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33 of the Best Photography Websites & Portfolios of 2023

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A portfolio website is an essential marketing tool for any creative professional. Whether you’re a designer or a photographer, potential clients will judge your capabilities by what they see on your portfolio site. In many cases, your online portfolio will be one of the most significant factors a client considers when deciding who to hire (your photos are your product).

Photography websites showcase work, provide biographical information regarding the artist, include a contact page for visitors, and are perfect for inspiration and creative influence. Below are 33 portfolios with different styles and approaches.

Create Your Own Photography Website: If you want to create your own site, we recommend Squarespace. They have a large collection of beautiful templates that make the process fast and easy. You can also customize your site easily with the drag-and-drop website builder. Plus, Squarespace has all the features and functionality you need, including e-commerce capabilities to sell your photos.

Showcase of Photography Websites

In this article, we showcase some of the best photography websites in the industry, as well as the current web design trends. Here you’ll find photography portfolio websites that are well-designed and also showcase amazing photos. You’ll see a few different styles and approaches.

Many of the best portfolio websites use a large background image or slider to showcase photos. Others use many smaller thumbnail images to fill the screen.

A minimalist design style is also common because it allows the photos to be the center of attention rather than being overpowered by the graphic design details of the site.

Jen Huang Bogan

Photography Websites - Jen Huang Bogan

Built with Squarespace

The first portfolio site we’ll showcase features a minimalist design style and a clean layout. You’ll see several large photos as you scroll down the homepage. The navigation menu is in the left sidebar, which stays in place as you scroll.

Visitors can access themed photo galleries (weddings, engagements, and portraits) to see more of the photographer’s work.

The site also includes a shop with photo prints and books available for purchase. The shop is powered by Squarespace’s e-commerce functionality.

James Tye Photography

James Tye Photography

Built with Squarespace

Like many photography websites, James Tye’s portfolio features a full-screen photo on the homepage. However, this site takes a unique approach by using a sticky footer that includes the logo, navigation menu, and social media icons.

Several themed galleries are accessible from the navigation menu. The site also includes a blog and a contact page. A brief bio is also included on the contact page.

Mike Kelley

Mike Kelley

Built with Squarespace

Mike Kelley is an architectural photographer, and his homepage features a beautiful example of his work. The “previous” and “next” links at the bottom of the left sidebar scroll through a selection of photos.

The “portfolio” link in the navigation menu opens a dropdown with links to specific categories within the portfolio.

Peter McKinnon

Peter McKinnon

Built with Squarespace

Peter McKinnon’s homepage features a full-screen background picture of the photographer. His site is unlike some other photography portfolio website examples showcased here because the shop is a more prominent section than the portfolio. Peter creates and sells digital products like Lightroom presets, video LUTs, and more through his Squarespace shop.

This Wild Idea

This Wild Idea

Built with Squarespace

This photography website uses a simple homepage that includes two columns of photos. The header navigation menu includes links to the important parts of the site like the portfolio and the shop where prints can be purchased.

A link to the “about” page is off to the right, separated from the rest of the navigation menu.

Greg Ross

Greg Ross

Built with WordPress

Greg Ross’s portfolio website uses a text-based logo at the center of the header. The navigation menu is split to the left and right.

The site uses a clean design and basic black & white color scheme. The homepage features a slider that allows the user to scroll through a number of photos.

Giles Clement

Giles Clement

Built with Squarespace

Giles Clement’s homepage includes a centered title and navigation menu on top of a full-screen background image. The background rotates through several photos, changing every few seconds.

After you click on any of the links, you’ll see a different section of the site with a more tradition header that includes the logo and menu.

Deanie Chen

Deanie Chen

Built with Squarespace

Deanie Chen’s photography website uses a splash page with a full-screen background photo. When you click to enter the site, you’ll see the homepage, as shown above.

The page features many photos that can be viewed by scrolling down. The navigation menu also includes links to several categorized layouts.

Harold Feng Photography

Harold Feng Photography

Built with Pixpa

Harold Feng’s site also uses a splash page. There are two options that visitors can select: event photos or travel photos. Clicking either button takes you to a portfolio page (the travel portfolio is showcased above).

The site also includes a shop, where visitors can purchase prints.

Danilo & Sharon

Danilo & Sharon

Built with WordPress

This wedding photography portfolio website takes a unique approach by featuring a video on the homepage. The site has a luxurious feel, which is appropriate for a wedding photographer.

Below the fold on the homepage, you’ll see logos of publications that have featured Danilo & Sharon. The logos of Vogue, Elle, and others provide credibility and social proof.

Johnny Edward

Johnny Edward

Built with Pixpa

Johnny Edward’s homepage showcases photos in two vertical columns. Visitors can scroll down the page to see a large selection of images.

This professional photography website uses a sticky left sidebar with links to the portfolio and other pages. Social media links are also found in the sidebar.

Lieben Photography

Lieben Photography

Built with WordPress

The homepage of Lieben Photography uses a full-screen slideshow to showcase a several stunning images. The site also includes a blog and a small shop.

