Pies Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Everyone My new website is now up & live. www.homereef.co.nz documents my reef, with photos, information and a regular journal of events. Please take a look and give feedback. The feedback I got last time was very useful. As all web sites of its nature, its really work in progress, but if there is information missing that you think really should be there let me know what it is. Also if you know of people with marines please point them towards this site. I really would like to start to meet other marine fish keepers around the place. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Hi Pies, cannot give you any usefull feedback but WOW ! What a nice looking tank and fish ! Love the webpage, Robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briank Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Mark, Your web site looks good. The photos are stunning. Maybe can you make a section to describe how you get to take such nice photos? Are you using a digital camera? I will like to hear about what settings you used and how you managed to get such clear photos. Sorry, i notice that some of the paragraphs in your web pages did not wrap aroung the pictures correctly, maybe it is my web browser. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted November 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 The web page is designed to run in 1024x768 and thats it. Any other resoultion and you may get strange effects. Its beyond my skills to make a multi resoultion website. I never use anything other than IE (6.x), so try IE if you are using something else. Photos. Patience is the key. I am very much an beginner photographer, but there are some secerets to taking good photos of fish tanks, here they are: Tripod. Use a tripod. Everything in the tank is moving, doesn't help if you are too. Its almost impossilbe to take a 'real' photo without a stable shooting platform. Camera. I use the Olympus 5050 digital. Its 5mega pixel with 1/2000 shutter speed. The better the camera the better the photos. I can't image taking photos with a normal camera, the expence would be mind bending. Light. Aim the camera upwards, thats where the light is, digital camers need light. Macro. Use macro, close ups without macro are useless. Manual Focus. Use manual focus overides whenever you can, the crispness offered is unbeatable. White Ballance. Experiment. Without the correct whiteballance, you will get green looking blue, purple looking red etc. Take lots of photos. LOTS. I'll take as many as 200 in a night. Dont use the flash unless you have too (none of my photos using the flash). Photoshop. Touch ups required on digital. Helps a lot. I know very little about photoshop, but I get good results now. And enjoy it. Also think about what photo you want before taking snaps. e.g. 'really want a pic of that crab in the coral with a fish in the foreground' or whatever. Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the site. I am quite proud of the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 what stunning photography - thank you - sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Awesome site. I have spent the last hour going over everything in there and reading everything! I am very impressed and what a stunning tank to have in your home. I would never get anything done as I would just sit and watch it all the time! I would like to have one myself but for the fact that I have no idea what to do or how to do it, let alone the expense, I will just be happy looking at others. Congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Billiant Pies... Didn't want to come away Hope you don't mind, but I posted your link on another site, so you could get some feedback. Absolutely Awsome Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 I just want to note, Pies...I'm refusing to look at your website. I'm guessing if I do then I'll just want a marine tank more and I'm having a hard enough time resisting as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted November 12, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Ira, your in Wellington, why not come over an have a look bwhahahhahahahaahaa Join the darkside... You know its only a matter of time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Well, when I DO start on one I'll have to have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briank Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Pies, Thanks for the tips. I am also a beginner with Photography. I will keep on trying to use your tips. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briank Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Pagasus, you have a great web site, very good content!! Wished I knew about it, when I first started keeping fishes!! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Thanks BrianK... just basic.. but helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Hey Pies, Well this is a reply to an extremely old post (6 months+) but having seen your site before, heres some tips (or should i say constructive criticism) Take it as you will but perhaps you could use some of the info next time you go to update your site... - experiment with the (currently grey) background. it doesnt do the site any favours. keep the colour dark to make the "tank pics" stand out and obviously dont do it white (as this will make the tank pics worse). perhaps a colour that flows with the title pic at the top? if you go quite dark with the background, make the text white. - move the picture of your tank on the front page nearer the top of the page, you cant see it unless you scroll down and if its nearer the top, people who visit will stay interested! - put the text on the front page around the photos more, ie: split it up. it makes it look like less to read in one go (much like you have done on the inverts page) - most web developers would tell you to get rid of frames, but personally i like them and use them on my sites - try using arial or verdana as fonts rather than times new roman which is just outright ugly! most of the top web sites on the Internet steer clear of this common font. - Generally it needs a bit more colour to match the colourful pics, such as in the buttons on the left. Perhaps even 3D? Gimme a yell if you want me to create some for you! - Any links should be clickable, such as your email address on the front page. Make your email address a hyperlink and prefix it with mailto: - Most of your pics are the same size (specifically width) however you missed a few meaning you need to scroll horizontally (with the exception of Alois' tank!!!) Make all pics on the same page the same width. - update some pics of your tank!!! i've seen some posting of your tank on the forums and it looks a damn site better than it did 6 months ago! Btw, i only posted this rather than pm'ing you so others could read my comments. otherwise, its a really informative and cool site. i especially like the corals and names so reef beginners (like myself) can learn their names quickly and easily. not many sites do that! Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 You forgot to point out that it hasn't been updated for about 6 weeks! The poblem I have is access. Its being hosted at my old work, free hosting. The problem I have at the moment is one of I don't have any new home for my site. So if you know somewhere let me know! Any help to make the site better is appreciated, but I am at least 4 weeks away from working on the site again. New job, new house, new tank, 2 weeks in Fiji make time very precious. Gotta run, if you can help me with the site please do! I know nothing and all I use is notepad. Not a bad effort for my 1st web page though. Pieman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I use notepad as well - best way to get the nicest layout! i'll create some cool buttons for you and email them through to you (does your techtonics email address still exist?). How big is your web site (including pic's?) I notice you're hosting your domain name with comnet, I dont know if they offer free URL redirection or not? What you can do is transfer your domain records to Freeparking (www.freeparking.co.nz) who charge about the same price per annum (around $40) FreeParking offer a URL redirection so you can redirect your www.homereef.co.nz to anothersite/folder. So, if you can find a free web hosting site (that usually offer up to 2-10MB free disk space) and upload your files to that and setup a URL redirection to the new site, you have a pretty cheap setup! As for me, I host a single web site with IHUG then create a folder structure off this site and redirect my domains all to the site at IHUG (10MB free disk space with my ADSL account) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I've got a friend that runs a server, 250MB of storage and 2GB of transfer per month. Includes up to 10 sub-domains, 25 email boxes and 100 email forwards. is $2.50 US per month if you don't mind dealing with someone in the US. Have a look at f0e.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted May 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 I simply don't have the time right now, but will need to do something soon. IRA - I might have a talk to you about that domain space if I can't find anything reasonable local. Chimera - I can get the domain redirected at will for free (friend at comnet). Any help you can do as far as website interface, technology or layout I would welcome the help, I am doing it all myself at the moment, and its not my strong suit. I am in the throws of moving house at the moment, the 2 weeks in Fiji before returning, + I have started a new job so time is precious right now. Ohhhh and I am planing a new tank... Thanks guys Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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