Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:46 pm
Hi Carole , purely as a "punter" and ex-skier (not a web selling aficionado) I really like the black and white. To me it looks really crisp and clean. I think the (mainly) winter-sports angle works great with the colour-scheme (white mountains, blue skies , green mountains etc.)
I tried that on mine first of all as yours was one of the sites I looked at and liked but I felt it didn't work with my angle.
I am on a different laptop & browser now with a wide screen. Either you have changed your availability image which now fits my page fine or my different set-up copes with it. Good improvement. You can link straight to the HL availability calendar if you like. I have chosen not to as I'd prefer not to lead anyone to HL if they find me on their own !
I guess you have added the footer links. Very handy but I think the anchored menu on the side looks quite cool . It's dead easy to do. Let me know if you need a confidence boost !
There is nothing I would criticise but in an attempt to be ultra picky
I really like your banner font and style. It looks classy
The title for each page in the grey bar I would like to see a bit bigger. It's kinda lost between the banner and the body.
I like the short first page , but from the skiing angle perhaps a bit more about the type of skiing available (it's a double edged sword if it's either all blue or all black however )
It's difficult to take photographs of a small room. They are all nice and bright which is great. It looks a bit bare , so some more homely touches would be nice. Perhaps make the bed-settee up as a bed for a shot (nicely dressed of course). For the table shot, move the couch out of the way so it isn't in shot. The same for the bunk bed shot , move he table (or crop them). Dress the sink area a bit (I know its "compact"). Perhaps a striking picture/painting/wall-hanging in the settee shot. The curtains in your "The Studio" page could be tidied up ... or if it's a window shoot it in daylight so it looks more open.
There are some fantastic scenery shots. Personally I'd loose the one of the car in the car-park. It looks a bit bleak.
Some of the photos in your gallery look like they are sized too small and are being zoomed to fit the image size. It is making them grainy and losing the edges. I don't know the best size but mine are 350 x 270 but I think that is still too small as they look zoomed (you see it in my imprinted url most readily)
"Opposite the studio" isn't doing the location justice. I guess you aren't advertising the concrete (or is it tennis courts ?) so re-shoot by walking forward so you just see the fantastic mountains. If you are advertising the courts either get them with nets up or re-shoot omitting them. The same is true of some shots with the road in the foreground. They tarmac isn't adding to the shot
The problem with photography is you have to work with what you have. Some of the town shots you have had to shot with very flat light (clouds). Try and re-shoot with a bit of sunshine to give more light and shade. It will lift the whole look
Increase the text size of your gallery captions. I am using 4 which is probably too big I guess you are 1 or 2 so try 3.
I hope I haven't gone OTT !. I really like the look and feel of our site. I suspect we are trying to hit different buttons. With my skiing head on I would be looking for a the right location for skiing and apres-ski first. A nice place to kip is a bonus. You are lucky as you have both.
I suspect my feedback is a comment on my own website attempt. I scan read and focus on the visual more than I do on text content.
I didn't do a links section on mine but after seeing yours I think I will
I tried that on mine first of all as yours was one of the sites I looked at and liked but I felt it didn't work with my angle.
I am on a different laptop & browser now with a wide screen. Either you have changed your availability image which now fits my page fine or my different set-up copes with it. Good improvement. You can link straight to the HL availability calendar if you like. I have chosen not to as I'd prefer not to lead anyone to HL if they find me on their own !
I guess you have added the footer links. Very handy but I think the anchored menu on the side looks quite cool . It's dead easy to do. Let me know if you need a confidence boost !
There is nothing I would criticise but in an attempt to be ultra picky
I really like your banner font and style. It looks classy
The title for each page in the grey bar I would like to see a bit bigger. It's kinda lost between the banner and the body.
I like the short first page , but from the skiing angle perhaps a bit more about the type of skiing available (it's a double edged sword if it's either all blue or all black however )
It's difficult to take photographs of a small room. They are all nice and bright which is great. It looks a bit bare , so some more homely touches would be nice. Perhaps make the bed-settee up as a bed for a shot (nicely dressed of course). For the table shot, move the couch out of the way so it isn't in shot. The same for the bunk bed shot , move he table (or crop them). Dress the sink area a bit (I know its "compact"). Perhaps a striking picture/painting/wall-hanging in the settee shot. The curtains in your "The Studio" page could be tidied up ... or if it's a window shoot it in daylight so it looks more open.
There are some fantastic scenery shots. Personally I'd loose the one of the car in the car-park. It looks a bit bleak.
Some of the photos in your gallery look like they are sized too small and are being zoomed to fit the image size. It is making them grainy and losing the edges. I don't know the best size but mine are 350 x 270 but I think that is still too small as they look zoomed (you see it in my imprinted url most readily)
"Opposite the studio" isn't doing the location justice. I guess you aren't advertising the concrete (or is it tennis courts ?) so re-shoot by walking forward so you just see the fantastic mountains. If you are advertising the courts either get them with nets up or re-shoot omitting them. The same is true of some shots with the road in the foreground. They tarmac isn't adding to the shot
The problem with photography is you have to work with what you have. Some of the town shots you have had to shot with very flat light (clouds). Try and re-shoot with a bit of sunshine to give more light and shade. It will lift the whole look
Increase the text size of your gallery captions. I am using 4 which is probably too big I guess you are 1 or 2 so try 3.
I hope I haven't gone OTT !. I really like the look and feel of our site. I suspect we are trying to hit different buttons. With my skiing head on I would be looking for a the right location for skiing and apres-ski first. A nice place to kip is a bonus. You are lucky as you have both.
I suspect my feedback is a comment on my own website attempt. I scan read and focus on the visual more than I do on text content.
I didn't do a links section on mine but after seeing yours I think I will