Question about photo layout for a professional website

[sonrisa]

Let's say you were looking for a psychiatrist and browsing websites. You come across a website with this photo as the background. What do you think? Text would all be at the top on the sky portion, the water and land would be visible, but below. I might reshoot at a different time of day for more muted color tones. (The photo is of the view out back of the office building - ie. what the office window faces during therapy.) 

[sonrisa]

For context, a number of local psychiatrists use photos on their websites, but they are usually stock photos of something zen plus a de rigueur stock photos of either redwood trees or the golden gate bridge and SF from the top of the marin headlands. The photo is at the top of the website so you have to scroll past the image to get to the text.

I'm proposing the above layout to DH (exact photo and cropping to be perfected later, but that is the basic idea). I like that: (1) It isn't a stock photo. In fact it represents exactly where he will be conducting business - it gives both a nice view and context for the session; and (2) you don't have to scroll down past the photo (which as I've said is usually irrelevant anyways) to get to the point of the website.

He wants photo at top, no text on photo. Because that is what other people do (ETA: whose websites don't majorly suck. They are described below). He has come around from the idea of a generic stock photo.

Your thoughts?

[Moe]

I don't like it.

He's not selling the beach/lake, or any beach related services.

Some don't like beaches, reminds him of sand in crotch or in cars or that bad sunburn they once got where they vowed to not return.

For a professional website, I'd go to a graphic designer that specializes on branding/website design and have her/hum design a layout with nothing identifiable, kwim? The content should be what he's selling, and hopefully the artist can design one logo or some graphic that is muted, and doesn't distract from your DH.

One man's beach is another man's lush mountain hike, or snow covered paradise, right?

finally, that shot isn't exactly in focus, and there's something odd about it.  Like the focus was the front trees and everything behind is slightly blurred.  It looks like some regular schmo took it, not professional at all.  Cute as a reminder of being there, but not as a brand.

[sonrisa]

Nov 2, 2013 1:41:43 GMT -5 Moe said:

I don't like it.

He's not selling the beach, or any beach related services.

Some don't like beaches, reminds him of sand in crotch or in cars or that bad sunburn they once got where they vowed to not return.

For a professional website, I'd go to a graphic designer and have her/hum design a layout with nothing identifiable, kwim? The content should be what he's selling, and hopefully the artist can design one logo or some graphic that is muted, and doesn't distract from your DH.

One man's beach is another man's lush mountain hike, or snow covered paradise, right?

Fair enough.

It isn't a generic water shot - that is what is adjacent to the building and the parking lot - what you look at as you walk in and out of the office building and what is out the window when you sit in therapy. If you fear the bay, you'd probably jump ship after the first appointment anyways. (Not that you are suggesting a phobia level of discomfort).

He really wanted some of those generic zen photos of the bridge or Mt. Tam or rocks or water or whatever. I told him if he wanted a photo it should be relevant to his actual practice - ie. the actual bay view from his window. 

[Moe]

Read last edit.

[sonrisa]

Nov 2, 2013 1:41:43 GMT -5 Moe said:

finally, that shot isn't exactly in focus, and there's something odd about it.  Like the focus was the front trees and everything behind is slightly blurred.  It looks like some regular schmo took it, not professional at all.  Cute as a reminder of being there, but not as a brand.

It was just rough shots to get a sense of what was there and not the final one he'd use. We'd retake or have them retaken and the cropping might not be exactly that portion.(The haze before the far land mass can't be avoided because of the air, but the light and the water could both be much better).  I don't know that he was thinking of it as a branding thing. Any logo would be up at the top. But once you put a photo out there, it does become a branding issue, doesn't it?

Oh well. I get really bored of stock zen photos but they do have the edge of looking professional and being within his budget.

[sonrisa]

(This is for a very part-time private practice that currently costs us about $600/month. It probably won't break even in the next year given the time constraints of his day job and moonlighting commitments, plus the newborn next month. Any professional branding is going to have to wait until he is actually seeing patients. Time, not marketing, is the biggest limiting step right now. However, he doesn't want to open shop until he has a website (even though half the psychiatrists around here don't have one). For now, the rent, insurance, phone services, separate DEA license fees, etc. are all out of pocket. It has taken over a year to get this close. At this point I just want him to slap his name and info on a blank webpage so that he can start seeing the people who keep asking when he's opening his practice.)

[gretchenindisguise]

It made me think of Alcatraz.

[gretchenindisguise]

Eta: I don't think his clients have the wherewithal to care.

[sonrisa]

Nov 2, 2013 2:29:35 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Eta: I don't think his clients have the wherewithal to care.

Still imaginary clients are convenient like that.

[sonrisa]

Okay. Photo is out.

[gretchenindisguise]

Just use the photo. Honestly. You're thinking too much and too rationally.

Especially for a very part time.

When it goes full time, care.

[sonrisa]

Nov 2, 2013 2:35:27 GMT -5 gretchenindisguise said:

Just use the photo. Honestly. You're Your husband is thinking too much and too rationally.

Especially for a very part time.

When it goes full time, care.

fffy. One competitor has a website with a vivid orange background and yellow font, ffs. Another decorated his webpage with mistletoe. fucking mistletoe. Another website is blocked because of a virus. The best of the bunch has a website explicitly sponsored by a drug company.

If they can read it, it will be a step up. 

[gretchenindisguise]

Yup. Trust. He can have whatever he wants.

[gretchenindisguise]

Ps. I'd send you a pm but the app sucks. Send me a pm and I'll respond.

[Deleted]

I am in web design hell as well right now Sonrisa...and he'll yes we have a stock Golden Gate Bridge pic . We have been ripping our hair out for 3 weeks now and the other day I said I my business partner:

1. At this point done is better than perfect
2. As soon as we sign a contract we are hiring a web designer.

It's so frustrating.