My new website is up

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Hi all,

I have just completed a total remake of my own website. My intent is to make it simple, easy to navigate, and reasonably elegant. Oh, yes: and no "flash" required.

I created the actual galleries using BreezeBrowser Pro, with some custom templates derived from some of the ones that come with it. The rest of the site is hand-coded (that's how to teach yourself html, people.      )
Helpful critique is solicited.

-Eric

P.S. The url is the same. If you have ever visited my site, you might have to click "reload" if you get the old site (old has dark background; new is white).

[kikashi]

Hi all,

I have just completed a total remake of my own website. My intent is to make it simple, easy to navigate, and reasonably elegant. Oh, yes: and no "flash" required.

I created the actual galleries using BreezeBrowser Pro, with some custom templates derived from some of the ones that come with it. The rest of the site is hand-coded (that's how to teach yourself html, people.      )
Helpful critique is solicited.

-Eric

Two initial thoughts: it's a shame that you can't navigate between large images using the arrow keys, and it would be nice to be able to get from large image view to the gallery overview in one step. OTOH, I'm happy that the "next" button doesn't jump around, so at least I don't have to move the mouse.

I do like your road tar shots, though!

Jeremy

[LoisWakeman]

Hi Eric,

Hope it doesn't count as 'nasty' to say that it doesn't work well in Firefox - scroll bars are visible in every frame, and only part of your featured image is visible "above the fold". See the attached screen shot - which is running full-screen at 1280x800 on my laptop (and I usually run at less than full screen so get horizontal scrollbars too).

I see you are open to getting your hands dirty using HTML, so may I suggest you might like to learn about liquid CSS-based layouts, rather than relying on frames, which are not very usable/accessible compared to all the techniques available these days? Especially as the layout changes once we get into the galleries or the blog, which is mildly disconcerting.

The photos themselves are wonderful and deserve not to be encumbered by the UI widget clutter from the frames

[joergen geerds]

Hi Eric,

Hope it doesn't count as 'nasty' to say that it doesn't work well in Firefox - scroll bars are visible in every frame, and only part of your featured image is visible "above the fold". See the attached screen shot - which is running full-screen at 1280x800 on my laptop (and I usually run at less than full screen so get horizontal scrollbars too).

The photos themselves are wonderful and deserve not to be encumbered by the UI widget clutter from the frames

Hi Lois,

i think your comment about the fold is a bit unfair to eric. His website is pretty decent, and works for a multitude of resolutions. You have so much stuff in your firefox (4 rows of bookmarks, plus tabs, plus other stuff), that it's hardly worth calling "full screen." An iPhone has more screen real estate devoted to content than you have. You should turn off the visibility of that stuff before commenting that your stuff is pushing content below the fold.

Eric:

nice portfolio. I personally wouldn't mind if the left navigation would be tree-like and would stay in place, instead of replacing everything when one goes into the gallery. good work.

[deeyas]

Hi Eric,

Hope it doesn't count as 'nasty' to say that it doesn't work well in Firefox - scroll bars are visible in every frame, and only part of your featured image is visible "above the fold". See the attached screen shot - which is running full-screen at 1280x800 on my laptop (and I usually run at less than full screen so get horizontal scrollbars too).

I see you are open to getting your hands dirty using HTML, so may I suggest you might like to learn about liquid CSS-based layouts, rather than relying on frames, which are not very usable/accessible compared to all the techniques available these days? Especially as the layout changes once we get into the galleries or the blog, which is mildly disconcerting.

The photos themselves are wonderful and deserve not to be encumbered by the UI widget clutter from the frames

Eric,

Your work is captivating, especially the Road Tar images. The website is simple, and it works! I see the same issue as Lois did on Firefox. I've attached screenshots from Firefox and Chrome.
One thing I would like to see on your site, is a "preview image" for the galleries, instead of a link. Maybe the Sand, Road Tar, etc. links can be replaced by one of the gallery images?
On the whole, its fairly simple to navigate and showcases your images well.

[BlasR]

EricM,

I have a problem too

I just call  M.I.T to removed your photos from Brockton.

You must be a champion to be around here.

Only the Champion can be orund



BTW your site, is much better.



BlasR

[Ray]

No problem at all, Eric, viewing your photos on my computer. You've got some lovely shots there. I'm thinking of designing my own website (or getting someone to design it for me), but I'm a bit lazy. Your arrangement seems fine. But what the heck is road tar? I thought for a moment I was viewing Chinese characters. How did those designs get into the tar? What's all that about?

[Lisa Nikodym]

I really admire your work, Eric.  I especially loved the Italian doors and "urban canyons".

It's also a relief to see a web site that's simple and efficient.

Lisa

[DarkPenguin]

Very nice.

How do you pronounce "Myrvaagnes"?

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Wow! Thank you all for the helpful and supportive comments.

@Jeremy:   The arrow keys and one-step-to-gallery page seem easily doable. I'll hope to fix those soon.

@Lois:   I have no problem with Firefox (no scroll bars at all), but I am using a pair of 21" monitors, and I admit I have a prejudice that "real photographers don't use laptops". But I also realize that many others do use them, and when I tried the site on my wife's laptop, I got the cramped, ugly look. So yes: I've got to do something about that. I have been avoiding learning about CSS, but my experience putting this site together has indeed taught me why I need to learn it. So I will look for a copy of "The Complete Imbecile's Guide to CSS".

@jeorgen:   I suspect that once I master CSS, as Lois suggests, that making the left navigation panels consistent throughout will be much easier. The harder trick for me at my present state of web-knowledge is how to make the pages look good on both big and small screens.

