative enhancements and continuously optimize the user experience.
- Content Updates: Keep your website content fresh and up to date. Regularly publish new blog posts about photography, update your portfolio or service information, and ensure that all details are accurate and relevant. Engaging and valuable photography content not only attracts visitors but also encourages them to return and share your content with others interested in photography.
Remember, post-launch digital marketing activities are crucial for the long-term success of your photography website. Stay proactive, monitor performance, and adapt your strategies to achieve your business goals and meet the needs of your audience.