I included an address of webpage at bottom. I just recently put together my personal webpage about my Appalachian photography. I will add more as time goes on. But I wanted some insight into how my webpage appeals to other photographers. I believe other photographers can best critique my work. The three images show the three subjects I am currently focusing on. They all add to my overall theme of Appalachian photography. Three questions I am curious to know are: (1) Do you have any suggestions for improvement of my webpage? (2) After looking at my webpage, what thoughts, feelings, and questions do you get about Appalachian culture in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia? (3) How do you feel about my photographs individually? and why? http://hometown.aol.com/pjphotograph/pj.html

thanks, paul j

-- Paul Justice (Pjphotograph@aol.com), November 26, 2000

Answers

There is a problem with your web page. Your spash page has a big picture there which does not show up. I found the area by moving my mouse around and watching the arrow turn into a hand. Clicking on the area gave me a "page not found" error. Also, folks usually expect underlined text to be a link of some sort. It would be better to make the underlined text a link, or else use a different font modification.

-- Brian C. Miller (brian.c.miller@gte.net), November 26, 2000.

Hi Paul, as above. Some of the images are not loading properly.

I find the background color doesn't work too well with your images. I imagine you picked it because of the coal connection.

The 'brown' photo is too 'chocolaty' on my monitor and jarring with the other b&w images.

Your images don't seem to work all that well on the web. I noticed one was a bitmap, the other a gif. I don't know, I would recommend using jpg and rescanning them and editing them in Photoshop or other program.

I don't think the scroll down is an easy way to view images.

I recommend looking at the CA web site for good examples:

http://www.commarts.com/magazine/index.html?/magazine/mag_comp.htm

Also PDN:

http://www.pdn-pix.com/index.html

The AOL ad is also a bit off-putting. Some of the other free services have banner, put at least you can make them go away.

I do think you are off to a good start - it is just difficult to come up with good design. You'll get the hang of it - don't worry! And don't be discouraged!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers - chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), November 27, 2000.

I don't find your pictures, as photographs, visually out of the ordinary. On the other hand, as one who grew up in similar surroundings, they send the old synapses flashing and vibrating with the sense of ambiance that few photographs ever have. It is an interesting dicotomy. I would like to see more of your work, although as others have mentioned, this website isn't exctly a great way to do it.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), November 29, 2000.

I could only open 1 picture. (coal slurry). I liked it very much. I wish I could see the other 2. Please add more photos and post again on this site when you get it working a little better. It looks like good stuff!

-- Joseph Wasko (jwasko@erols.com), December 07, 2000.

Thanks for the heads up email Paul. I am now able to view all 3 images. I think they are excellent.

My favorite is "God's presence...". It reminds me of Andrew Wyeth's "Christina's World". The downward view of the tracks and house is real nice too. It makes me want to visit those hills someday.

I think it is real good that you are including the human element in your images. Although West Virginia is scenic, the pictorial school of Photography ended a long time ago. We are now in the Post Modern age. People are now part of the calculus of most everything, including Landscape Photography.

Whenever I view images or read about the life in West Virginia/Kentucky, I tend to feel sad. Many artists and writers have been in Appalachia, and their work usually translates into a kind of melancholy depressive aftermath. This is the general feeling in the urban East, where I live. I guess our media had a lot to do with this.

Some artists have been able to buck this trend, and show the joy and soul of Mountain Life. IHMO, these are the good artists. I am thinking of the musician Mike Cross. I see joy in your images, too. There is nothing wrong with an occasional junk car or any decay for that matter. It is part of the process of life. As long as the image has soul, you can't really lose.

Keep up the good work. It's great!

-- Joseph Wasko (jwasko@erols.com), December 27, 2000.