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Welcome

Welcome to the FlashPalette blog. Here you will find the latest happenings, products and promotions. If it is to be said, it will be said here, so keep an eye out!

WPPI – Sale – For those Who Did not Get to Attend

We are running a sale for all of you who did and those who did not get to attend WPPI.  It’s a wonderful event full of great classes a chance to mingle and meet others who share your passion, but it’s also not something everyone can experience every year.

Since not everyone can attend and get in on the great vendor specials at the show, we thought we would do a sale for all our clients.  The sale goes until Saturday the 13th of March.

You can save 30% on all Flashplatte Websites and Deco Imaging Websites too!~

Website Crash – Reminder

This is the most common email we get asking how to deal with finding the files when your computer has crashed.

To start with make sure you do a backup.  I recommend using an online backup service. I use and love Backblaze.  They have fantastic support and their fee covers external drives (many do not).  SO I always start by reminding everyone to back up your website files, just as you should your regular files.

If you have had a computer crash you can find the steps to reload your website here.

Updates: Website templates updated

We have been busy updating our website templates.  The following editors have new versions available for download.

08A – newest version is 3.5.8

Team Steve – newest version is 3.53

Gavin – newest version is 3.5.12

Tristan – newest version is 3.5.4

Happy Updating.

Getting your website Searched: Use Google to Verify your site

Frequently we get clients who ask us — how do I know if my site is getting serached?  There is an easy way to find out, use the Google Webmaster tools.  You can use the Webmaster tools to verify your website.

This is easy to do and will require just a bit of time.  With FlashPalette websites we recommend that you use the html verification tool.

1. Sign up with Googles Webmaster Tools

2. Click on Add site

3. After you add your site click on Verify.

4. Select the HTML option

5. Download the html file Google has provided.

6. Load the File Google provides into your public_html folder on your server.

7. Go back and click Verify

8. After the code is loaded correctly you will see the statistics for your website show up.

Shannon

These are the two resources that Google has for you (if you have not signed up you should today).

Website Design: Photographer Websites

The start of any great website is of  course your images.  It is your images that you want your clients to focus on, but there are a few things to consider when building a website.

The next is you want to write good text — and that requires the following:
1. Write clearly and keep your text to a minimum, you want your information to be easily found.

2. Make sure your images match you desciption of your style

3. EDIT EDIT EDIT — you need to make sure you avoid misspelled words and other errors.

Use colors that are pleasing and complimentary one of my favorite places to find color matches is kuler it’s a free site and I just love the various combinations of color that appear!

Then the rest is up to you — you need your site to reflect who you are as person and as a photographer.

Shannon

FlashPalette Websites – Tips for finding files

A frequent question sent to us is where do I find my files on my computer. For all templates except the 04/05/06 and the original editors (you will know if you have one as your interface does not look like the one below).

It’s actually really easy to figure out once you understand where to look.

You open your editor.

Then click on the website tab on the left.

Then you will see a spot on the right called base directory.

Your website is located in that base directory. (see below for an example).

flashpalette websites, website templates for photographers

Monday: Words Count

Nothing is more important to  any photographer then their images.  This is how, you as photographers, view the world and make your living. However, when it comes to your website it is also important to make sure your words match your images.  You need to make sure if you are describing your style as breezy and fun that your gallery images relfect that.  You also need to make sure you identify and speak the language that makes you sound like an expert without using too many technical terms making your site sound stiff and formal.

Shannon

08A /08 Editor Updated : Flashpalette websites

We have updated the 08/08 editor.  The new interface has better image importing and a few other features.
You can download it from our website, the 08 editor is located in the $90 templates.

Regards,
Shannon

Friday Finds: FlashPalette Website Templates

Fridays are the day I plan to share with you things I have found. They may or may not be related to building websites.  They will be related in some way to photography and business.

Here are today’s finds:

Do you ever wonder about selling gift cards and the rules that you need to be aware of?  If so this is the site for you. It lists each states requirements for a business that sells a gift card.

Do you have a polaroid? Did you stock up on film when they stopped production?  Did you miss out and worry that you will never be able to find one?  If so worry no more they are coming out with a new polaroid camera and it is going to use the same film, the 600.  This means you can dust off your old one or head out and get a new one.  Check out the new polaroid

Thursday Tip: How to size your images Mini and Standard Sites

As photographers the most important part of your website is your images.  You want to make sure they shine and look their best.  This article will tell you the best way to prepare your images for your website template.

