livebooks blog

Jill’s interest in photography began in high school and continued into college. Taking elective photography classes soon led to picking up photography as a hobby, which has since turned into her career. This is her story:

After college, I travelled around the world for seven months before returning home to San Francisco to find a ‘real job.’ I took photos with a point-and-shoot camera to chronicle my time abroad. The positive feedback that I received from my photographs when I returned home encouraged me to submit my work to a variety of photography exhibitions, invest in a better camera, and figure out a way to continue traveling while improving my portfolio. Eventually, I decided to enroll in the Academy of Art University in San Francisco to pursue a master’s in Fine Arts degree in photography. For my Master’s thesis project, I chose to spend nine months documenting life in the Himalayas. I travelled throughout Nepal, India, Kashmir, Bhutan and Tibet, working with a variety of non-profit agencies. In 2009, I won a National Geographic YourShot photography contest, and I had my first photograph published in National Geographic Magazine. This was the opening that I needed to move my photography career to the next level. Since 2011, my photography has been represented by National Geographic Creative. In 2012, I received my first assignment from National Geographic Books and was sent to Sydney, Australia for five weeks to photograph the National Geographic Traveler: Sydney Guidebook. Following that, I became an intern and then freelance photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Since 2011, I have been spending my summers teaching photography to high school students in countries all over the world for National Geographic Student Expeditions.

At home in San Francisco, I photograph events, editorial, lifestyle, architectural and food-related shoots. I also provide private/group and corporate photography workshops, mentoring and portfolio reviews.

My style is my own personal vision of stories I am drawn to, that are unique to me. I photograph issues and iconic places which I find compelling. My goal is to create a visual of places in the world many people may not have seen while exposing them to the beauty and reality of cultures they may not have experienced.

Check out more of Jill’s recent work on her liveBooks8 site at: www.jillhsphotography.com.

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

JS: Bright, colorful, exotic

Q: How often do you typically update your website?
JS: I typically update my website every few months, after any trip that I take, or whenever I have new work to show.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?
JS: For my homepage, I typically pick photos that I am particularly drawn to. No specific formula. I choose photos that are vibrant, colorful, thought provoking or unique moments.

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks8?
JS: I love the new liveBooks8 platform! It is very user friendly. I particularly like all of the new design features. It has a very clean and modern feel. There are more options for easier search optimization, as well. Now, I am anxiously awaiting the capability to sell my images from my website.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website? 
JS: Take your time and have patience. It took me a couple of weeks to design my website. If you have questions, call the liveBooks customer service, as they are very helpful. Show your best work…quality over quantity. A editor once told me: “you are only as good as your worst photograph on your website,” and while this may sound harsh, it always stuck with me. Try to leave people wanting to see more of your work, rather than getting bored and moving on from your site.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com.

What originally began as simply taking photos for her photo class in college soon grew to be so much more for Beth Perkins of Beth Perkins Photography. As Beth began taking images of family and friends, she learned that she had a unique ability to capture intimate moments through her personal photography. Since, she has blossomed into a dynamic advertising and editorial photographer, based in Rockaway, NYC.

We are so excited to share the brand new site of Beth Perkins Photography with you today! To see more of her work and to check out the site behind the story, visit bethperkins.com.

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

BP: Real life moments

Q: How often do you typically update your website?

BP: I try to update it once a month, but it probably ends up being more like every two or three months.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

BP: I try to choose my most iconic, upbeat and provocative images that represent the stories and types of images that I take the best.

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks8?

BP: I love having a lot of images appear on one page, as it can create a powerful story. In addition, art directors seem to appreciate seeing a body of work altogether so they don’t have to scroll through imagery one by one. Often, they don’t have time, and it’s especially useful if they are looking for something specific.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer someone designing their website?

BP: Gather your images that you want to use first in one folder, ready to upload. This process will also help organize which ones you really want to use and how you want to use them.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com

Portrait, event, and wedding photographer Jean Tsimangas of Juanistyle photography believes in the power of capturing beauty and emotions through his lens. He hopes to use these special moments when people are together to build memories.

Inspired by using photography to connect with the world around him, Jean began using images to show family and friends his new home when he moved from Brussels to Amsterdam in 1997. Since, he has worked to develop a clean and sophisticated style, photographing everything from weddings to portraits to fashion and beauty.

We are excited to share the making of Juanistyle Photography’s new liveBooks8 site with you today. Be sure to check out more of Jean’s unique style and gorgeous images at www.juanistylephotography.com.

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

A: I would describe it as elegant and clean, with a sophisticated look.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

A: As photographers, we tend to become emotionally attached to certain pictures, making it very difficult to choose images that showcase our absolute best work. For my homepage, I chose to use a slideshow with my preferred pictures while showing featured content from portraits, events and wedding galleries as links to display my main galleries.

Q: How often do you typically update your website?

A: Before, I was reviewing my website every 3 months. Now, I would like update it at least once a month. I would also like to use the blog feature in liveBooks8, so I am planning to feature more recent content.

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks8?

A: I really enjoy the flexibility of liveBooks8 while working to update the content of of my website. I was able to completely customize the website’s colors and fonts while adding embedded videos and slideshows from Vimeo that link together with my photos. I also loved the freedom to choose the layout for the galleries as well.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

A: It was really important for me to take the time to select the best pictures showcasing my work while creating a consistent feel for my website. I asked for feedback from people with various backgrounds on my site’s ease of use while testing my it on various platforms (desktop, tablets and smartphones) to ensure accessibility. I also took extra time to personalize the “about me” section. I felt that it was important to add a little video of me talking about what makes me unique as a photographer.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com!

Landscape photographer Steven Friedman does not believe in manipulation of his images – and they are all full frame and uncropped. His new liveBooks8 website showcase the beauty of these images perfectly – with full-screen design and gorgeous colors. We are so excited to have him as our featured website this week!

Check out all of the interesting things he has to say about what went into the creation of his website and then make sure to check out www.friedmanphoto.com to see more beautiful images!

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

SF: Clean, Modern, Elegant.

Q: How do you choose the photos that you display on your homepage?

SF: I pick one image from each portfolio that is my favorite that conveys the spirit of the portfolio. As well, the image I select from each portfolio is the image that has sold best as a fine art print.

Q: How often do you typically update your website?

SF: Typically, I update my website after a major shoot. My work is represented in galleries around the world and I like to keep the updates to Spring and Autumn so the galleries know when to expect new work.

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks8?

SF: The ability to have the images as large thumbnails three across is my favorite new feature of liveBooks8. It allows the galleries that represent my work to see complete portfolios of images quickly, enabling their customers to be sure they have picked the right image for a large print. As well, the simplicity of the design allows me to quickly and easily update my site with a new look or with new images.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

SF: To have patience and only put up imagery that shows your vision for your photography. Choosing photos can be a difficult task. Sometimes it takes days or weeks to get a shot and I may have hiked a long distance. I tend to be emotionally attached to certain images because of the effort it took to capture the image. After a major shoot I don’t look at imagery for a few weeks. I want to detach myself from the energy I put into getting the images so I have an unbiased view.

Have a website you’d like us to feature? Email us at social@livebooks.com.