Build a Photo Gallery Web Site to Share Your Pictures

And Put Your Best Foot Forward!

by Kerry Drager
author of Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood , Scenic Photography 101

If you've ever felt frustrated trying to post your images online, you've found the simple solution!
No more need to hassle with HTML, CSS, or BYOB. You'll be online ASAP!
When you get a photo gallery or web site at BetterPhoto, you will have your beautiful photos online in a matter of minutes. You be able to get back to the fun part - taking pictures - and your photos will be impressing your friends and family before you know it!

Deluxe BetterPholio
© Kerry Drager
All Rights Reserved

You can enjoy sharing photos right now! It's so easy. Take the following simple steps and you will soon be showing your best photos to the world!

Tip #1: Show Only Your BEST Work

It's been said that the difference between beginning and experienced photographers is that novices show ALL their pictures while experts show ONLY their best. Whether you're a serious hobbyist or an aspiring pro, self-critiquing is a key step in a photographer's development.

An online photo gallery is a great way to get a handle on your work. In other words, you can easily see how your newest photos measure up to your best previous work. BetterPhoto.com® can help you build a photo gallery web site with four simple options: Free BetterPholio, upgraded Premium BetterPholio, or full-fledged Web site for photographers (Deluxe or Pro BetterPholio).

Premium BetterPholio
© Kerry Drager
All Rights Reserved

With any online photo gallery, your images being displayed should be your best work. Viewers tend to look first at those images of lesser quality ... thus, your best photos are often overshadowed by the less-stellar ones. You want them to walk away wanting to see more... not unsatisfied.

Tip #2: Wait Before Deleting Your Photos

Time is part of the process, since the best analysis really can't be done immediately after shooting. If possible, wait a while until the excitement (and emotions) of the experience has died down. That's the best way to properly evaluate your images.

When you do get to the review stage, judge your photos not just in terms of technical aspects (focusing and exposure), but also in terms of good light, proper Depth of Field, a strong composition, etc. And check them for possible distractions, too (i.e., glaring "hot spots" or other background objects that draw the eye away from the main subject).

The review process should be part of your ongoing workflow. For example, photos you considered great now may be replaced by even better images somewhere down the road.

Tip #3: Study the Photo Galleries of Others

Study the work of other photographers. At BetterPhoto, this too is super easy! For example, check out the galleries and Web sites of instructors and other BP members.

Also, look at the photo contest finalists and winners each month. As you look at all of these stellar photos, try to determine why certain photos catch your eye:

Is it the viewpoint?
The light?
The composition?
Something else?

The Next Step: Build Your Photo Gallery or Take an Online Photography Class

Okay are you ready to build a photo gallery web site? BetterPhoto offers lots of photo sharing options - all cool and very sleek. To find your best next online photo gallery or Web site, compare the BetterPholio™ options.

Also you can take an online class to learn how to put your very best foot forward, developing portfolios that display your finest photos. In his BetterPhoto online photo course - Portfolio Development - Outdoor Photographer columnist William Neill covers the art of editing your images and developing thematic portfolios.

Also, check out BP's exciting ProCritiques™ feature. Upload up to 8 photos and get a critique by a professional instructor!

Have fun shooting and editing!

About Author / Instructor / Photographer, Kerry Drager

The content manager and an instructor for BetterPhoto.com, Kerry Drager is also the author of Scenic Photography 101. In addition, he teaches two online photography courses at BetterPhoto: Creative Light & Composition and Creative Close-ups.

Kerry's Pro BetterPholio Web site offers an assortment of galleries and illustrated how-to articles on photography. In addition, kerrydrager.com was featured in Shutterbug magazine.

His work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer and other major magazines; Hallmark cards and Sierra Club Calendars; and in advertising campaigns for American Express and Sinar Bron Imaging. He is also the photographer of the photo-essay books The Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood and California Desert, and is a contributing photographer for the books Daybreak 2000 and Portrait of California.

He lives with his wife, Mary, in the country near Sacramento, California, with their six Newfoundland dogs, six cats, two horses, and a mixed terrier.