GRC 275 Learning and Discussion Forum

Hi guys,

I have to admit that I spent so much time doing research and designing a logo I did not leave myself enough time to configure my layout. All of the images are mine and the two different comps have the two logos that I like the most. (I also spent a lot of time coming up with a name)
I am having trouble making it stand out because let's face it real estate can be hard to make sexy...
So if anyone has any creative ideas for layout I am all ears. I want clean sophistication mixed with creativity. I have only done a few real estate shoots so I didn't have many images I liked enough to "feature" so I think some creative imaging would help... Also the "shopping cart" I am having trouble imagining...
I feel like Ned Flanders vanilla flavor...

You're photos are gorgeous! I would use these, they have a lot of potential for a great layout! I definitely think your doing the right thing by having them be the dominant element of your designs, as they have some very powerful imagery, with good linear direction, and awesome textures! That being said, I think you're best bet is to focus on a very natural and organic style. So maybe utilize colors already included in your photos. Instead of using those large boxes of white, try making them blue (since your pictures are primarily orange, blue would be a great compliment), and at that point maybe throw in some white boxes to highlight the important information. Either way, great start!

Hi Tiffani! I have to cast my vote for comp #2, the top one. Beautiful layout and imagery. I like this logo better, the drop shadow on the comp #1 logo gives the appearance of blur. The only real critique that I have is to increase the font size of the body copy just a bit and to raise the opacity on the navigation on the inner page. It kind of gets lost in the background image. Maybe consider making the box the same width as the box below it. Really good start, just minor adjustments!

The images you have are beautiful! Very eye catching. I really like the first design best! I like how the images cover up a good part of the background looks good. I don't really like how the home page has those big white container boxes covering the pictures with paragraphs maybe make them a bit transparent but looks great!

Oooh. Nice work Tiffani.

Your first design is by far the stronger of the two. The second is nice and clean, but it's just so ... blah. The pictures are small and since you're selling photography you want the pictures to be the dominant element. Toss that design and concentrate on your first.

The first design has a strong branding that is immediately established and continues throughout. The logo looks really cool and uses contrast and type well. Both the homepage and the inner page have a really boutique feeling and seem to echo Architectural Digest which is good, since you're selling high end real estate photography! I really like the large vertical photographic space on the homepage. I'd make sure that it covers the entirety of the browser window except for the right third or so that houses the anchor for your content. The whole thing, both outer and inner seems like a magazine spread in one of those high class magazines that's printed on A4 paper. Make sure your pages cover the entire browser window for that extra classy feel.

Typographically it's quite strong as well. The double spacing and wide text to text margins help reinforce the boutique theme you have established.

Only two things really stand out to me as needing improvement. One, margins. To enhance the high class feel you really need to watch your margins. You want lots of room to breathe with your type and content. On your homepage, make sure the left and right margins are consistent, I'd use the top text block as your example for left and right margins, but not top and bottom. It badly needs some bottom margin. Remove some bottom margin from the second text box. Also, maybe make the text boxes semi-transparent like the navigation on your inner page. Add a bit of top marging to the copy block on your inner page and add a bit of left margin to the product listings Two, navigation. The navigation recedes into the background a bit. Try making it black to go with the rest of your type and bolding it up a bit.

Otherwise excellent work! I look forward to seeing this as a functional website.

Great job so far! I really like your layout of the second design but I like how you utilized the space with the pictures on the first. I think your first logo is your strongest logo, but I would get rid of the drop shadow just to make it a bit more polished. I also think your navigational buttons on your first design could also be solid, just for clarity. So far so good and I look forward to seeing the rest!

First of all your pictures are beautiful, i want home like that! I am guessing that in Tahoe. Anyways, when it comes to the logo and company name, I might reconsider changing the name from "full exposure photagraphy" to " real estate photagraphy." or full exposure, the real estate photography. because at first i thought there will be variety of photographs of different things, I got that its only real estate pics, from reading your second page. The logo itself, i very like the black circle that looks like an opening lance, i think i looks great! So far a good start, it has very big potentiol to be a great site!

nice idea. love the shoots on all of the pages. On the first page the block of white that bleeds into the picture doesn't look nice making one side the picture and the other side white with type with a nice clean line in between.

The site is great for photography. Elegant, vivid imagery really helps push the services you are trying to provide.

The overlap of the type on the home page is interesting, but the padding or margins seem to be all over the place. It could use a little more uniform spacing to give it more structure.

Great job!