Building a photography website — Part 1

Is it possible to build your own photography website — including an online shop — without any IT knowledge?

I did it, so the answer is yes!

But I won’t lie, the process was overwhelming at times. There were countless decisions to make and I spent hours figuring out how things worked, learning a lot from my mistakes along the way. Want to skip the trial-and-error and learn what worked for me? I’ll walk you through the entire process, sharing all the ups, downs and lessons learned along the way. If I can do it, so can you!

Step 1: Choosing a website builder

So, first things first. You want a website, you need a website builder. And this is where the endless series of decisions begins: Which one should you choose? During my research, both online and by asking fellow photographers, two names kept popping up: Wix and Squarespace. Both are well-known, beginner-friendly website builders that many photographers use.

I chose Squarespace for two reasons: Squarespace is known for its elegant, clean and professional high-end design — exactly what I wanted for my site! The second reason is, that a photographer friend of mine uses it and is very happy with it, which meant I had a reliable person to turn to for questions (and that turned out to be really helpful!).

So Squarespace it was! Of course, you can spend weeks researching, but in the end, most reputable website builders will do the job. I can honestly say I’m happy with my decision, though I did run into some challenges and drawbacks — which, of course, I’ll share with you in this and following posts.

Tip: keep an eye out for Squarespace promotions — I got a discount for the entire first year!

Step 2: Brainstorming & website structure

Once I had my platform, the brainstorming began. I spent a lot of time looking at other photographers’ websites to get an idea of what I wanted. The challenge? How do I make my website stand out among so many amazing ones!

Key decisions to make:

• Website Layout & Design — Layout, font, font size, colors may seem like small details, but they form the core of your brand. I experimented a lot before settling on a design that truly felt right.

• Page Structure & Navigation — I wanted my menu to be clean and intuitive, making it easy for visitors to find what they need. Hopefully I succeeded!

• Website language — Since I want to reach people in different countries, I built my website in English. To serve the German-speaking audience in Switzerland, I used Weglot for translation and hired a professional translator to ensure the German text was perfect. Honest review of Weglot: I’m not a big fan. Even a small change to your original text causes your custom translations to disappear, forcing you to start over. There are other translation tools available, so it might be worth exploring them.

Essential pages for a photography website:

• Home —Your main landing page, where visitors get their first impression. And as they say, first impressions matter.

• About Me — A must for photographers! People want to know who’s behind the camera, your story, experience and style. Make it personal!

• Portfolio — Because, let's be honest, everyone wants to see your work.

• Contact — Make it easy for potential clients to reach you.

• Store (optional) — Before adding my store, I went through a personal journey. It wasn’t just about setting up an online shop, it was about believing in the quality of my work (Am I good enough?), taking my career change seriously and turning my passion into profit. It was a big step, but I’m so glad I took it! (Never Try, Never Know!, remember?)

• Blog (optional)— I debated for months whether to add a blog. Eventually, I went for it because I see it as a way to make my site more personal and stand out a little (and hopefully, you agree!).

Of course, this list is just the beginning. I envision my website growing and evolving over the next few years. Dream BIG!

Step 3: Practical Tips & Tricks I learned

• Optimizing images for the Web — Resize your images before uploading — it’s a classic beginner’s mistake (one I made too!). I didn’t resize my images and halfway through, my website froze due to large file sizes. Keep your images under 500 KB for faster loading and a smooth user experience.

• Use alt text — Search engines can’t “see” images, only read text — which is a disadvantage for photographers. That’s why adding short, clear descriptions (alt text) to your photos is essential. To be honest, I’m still working on this myself, as Google seems to have trouble finding my site!

• Legal Must-Haves — I’m definitely not an expert here, but I did my homework and added a Terms & Conditions, Impressum, Data protection and Cookie policy. Hopefully this covers me! Depending on the country you live in, make sure to research legal requirements for websites.

• Ask for help! — There’s no shame in reaching out for advice. Whether it’s hiring a professional or asking experienced photographers, investing in help can save you time and frustration.

• ChatGTP — My secret weapon! I have to admit, I’m a huge ChatGPT fan. My English is good, but ChatGPT makes it better. So don’t be afraid to use modern tools to polish your content and save time!

Step 4: The hidden struggles of using Squarespace I encountered

Squarespace is a popular website builder, but one major drawback for me are the limited customization options, making it difficult to create a truly unique website without advanced coding knowledge. I wanted to customize my site to match a specific style I had in mind, so I had to dive into the world of CSS coding (using CSS, you can customize your Squarespace site beyond the standard templates). With the help of Youtube tutorials and the Squarespace Forum, I eventually managed to adjust my site to meet my needs. However, it was a time-consuming and, at times, frustrating process. While the platform’s templates are visually appealing, they can feel restrictive — especially for photographers who need more flexibility in layout and design.

While Squarespace has its challenges, I’m happy with the overall look and functionality of my website.

Step 5: What’s next?

I genuinely enjoyed the process of building my website. It took a few months, with breaks, brainstorming sessions and plenty of trial and error. But in the end, I’m incredibly happy with the result!

Now comes the real challenge: getting people to visit my site — and, even better, getting them to check out my store and fall in love with one of my photographs or book a workshop!

Next up: Setting up an online store

In my next blog post, I’ll share how I set up my store, the key decisions I made and what I wish I had known earlier. If you’d like to be notified when it’s live, subscribe to my newsletter and keep an eye on your inbox!