Three Reasons to Create a Photography Website in 2023
Why should I create a website as a photographer? That was the question I asked myself when I noticed that even in times of Instagram & Co. many photographers out there have an own website. This, to be honest, really surprised me. Aren’t there already enough possibilities to share images? Is it really worth spending all the time creating and maintaining a website when most people spend their time on social media?
Since you read these words on this very website, you might already guess what my answer is: Yes! There are good reasons for photographers to have a website, even in 2023.
Reason 1: Do justice to your images
Posting your images on Instagram is way more easy than going through the whole process of setting up a website first. But it has one major drawback: You’re heavily limited in the way you can share your images. The posted images are small, all images end up in one feed and it’s not possible to create individual sites for projects.
With an own website, this is the complete opposite. Here you have full control of how people see your images. Especially grouping your images in projects and telling the story around it is one of the main reasons why I prefer and enjoy posting my images on a website way more than on Instagram.
On top of that, others can finally see your images on large screens. And every photographer knows that this does make a difference. The small smartphone screens just don’t do justice to a good image.
Reason 2: Make an impression
“Where can I find your images?”. That’s the question I often get when people showed interest in my photography and wanted to see “some” images. My go-to-answer was to give the person my instagram account - a solution that I was always only half-happy with.
For once, not everybody has Instagram. This is especially the case for older generations. By limiting myself to sharing images on Instagram I excluded many from seeing my photographic work. For me, this was the case for my grandparents.
Besides, handing people my Instagram always felt unprofessional. In contrast to that, referring someone to a dedicated photography website makes an impression that is quite the opposite. Whenever I saw the work of a photographer on their own website, I immediately got the feeling that the photographer is dedicated and serious about their work - something I definitely want to achieve when people view my images.
Reason 3: Reflect upon your work
Finetuning my images, combining images in collages, telling the stories of my projects - all these steps were part of creating this website. This process helped me engage with my photography in greater depth. I started to think about what I really want to tell with my images; I reviewed my images not one by one but as sets, yielding insights into my photography I haven’t got before.
I, for instance, found that I often tend to shoot into the light, yielding either harsh shadows or burned-out areas in my images. After realizing that, I spend the next photo trips focusing on shooting with the light or using side-light in my compositions. As a result, my images turned out much “softer”, a look that I much more prefer for my nature photography. That said, creating a website can not only help you grow but also improve as a photographer.
Summary
In the end, I can only encourage other photographers to create a website themselves. The process of creating a photography website can help you improve and grow as a photographer. With a website, you can show your work to everyone, while sharing your images in a personal and creative format that makes a lasting impression.