Dolly Ave

Dolly Ave

Built with Squarespace

Dolly Ave’s homepage features a bold, full-screen background photo. If you hover the mouse over any of the links in the vertical menu on the left side of the screen, the photo changes.

The site’s primary navigation menu is in the header next to the logo. Social media icons are on the right side of the header.

Lara Jade

Lara Jade

Built with Squarespace

Portrait photographer Lara Jade’s website uses a clean layout with a white background, which is common for photography websites. The homepage shows a selection of photos in a grid. The navigation menu also includes links to a few category-specific galleries.

Chris Collado

Chris Collado

Built with Pixpa

Chris Collado’s homepage includes a series of full-width images with links to galleries: portraits, weddings, city of dreams, and events. The photography website also includes a brief bio and contact details.

Morgan Norman

Morgan Norman

Built with Squarespace

Morgan Norman’s photography website uses a splash page with a full-screen background image. When you click the button to enter, you’ll land on the page shown above.

This site features a clean design and layout. One unique aspect is that the logo is on the right side of the header and the menu is on the left.

Nois7

Nois7

Built with Wix

Nois7 is the site of Robert Jahns. Although this site includes the standard items you’d expect from a portfolio site (photo galleries, bio, and contact info), the shop is the site’s primary focus.

Photo prints are sold through the shop. The homepage showcases the latest prints and bestsellers. This could serve as an excellent example for professional photographers who want to prioritize the e-commerce aspect of their photography website.

Amber Garrett Photography

Amber Garrett Photography

Built with Squarespace

As you scroll down Amber Garrett’s homepage, you’ll notice some animation effects as text and photos slide into place.

The site includes detailed information and pricing for prospective clients. Amber also offers mentoring sessions for other photographers.

Knolton Photography

Knolton Photography

Built with Pixpa

Knolton Photography’s homepage is unique among the sites featured in this list. Instead of using a full-screen photo or a few columns of photos, the site uses a mockup that showcases the photographer’s work as wall art.

Amelia Allen

Amelia Allen

Built with Format

Amelia Allen uses a text-based logo like many photographers. But the tilted letters give it a unique and interesting appearance.

The homepage shows photos in two columns, and each photo links to a different gallery or page on the site.

Lela Porta Photography

Lela Porta Photography

Built with Pixpa

Lela Porta’s homepage features a full-screen grid of photos. You can click on any of the photos to view a larger version.

The navigation menu includes links to galleries for pregnancy, babies, portraits, and commercial. Each of these pages includes information on the services offered. This is one of the key elements for most photography websites.

Taylor Gray Photography

Taylor Gray Photography

Built with Squarespace

This site uses a gray and white color scheme that presents an alternative to the black & white color scheme used by many photography websites on this list.

The homepage showcases three photos. A bio of the photographer can be found below the fold. Of course, the navigation menu in the header provides all of the essential links.

Taylor provides “wedding experience” and “portrait experience” pages to give potential clients the important details about her services. These pages are really well done and may serve as excellent inspiration for your own site.

Lisa Michele Burns

Lisa Michele Burns

Built with Wix

The homepage of travel photographer Lisa Michele Burns features a grid of beautiful, colorful images. The “portfolio” link in the header opens a drop-down menu with links to categorized photo galleries.

Some of the links in the navigation lead to pages on Lisa’s business website, The Wandering Lens. At The Wandering Lens, she offers photo prints, online courses, e-books, Lightroom presets, and more.

Emilee McGovern

Emilee McGovern

Built with Squarespace

Emilee McGovern’s site uses a splash page with links to her photojournalism and editorial work. Once inside, the site uses a clean layout. Regardless of whether you select photojournalism or editorial from the splash page, you can still access the entire site through the navigation bar.

Syringa Studios Photography

Syringa Studios Photography

Built with Squarespace

Syringa Studios is the portfolio and photography website of Annie Schroeder. The homepage includes a full-screen newborn photo.

This is a fairly small site. It includes galleries for newborn photos and maternity/family photos. It also includes an “about” page with a brief bio and a “contact” page.

Dan Kennedy Photography

Dan Kennedy Photography

Built with Squarespace

Dan Kennedy’s homepage showcases photos in a grid, including magazine covers that feature his work. The “portraits” and “fashion” links in the header lead to categorized galleries (the homepage is the “portraits” gallery).

One unique aspect of the site is that in includes a podcast, although no new episodes have been published recently. Still, this serves as an example of how you can host a podcast on your Squarespace website.

Andre Ormset

Andre Ormset

Built with Pixpa

Photographer and digital artist Andre Ormset uses full-width background images on the homepage that link to categorized galleries. If you scroll down the page, you’ll see a few images that each link to a different photo gallery.

Apertura Arquitectónica

Apertura Arquitectónica

 Built with Pixpa

This architectural photography portfolio showcases three columns of photos on the homepage. The static sidebar includes a logo, navigation menu, and Instagram link. The “projects” link in the navigation opens up a sub-menu with links to specific projects.

Overall, there’s very little text on this site. The “about” page has a one-paragraph bio, but this site is mostly focused on showcasing photos.