@deeyas:   A preview image for each gallery is a great idea, and it should be easy to implement.

@Blas:   Where's your website? I need to steal it!    

@Ray:   You asked "What the heck is road tar?" In parts of the U.S., and certainly in many cities and towns around Boston, our asphalt-paved roads develop cracks after a few New England winters. Back when there were fewer cars on the road and asphalt and tar were in (seemingly) infinite supply, many roads were regularly resurfaced with a second, third, or fourth layer of asphalt. In recent years, in order to prolong the life of the road surface a few more years, the cracks are sometimes filled with a thin stream of tar. A tank truck with a load of heated tar drives slowly along the road, and a worker walks behind it operating a nozzle very much like a giant version of a cake-decorating nozzle. The worker just dribbles tar wherever he (or she, to be P.C.) sees a crack. Some years ago while driving along a road treated this way, I saw the scene in the late afternoon that became the first of my "Road Tar" series. The late day sunlight was backlighting the scene, making the shiny tar drips glow, while the older asphalt stayed dark. I have gone looking for scenes like that ever since. For the image to work, the sun needs to be in the right place, and any shadows or street gizmos (drains, etc.) need to "belong" in the image. I'm planning soon to try some night shots, using streetlights and headlights for the light source, especially on streets that don't run in the best direction for sunlight. So the "artist" is really the guy who puts down the tar; I just record it.

@Lisa:   You know I visit your website often when I want to explore places -- especially mountains -- that I'm not likely to get to myself.

@ Everybody:    Again, thanks for your help and comments. I will report in again when I've made some of the changes suggested. But don't hold your breath; I've got to get out and play with my new G10 and my old 5D, too.

Cheers,

Eric

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Very nice.

How do you pronounce "Myrvaagnes"?

Hi Dark,

1.   I generally answer to anything that starts with "M" and goes on for several syllables. When someone seems to be struggling mightily with it, I often wait and wait and let them struggle.

2.   JanI can give you the authentic Norwegian pronunciation, which would put the accent on the first syllable and roll the "R", coming out something like this: "MEERRRR-vogue-ness". My father came from Norway.

3.   The usual anglicised pronunciation puts the accent on the second syllable, and is something like this: "meer-VOG-ness".

4.   I sometimes tell people simply to break it into three parts (Myr   vaag   nes) and say whatever seems to fit.

The "aa" in present-day Norwegian is usually represented by one "A" with a small circle over it: "å".

Now repeat it 500 times.    

Eric

[BlasR]

@Blas:   Where's your website? I need to steal it!    

Here is my website.    BMRworldPhotos.com



The more to come on the country. Front page may me change to dreamweaver, So now I need to start all over again.

BlasR

[DarkPenguin]

Now repeat it 500 times.    

Eric

It's pronounced Smith, got it.

[DarkPenguin]

I love this ....

http://myrvaagnes.com/GWalls/bluehillcrw_0004bl.htm

.... and this ....

http://myrvaagnes.com/GWalls/stainspipecw2estretch2l.htm

I can stare at those like I'm trying to figure out a Rothko.

Might have to get me one of those.  How does one go about ordering the December print o d month?

As an aside my Ctein prints arrived.  Those were the ones offered through the Online Photographer.  I was going to give one of them as an xmas gift but after seeing them I'm keeping them.  They can have them when I'm dead.  My cat has already tried to destroy them twice.

[francois]

Eric,
I very much like the simplicity of your website, to goes directly to the essential, IOW your photos. I must say that your Road Tar gallery is fantastic. I also like a lot the Urban Canyons and Doors photos.

By the way, I browsed your website using an iPhone and navigation works very very well.

[mahleu]

A line break above the "site last updated" would probably help as would using a smaller font for that.

Otherwise very nice and spacious.

[LoisWakeman]

Hi Lois,

i think your comment about the fold is a bit unfair to eric. His website is pretty decent, and works for a multitude of resolutions. You have so much stuff in your firefox (4 rows of bookmarks, plus tabs, plus other stuff), that it's hardly worth calling "full screen." An iPhone has more screen real estate devoted to content than you have. You should turn off the visibility of that stuff before commenting that your stuff is pushing content below the fold.

Fair enough point, Joergen. But a CSS liquid layout would accommodate everyone - iphone, gooseberry, blackberry, chrome, IE, firefox, favourites pane open or closed, toobars enabled or disabled, full screen, widescreen, laptop, designer's huge screen...
Anyway, Eric was very gracious in his reply so I hope my quickly dashed off post was mildly helpful.

[LoisWakeman]

Here is my website.    BMRworldPhotos.com

Tricky to actually view your site without breaking the copyright restriction straight off  

"Images may not be downloaded, copied, linked to, printed or used in any way without written permission from the photographers. All rights reserved"

- you do know the browser automatically downloads the images when you open the page?

[BlasR]

Tricky to actually view your site without breaking the copyright restriction straight off  

"Images may not be downloaded, copied, linked to, printed or used in any way without written permission from the photographers. All rights reserved"

- you do know the browser automatically downloads the images when you open the page?

Ya, but what do you going to do, with small image?

Plus I have my dog washing after you  

Anyway, how it look?,,,two weeks to do it


BlasR

[LoisWakeman]

Ya, but what do you going to do, with small image?

Plus I have my dog washing after you  

Anyway, how it look?,,,two weeks to do it


BlasR

Looks fine - and sorry for pulling your leg!