ONLINE PORTFOLIO
Want to showcase your work online in a professional format but without a high price tag? Joshua Waller talks us through the best website builders for photographers, which don’t cost a fortune
If you’re looking to make money from photography, and are starting to build up a portfolio of great photographs, then you’ll need a way to share your images with the world. And of course, you can set up a Facebook page, but to add an extra level of professionalism, a website that showcases all your work will be the best way to go. For that you’ll want to find the best website builder for photographers. In this guide, we’ll show you some of the best options available to share your photography. Websites that are designed to show off your photographs don’t have to cost the Earth and will always look far more professional in comparison to simply having a Facebook page.
When it comes to setting up an online portfolio, there are several websites that are set up specifically for photographers (and artists), and no doubt you’ll have seen advertising for them. The best way to set up an online portfolio is to create a dedicated website for yourself, and in the past, this would have been an expensive affair, where you would have had to employ a website builder to make something for you.
However, things have changed, as you can simply pay for a website with a website-building company like WIX or Squarespace, and have them build it all for you, with a ‘What you see is what you get’ (WYSIWIG) interface, making it relatively quick and easy to get going. With these, you’ll also be able to start selling your photographs and services, and this can quickly turn your photography into a paid job! So, let’s look at what’s on offer, how much they cost, and why you might choose one over the other.
WIX
• From £4 per month with ads, £7.50 per month without ads
WIX is one of the biggest website builders out there and makes it extremely easy to create and set up a website. You can even use your Facebook logon to sign up. You’ll be able to customise the look of the site and if you get stuck you can pay for additional support. The company makes it easy to set up different sections, such as a portfolio, photo albums you can share with clients, pricing plans, a blog, events, and more. In terms of features, WIX is one of the best.
For many people it will be overkill, and the sheer number of options and settings may be daunting for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
You can set up a free website, but if you want to start selling, you’ll need to upgrade.
Squarespace
• From £10 per month
Squarespace is another big player in the websitebuilding world, offering sites to suit businesses, r