Cliff Endsley

Cliff Endsley

Built with Squarespace

This photography website includes photos that link to different galleries. You can also use the menu links to navigate to the gallery of your choice. Througout the site, you’ll see lots of big, colorful photos.

Anwita + Arun Photography

Anwita + Arun Photography

Built with Pixpa

The site of this creative duo includes four different galleries of portfolios. They can be accessed through the images on the homepage, or by clicking links in the drop-down navigation menu. The site also includes a short behind-the-scenes video of their photoshoot for Kellogg’s.

Rachel Veltri Photo

Rachel Veltri

Built with Squarespace

Rachel Vetri’s site stands out from most photography websites with a unique layout and something other than a standard black & white color scheme. The site provides plenty of information for prospective clients on the services and packages offered.

Pro Shotz

Pro Shotz

Built with Pixpa

This sports photography website site features a full-screen slider on the homepage. Portfolios are provided for several different sports. Of course, the site also includes a photographer bio and contact information.

Jeremy Blode Photography

Jeremy Blode Photography

Built with Squarespace

Jeremy Blode’s portfolio is another one that uses a unique layout and design. The homepage includes subtle parallax scrolling effects. Aside from the standard pages and sections, this site also includes an FAQ.

Characteristics of Effective Photography Websites

Take note of the obvious and subtle differences in how successful photographers manage their layout and site organization. The design of the site should serve the style and purpose of your portfolio.

While there are several different approaches used by the photography websites in this showcase, one thing they all have in common is a simple or clean layout. For the photos to stand out, the design and layout should be simple. If you’re choosing a photography website template, go with a design that won’t compete with your photos for visitors’ attention.

Photographers will have thousands of photos to choose from for their home image(s). It might take time to decide what imagery you want visitors to see first, but quality is more important than quantity. You want to give each photograph the space it needs on the screen.

Try to pull visitors in with one or two striking images that will encourage more exploration. For example, travel photographers may showcase one epic photo on their homepage with links to galleries for further browsing. Another common approach is to use grid layouts to showcase several photos.

Many photography sites use a toggle feature so visitors can view photos one by one or see a thumbnail grid for a quick overview. A scrolling grid with mid to large-sized images is a great, simple way to encourage visitors to keep viewing, plus this will feel familiar to anyone who uses Instagram.

Use text wisely. If your portfolio is journalistic or story-based, it might make sense to include some context or explanation with the photos. Testimonials or price information makes sense in some cases, too. Just ensure the text doesn’t overwhelm the page and detract from the impact of the amazing photography.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Create a Photography Website?

Squarespace is our favorite photography website builder. We love Squarespace because they offer a great selection of templates to build a beautiful site in no time. You can also customize the design and layout to suit your preferences. Squarespace provides all of the necessary functionality for a portfolio site. You can even use the e-commerce features to sell photo prints, digital photos, or other products. Squarespace is our suggestion if you want to build one of the best photography websites on a budget.

How Can I Create a Free Photography Portfolio Website?

There are some options for creating a free website for photographers, but the features are limited, and you may have ads on your site. Wix is one option. But for just a few dollars per month, you can use a platform like Squarespace and get a professional website using a beautiful template.

Do I Really Need a Photography Website?

If you want to make money with digital photography, you should have your own portfolio website. You could use platforms like Instagram, 500px, or Behance to showcase your photos, but having your own website and domain name will give you more control. You won’t be susceptible to decisions made by the platform. Having a website is a must for a commercial photographer.

How Much Does it Cost to Create a Professional Photography Website?

It’s possible to get a professional-looking photography website for less than $20 per month (Squarespace starts at $16 per month) using a website builder. Of course, if you have a designer/developer create a custom website for you, it can easily cost thousands of dollars. But thanks to the beautiful templates provided by Squarespace, a custom design usually isn’t necessary.

What Are the Essentials of a Good Photography Website?

The photos should be front and center. Most professional photographer websites use a minimalist design and color scheme, which helps to keep the focus on the photos. The site should also include your bio, links to any press or media that you’ve received, a description of the products or services that you offer, and a way for visitors to contact you. Allowing visitors to purchase photos is ideal but not essential.

Should I Sell Photos Directly from My Website?

Having e-commerce functionality on your portfolio site is not necessary. However, it does work well for many people and may improve the client experience. If you shoot landscapes, you might be able to sell fine art prints to your visitors. Wedding photographers may be able to take orders from clients or wedding guests through private photo albums with purchase options. Leading platforms like Squarespace provide e-commerce capabilities with credit card processing.

Should I Watermark My Photos on My Website?

This is really up to you. Adding a watermark can protect against people using your photos without your permission. However, it can also impact the overall look and appeal of the photo. If you decide to use a watermark, we recommend using an attractive logo or badge rather than a bland watermark.

Final Thoughts on Photography Websites

If you’re a photographer, your portfolio site is a critical aspect of your business. Thankfully, creating a professional portfolio site doesn’t need to be complicated. The design and layout should be simple so your amazing photos can be the center of attention. You can use a template from Squarespace and get one of the best websites for photographers on a small budget.

Hopefully, the best photography websites showcased here have provided some inspiration that will be useful when creating your own site.

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