To start with all the templates have different requirements.

Standard and Mini Templates:

The standard and mini templates have fixed sizes on the images.  This means if you import an image that is bigger then the editor accepts the editor will automatically reszie the image.  So if you cropped your image in photoshop your image will be downsized again, which can result in pixelation.

The best practice is to start with the full resolution image and then crop your images to the editor size.  All sizes are also listed on the batch import button as well and are at 72DPI.

Mini Editors:

Note the Mini editor resize your images when imported.  For best results we always recommend you start with a full resolution image and crop it to the maximum size the editor will accept. You can also see the pixel size when you click on batch import to the editor.

Mini Plain
gallery: 720 pixels wide by 420 pixels high at 72DPI
home page: 860 pixels wide by 450 high  pixels at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 830 pixels wide by 420 Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box.
Mini Lacy
gallery: 600 pixels wide  370 pixels high at 72DPI
home page: 750  pixels wide 375 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 750 pixels wide by 360 pixels high at 72 DPI Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box. pixels at 72DPI
Mini 01A:
gallery: 900 pixels wide by 550 pixels high at 72DPI
home page: 860 pixels wide by 450 high  pixels at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 900 pixels wide by 550 pixels Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box.
Mini Frame
gallery: 670 pixels wide 420 pixels high at 72DPI
home page: 865  pixels wide 506 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 830 pixels wide by 420 pixels high at 72 DPI Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfer with your text box. pixels at 72DPI
Tina Parker:
gallery: 570 pixels wide 380 pixels high at 72DPI
home page: 750  pixels wide 375 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 300 pixels wide by 400  pixels high at 72 DPI Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box. pixels at 72DPI
04A
gallery regular: 600 pixels wide 400 pixels high at 72DPI
gallery client: 490 pixels wide by 400 pixels high at 72DPI
home page:  800  pixels wide 450 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 200-600 pixels wide by 400  pixels high at 72 DPI. Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box.
05A
galleries (regular and client): 800 pixels wide 420pixels high at 72DPI
home page:  800  pixels wide 450 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 200-600 pixels wide by 400  pixels high at 72 DPI. Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box.
06A
galleries (regular and client): 800 pixels wide 420pixels high at 72DPI
home page:  800  pixels wide 450 pixels high at 72DPI
text pages can have images up to 200-600 pixels wide by 400  pixels high at 72 DPI. Note the wider you make the image the more it will interfere with your text box.
Standard Sites:
Note the standard editors resize your images when imported.  For best results we always recommend you start with a full resolution image and crop it to the maximum size the editor will accept. You can also see the pixel size when you click on batch import to the editor.  Text pages images that are the maximum width may interfere with the text box in some editors.
Team Steve:
Text page image size : 860 pixels wide by 450 pixels high at 72 DPI
Gallery Pages: 710 pixels wide by  450 pixels high at 72 DPI
home page slide show: 860 pixels wide by  450 pixels high at 72 DPI
10E:
Text page image size : 650 pixels wide by 440 pixels high at 72 DPI
Gallery Pages: 650 pixels wide by 720 pixels high at 72 DPI
home page slide show: 650 pixels wide by 720 pixels high at 72 DPI
07E:
Text page image size : 650 pixels wide by 440 pixels high at 72 DPI
Gallery Pages: 650 pixels wide by 720 pixels high at 72 DPI
home page slide show: 650 pixels wide by 720 pixels high at 72 DPI
09E1/09E2
home page: 660 pixels by 440 pixels at 72 DPI
text pages: 660 pixels by 440 pixels at 72 DPI
gallery images: 660 pixels by 440 pixels at 72 DPI
Nikki Lynn:
Images for Nikki Lynn for the home page and galleries are the same:
1200 pixels by 800 pixels at 72DPI
Austin:
All images can be imported at 1900×1200 pixels to have a full screen effect. Note if you do not want this make your images smaller.
This editor does not have.  Image on the text page but takes a background image. For the best results when using a photograph use the dimension 1900×1200 pixels at 72DPI.
08A:
All images are now full screen. The best way to prepare them is to crop them to 1900×1200 pixels for the home page slideshow.  The editor will downsize the images for the gallery to rougly 800×600 pixels.
That’s it!

Shannon