11 Incredible Photography Websites To Inspire You
Jovana Rikalo website
If you’re looking to create a photography website but lacking creative ideas, you’re in the right place. I’ve sourced 11 photography websites that have powerful designs and further showcase a photographer's creative identity. I’m also going to show you the easiest ways to start building your online photography portfolio.
There are several ways to create a photography website. You can design one from scratch, but this requires either coding knowledge or a decent amount of financial capital. Or, you can use one of the best website builders for photographers which help you set up a website with absolute ease.
I personally use FORMAT for my personal website. It’s easy to use, has a range of beautiful photography templates and helps me scale my photography business thanks to its selling and blogging tools. You can try it out yourself thanks to a free 14-day trial when you sign up.
FORMAT
Selecting The Best Photography Websites
My selection of the best websites by photographers tick all the creative boxes. They’re unique, vibrant, intuitive and give more power to the photographs. They’re also home to some of my favorite photographers, many of which I’ve interviewed on Them Frames.
Amy Lombard - An excellent documentary photographer and storyteller.
Elia Locardi - Pro travel photographer with frame-worthy work.
Bryan Minear - One of the best landscape photographers in the game.
Stephen Wilkes - Seasoned pro who commonly works with National Geographic.
Phil Penman - A superb fine art street photographer.
Taylor Pendleton - Wonderful self-portrait photographer and successful YouTuber.
Jovana Rikalo - Highly skilled conceptual photographer with magical creative ideas.
Brett Stanley - A leading name in the underwater photography niche.
Carianne Older - Creative portrait photographer using analog cameras.
TiBA - A documentary photographer who understands how to authentically photograph people.
Anup Shah - One of my favorite black and white wildlife photographers.
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The Best Photography Websites: Amy Lombard
Amy Lombard has a vibrant, uplifting personality and that reflects perfectly in her website. It’s quirky too, which makes her interesting but without being pretentious. Her use of flash really makes her website pop, as do the colorful backdrops she places her subjects in front of.
I’m a big fan of the stylish font Lombard uses throughout her pages and she makes jumping through different galleries an absolute breeze. The use of GIFs on her home page give her portfolio more creative depth as do the cool animations that appear when you enter a new gallery. She’s an excellent photographer, a superb creative and you should go check her out.
The Best Photography Websites: Elia Locardi
Elia Locradi is a professional photographer with a travel photography portfolio most of us dream of creating. His images are next level, and he was happy to share his process in a recent interview with Them Frames. He’s also created a professional, sleek photography website that allows you to enjoy his work and learn about his techniques.
He uses a simple management system for his galleries, choosing not to overwhelm his audience but rather make it easy for them to view his work. To get that professional feel, Locardi uses SmugMug to host his images. His site includes a custom-made logo, which adds more professional branding and a personal touch.
The Best Photography Websites: Bryan Minear
Bryan Minear’s website is as creative as the conceptual landscape photographs he creates. I particularly like that he gives us the option to switch between light and dark mode. And that it switches between full screen and visible menus when scrolling through the site.
Minear blends both vertical and horizontal images in his galleries, which I feel make them more dynamic and easy on the eye. He’s also added a section for quick links which makes it easy for people to purchase his images - something everyone should consider when selling their work. You can learn more about Minear in this interview he did with Them Frames.
The Best Photography Websites: Stephen Wilkes
In an interview with Them Frames, Stephen Wilkes explains how some of his images can take over 24 hours to make and months to edit. This same level of detail goes into his website for photography. He shows his masterful creations in all their glory with the use of a full-bleed perspective.
Wilkes is old school and this reflects in his portfolio. The images are the main event, and to achieve this he’s kept things simple with little on show beyond his award-winning photography. He also has a photography blog. Something every photographer should consider when creating a photography website. It helps grow your audience and keep them updated.
The Best Photography Websites: Phil Penman
Phil Penman is a fine-art street photographer that has a beautiful black and white photography portfolio. His website is extremely elegant and has that high-class aesthetic that’s perfect for his style of photography.
Penman includes a motion picture on his homepage which I think adds more character to its design. I especially love the terminology Penman uses; like viewing rooms for example. These are separate spaces where you can enjoy his galleries. He also has a shopping bag tab so people can quickly purchase his fine-art prints.
The Best Photography Websites: Taylor Pendleton
Taylor Pendleton is a photographer, director and filmmaker. Her website feels like a creative whiteboard, with a clean white background and bold, black copy. Her choice of font has a modern-day feel that’s stylish.
