The only website you’ll ever need

In today’s digital world, a photographer who doesn’t have a website is pretty much off the radar. Having a website is not only important ““ it’s a necessity. And having one that is professional, easy to use, and best represents your brand is what gets you noticed.

Enter Zenfolio, the all-in-one portfolio and website solution where you can elegantly display, share and sell your photos online. With beautifully designed layouts, password-protected galleries, and an integrated shopping cart,  photographers can do just about anything, whether you just want to display your photos or you plan on launching a complete online store.

Commercial photographer Brad Newton stumbled upon Zenfolio while looking for a website to best represent his 25-year old photography career.

“After numerous attempts to learn web design, I decided to go to a professional design company,” he says. “They suggested I look on the web for examples of what I was looking for, and that is when I found Zenfolio. Within two  weeks, I had an up and running website with portfolio and client access, at minimal expense.”

Setting up your website is easy: Zenfolio requires no coding and offers a wide variety of preset design templates to choose from. It also has video tutorials, webinars and help articles that offer stepby-step instructions as well as a  friendly and fast round-the-clock support team that is available seven days a week.

Even the most technically challenged individuals seem to find the site very user-friendly. Wildlife photographer Georgina Steytler was relieved when she discovered just how easy Zenfolio is to use.

“I am not very computer savvy, so it was a relief to find a photo hosting site that allowed me to do everything I wanted without the need for any expert IT assistance,” she says. “However, whenever I have sent Zenfolio an email with a  query about how to do something, they have replied within hours and always been extremely friendly and helpful.”

Besides easy setup and above-par customer service, the website has several built-in tools, such as a Lightroom plug-in, to make uploading and organizing a cinch.

For adventure travel photographer Andrew Peacock, who is always on the go, selecting a fast and reliable website was vital.

“The Zenfolio web interface is fast and intuitive; I can upload hundreds of images easily and quickly if needed and all without leaving Lightroom,” he says.

The company’s latest release features raw file storage, so your site can double as a cloud storage solution. “I also use Zenfolio for cloud storage and backup for my main portfolio or images, including raw files,” says Peacock. And  because the site is mobile- and tablet-friendly, being stuck on-location isn’t an issue.

“On a recent trip to Antarctica where our ship was stuck in the ice for two weeks, there were a lot of images to share with a lot of interested people, and Lightroom combined with Zenfolio made that process straightforward and simple,”  he says.

Steytler agrees that having everything integrated on one site saves time and trouble. “This is fantastic for someone like me who has a huge database of photos,” she says. “I can upload all my images but only make the good or  representative ones available for public viewing. When I receive a request from a client, I can then allow them access to the full range of images I have on that subject with just the click of a button.”

And with several security features in place, it’s easy to keep photos safe; photographers have complete control over who sees their images with password-protected galleries, right-click protection, and the ability to add watermarks to  keep photo thieves away.

“Through Zenfolio, I have been able to easily create my own website and organise my images into a professional-looking showcase,” says Steytler. “This has increased interest in my images tenfold.”

Making your photos look great isn’t the only thing that Zenfolio does to drive traffic. The impressive service also aids in  marketing with built-in features such as social media integration, email campaigns, and SEO tools to get more  people to your site.

Zenfolio partners with the best printing labs in the industry worldwide, so clients can order prints and products  directly through your site ““ resulting in a no-fuss shoot-to-print experience.

“I can set numerous price points for differing digital file sizes as well as have the option for third-party printing of my  images with a great professional printing service like Nulab for instance,” says Peacock.

And with several subscription plans available (Basic, Unlimited, Premium and Premium Business), Zenfolio caters to  every type of photographer, whether you are just starting out in the business or are a pro with years of experience.  With plans for photo enthusiasts to display and share photos starting at $40/year and selling plans starting at $160/year, you simply can’t beat the price anywhere else.

“I would recommend that any photographer looking for a clever, low-cost, beautifully designed way to present their  images to friends, family, and the public use Zenfolio,” says Peacock. “Amateur or professional, it doesn’t matter.  There are ready-made, custom website designs to suit all your needs and get you started.”

Newton, who saved himself from having to learn how to design and code thanks to Zenfolio, agrees that you cannot find a service quite like it anywhere else.

“I asked a friend of mine in the web industry to look at my Zenfolio website, and when I told him the cost for the website and hosting his response to me was, ‘There must be a catch.’ Fact ““ there is no catch. Zenfolio is fantastic,”  says Peacock.

Zenfolio offers Basic ““ Premium Business plans starting at as little as $40/year.  Selling plans start at $160/year.

Visit www.zenfolio.com and sign up for a two week free trial to try it for yourself.

Zenfolio – http://www.zenfolio.com

Andrew Peacock – http://www.footloosefotography.com

Georgina Steytler – http://www.wildandendangered.com.au

Brad Newton – http://www.bradnewton.com.au