June 28, 2007, 10:00:05 AM
A passionate discussion that comes up regularly on different forums. Some photographers despise music being forcing on them when they enter a website - - - other feel that it is moving and emotional and needed to win over viewers to their artistry. What is the point of view of the person we are trying to attract to purchase our product (and yes that initially is all it is to them). Some feel it is just old thinking of web designers and certain photographers that don't want music and that customers love it. Is that logical and can we take a chance when our livlihood is at stake? This is just my viewpoint. Anyone else is more than welcome to follow up with their reasoning.
It would be interesting to compare the Auditory Fatigue Level of customers vs. pros when visiting one's site.
Actually it is mainly photographers who think music is inspiring and moving on websites and makes their website more appealing. Viewers of a website don't. They don't have time. There a hundreds if not thousands of websites to go through to make decisions on who to hire. Web surfers are looking for only a few things as they only spend a short period of time on each website. For photography, they want to see images to tell if they are what they like and want - they want easy to find (familiar) navigation that can move them through the website quickly and allow them to effortlessly get back to any picture they were at (which necessitates bookmarks and favorites which flash websites can't do) - they don't want hinderance to the website like splash pages - they don't want to wait for more than a few seconds for pages to load because of large image/ flash/ music / multimedia files - and don't want to have to hunt around to figure out how to shut the music off or have to quickly reach for their volume controls after the loud blast of music comes through.
Photographers and other artistic kinds, generally fool themselves into thinking that their website or work will make people stop and be inspired and that this artistic expression will have an effect on someone who has no vested interest in the photographer or their work (just about everyone that happens upon your website) to stop everything they are doing and go wow. Too many images - too confusing a website - to many bells and whistles - - - are all turn offs and cause most viewers to leave before they even get a chance to view your images or see if you have the goods that they must have to satisfy their need.
One thing Cort Anderson has criticized while replying to different website threads on forums (and he is right in my view and from my experience also being a web designer and developer) is the use of Premade Flash Websites with their pizazz and music. Now think about it - - - "if" people are able to find your website and that is a big IF with flash websites (which are generally where MUSIC is embedded),
what makes anyone think that their knockout website that looks identical to a thousand others is going to stop anyone in their tracks and go WOW that is incredible. Even prime cut steak on a regular basis gets uninteresting and you don't get the satisfaction out of it any more.So, one of my new motto's is: "If their cryin, their buyin!"
An element of merit with that motto. But - - - With websites, get to the images quickly that are yours and should be the Exciting Moving thing that will make someone take a second look at further pages of your website. Emotional music is great for the sell after you have a convert and they want to further pursue your work or for when you are trying to squeeze a few extra bucks out of them on a sale (I used to get them crying and spending money when I put on my syncronized music slide shows at clients homes instead of showing proofs). For that purpose it may be great to have slideshows, flash elements and music on optional pages so that those who have found your work appealing can go to and enjoy a half hour or hour of viewing - at least they aren't forced into anything and potentially irritated and become TURNED OFF never to find out wether you have to goods or not. If a photographer simply wants to look inpressive and "move" a few photographers or casual viewers that may come upon their flashy website mostly because they know them or have heard about them - - - then forced music and slick flash websites will be good for the soul.
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EXPERIENCE AT A WEDDING
I just thought of something that happened at a wedding I shot last weekend. I provided an incredibly put together DVD slide show of the couple's 60 or so Love Story images using sychronized music that was very emotive and moving. All day long, the couple, bridal party members and family were constantly going on to me and others too, about how impressive it was and how everyone at the rehearsal the night before were bawling their eyes out. Proud of this slideshow, they decided to show it on a large screen with the music running through a great sounding sound system - during their reception after the meal was over. They just knew the 200 plus guest would love seeing it and so the couple gatheres around their wedding party and family and again cryed their eyes out watching it. I stood at the back of the room to see the reaction of the guests. What I noticed was many people who refused to turn and look at it - many who watched but appeared non interested - and after about 3 minutes (of the 8 minute total show), people started heading out to go to the bathroom and some snuck out the door trying to be unnoticed. There was a change of songs about half way through and everyone immediately clapped, presuming it was over - - -and then when it went into the next song and carried on with the images I could see many mounth "oh brother" or things to that effect - and then there was a mass exodus to the bathroom leaving maybe a third of the guests at the table (probably many of them only staying respectfully).
POINT IS - what we think is important. interesting and moving - - - has no emotional effect on most people except for those few who have a vested interest in what we are doing or who have developed an appreciation for what you do. Just something to think about.
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