Pendleton has gone for a clutter free approach to her design. There are only four menu tabs and no more than eight galleries. This makes it enjoyable to view and very easy to navigate. I interviewed Pendleton to learn more about her journey as a creative.
The Best Photography Websites: Jovana Rikalo
Jovana Rikalo’s website is as elegant and creative as her otherworldly portrait photography. When you arrive on her photography homepage you're met with large images that change automatically. I particularly like that she added a small “Abount me” blurb on her home page, helping you connect to her personality and inspirations.
The smooth drop down menus make navigation smooth and, dare I say, enjoyable. I love the warm and light color tones that are present throughout her website. And the fountain-pen style font gives you an extra layer of elegance. You can learn more about Rikalo in this interview she did with Them Frames.
The Best Photography Websites: Brett Stanley
Brett Stanley has an incredibly unique approach to photography. He places his subjects underwater and creates magical portrait photography you’ll struggle to find elsewhere. He does everything from maternity photo shoots to fantastical concepts - his work ticks a lot of creative boxes.
His website also brings a larger than life feel. His images flow automatically and his whole feed feels like a bespoke art project. He has a blog too, allowing you to peek behind the wall and see what goes into his unique concepts.
The Best Photography Websites: Carianne Older
Carianne Older is a fast-rising film photographer making waves in Los Angeles. Her portraits have that Hollywood glow and her work with celebs give her portfolio star power. Older has one of the best custom-made logos I’ve seen and the fact the mouse cursor is a camera means she has one of the coolest photography websites.
She keeps it simple. I like that the color theme of her website is inline with her overall professional branding. She saves her best photography for the homepage, which ensures people see the best of the best as soon as they land in her little corner of the internet. You can learn more about her in this interview she did with Them Frames.
The Best Photography Websites: TiBA
Brazilian photographer TiBA is best known for his striking documentary photography. He’s based between NYC and Bali and tells stories from all around the world. For me, he has a real skill for photographing people in their most authentic form. He pays attention to detail and this allows him to tell a compelling story with each topic he covers.
His photography website is dominated by rich red tones that give further power to his black and white frames. I’m a big fan of the fonts he uses throughout his site. They’re creative and are in line with the type of photography he creates. TiBA also has a striking portrait of himself on his home page, helping the viewer connect to the artist. Check out this interview to learn more.
The Best Photography Websites: Anup Shah
Anup Shah is a wildlife photographer located in the African continent. He will often spend weeks, sometimes months, documenting the wild animals that make up Serengeti and Maasai Mara. He has a beautiful range of black and white frames that add more drama to the subjects he photographs.
His website has an old school vibe, yet it doesn’t look out of place in modern times. You’ll find everything is in a logical place and seeing his photos and learning about him is a breeze. To keep fans up to date, he makes it easy to sign up for his photography newsletter. Check out his interview with Them Frames.
The Best Website Builder for Photographers
Now you have a sense of what’s possible with a website for photography, it’s time to take your own path. You can either go down the WordPress route and design one from scratch - I recommend using Eliminator if you require some guidance with designing the site.
Or, you can use a website builder for photographers. Below are five of my favorites.
FORMAT - Easy to use website builder with a range of beautiful photography templates.
Squarespace - Excellent designs and one of the best options to set up a photography blog.
SmugMug - Decent design tools, and especially useful for selling prints and sharing photos with clients.
22Slides - Built specifically for photographers, 22Slides offers templates and bespoke website design for photographers.
Wix - Helps you manage all areas of your photography business through a dedicated photography website.
The above selection suits all types of photographers. If you’re a wedding photographer, be sure to check out this guide on how to build a modern wedding photography website.
Signing off
That brings this incredible selection of photography websites to a close. Be sure to use the examples as inspiration but make space to blend in your personal creative ideas.
Think about your personality, how you want your audience to perceive you and what best speaks to the photos you create. Once you have that locked down, think of ways to incorporate it all into your unique photography website - I’m excited for you to show your best work to the world.
Did you find this guide useful? What do you think are the best photography websites? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading.
FAQs
What website do most photographers use?
FORMAT and Squarespace are popular for photographers thanks to their beautiful templates. For more creative control, many photographers use WordPress to host their website.
What is the best website for photos?
The best option for photos is FORMAT. It’s very affordable, and you can create a beautiful website for your photos quickly and with ease.
How much does it cost to have a photography website?
Most website builders for photographers cost between $10-$30 per month, depending on your plan. You can get the best value when you pay for an annual subscription.
Updates: I have updated this article to offer a broader range of photography website examples.
Editors note: This article contains a small handful of links which gets Them Frames a small kickback if you use them to make a purchase.
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