Hi everyone. I am posting this for a second time. I’ve exhausted looking at many portfolio templates, but can’t find what I’m looking for. What I am looking for is a template like Google and Bing Images. All portfolio images are displayed right on the HOME page. At the bottom of the page is LOAD MORE button, or the images will load automatically when people keep scrolling down. Then the user will be able to sort the images out by using a SEARCH function that will search all my artworks within my website (internal search only). Also, just like Google and Bing Images, there will be a sorting menu such as to sort out by categories, date, media type, etc.
Thanks.
I use a theme called SNAPS for my portfolio. Works like how you’ve specified. You can put a whole project after the click-through, or you can just have a larger view of one image.
I use keywords and categories so as long as you use those, people can easily search through your portfolio.
Thank you Buda, I liked it somewhat. Unfortunately it says that it will not support infinite scroll feature, and if the user wants to just browse through all works without sorting them out, then I have thousands of works that need to be loading with the infinite scroll. Also, this template has 4 columns and I have seen several other examples with 4 columns, but I prefer something like Google or Bing images where the entire width of the monitor is filled with images, and each one has text information below it so I can write what the image represents.
If you have a portfolio with so many images you need infinite scroll, you have too many images in your portfolio.
On the other hand if you are selling stock images, or similar, I could understand the need for it.
PrintDriver, I am not selling anything, only showing my work.
It’s hard for me to imagine that Google and Bing (or whatever other search engine that displays) IMAGES are some of the most widely used websites, yet I can’t find similar template functionality.
I’ll assume you have your reasons, but I’m having a difficult time envisioning a need for the features you’re looking for on a portfolio site, so I’m not surprised you’re not finding it.
Google and Bing have spent fortunes developing complex algorithms to take user-generated search terms and match them with relevant findings. The same is true for their image search algorithms that compare image similarities. It’s not reasonable to build that kind of functionality into a CMS template.
In your search feature, are you just wanting to use keywords associated with each portfolio image assuming the site viewer will know which words to search for, similar to the way the stock image sites or other shopping sites work?
Instead of an off-the-shelf template with that functionality, it would likely involve finding, modifying and installing third-party plugins. I just did a search for both Joomla and Wordpress search plugins and components — there are some available, but they’re either designed for plug-and-play e-commerce sites or made for developers to customize.
You didn’t mention which CMS you are considering — maybe Wordpress. As for database searches, Magento would likely be a better (but more complex) option. Magento is a CMS used to build e-commerce sites. It has built-in search features of the sort needed for shoppers to find and display images and product information. There are quite a few Magento search plugins (some with infinite scrolling). I understand you’re not looking to build an e-commerce site, but those features might be adaptable to a portfolio search. However, it would likely require some significant web developer skills to implement.
Again, I’m having a hard time imagining a need for such a thing on a portfolio site, so I suspect that no easy, out-of-the-box solution exists.
Thanks Just-B,
The Magento seems too complicated and above my level of understanding. I am probably looking for no plugins, but as easy to make as possible. My web host BlueHost supports WordPress, but I couldn’t find any decent template from the choices they offer.
My search algorithms will be only internal, so it would be easier for the code to sort out the wall of images.
Yes, keywords associated with each image. I was also thinking of ID# for each work, but forget about it… it would be too complicated. So, just keywords associated with each image will be enough. For example, user clicks on work done in specific month and year and the wall of images sorts out to display all work done in that period of time. At the bottom of the page is either an auto loader or a button that say LOAD MORE.
Yes, shopping cart and e-commerce websites have various features for narrowing down and further selecting the products, except in my case I will not be selling anything. Maybe I should just seek an e-commerce site as opposed to a portfolio themed site, and at the end try to deactivate any selling features.
Couldn’t edit the above comment I did.
I meant:
For example, user clicks on a KEYWORD, or CHECK-MARK button for work done in specific month and year, and the wall of images sorts out to display all work done in that period of time.
Like this?: https://visualportfolio.co/masonry-infinite-scroll/
It’s from Visual Portfolio Wordpress theme. https://wordpress.org/plugins/visual-portfolio/
Gonna try one more time.
If you make it too difficult to navigate your portfolio, no one will look at it.
At most someone may have 10 minutes or less to decide if they like your work. Trying to think of keywords in that time will get stale really fast, especially if it’s required and the first few come up nil.
People are lazy, and most often have better things to do.
Don’t try to come up with something novel, only to make life more difficult than it needs to be.
I agree with @PrintDriver. A portfolio is all about highlighting your best work. Your “best” shouldn’t include thousands of examples, but rather a few of each type of work. Most clients can get the idea after only a few examples. The ideal portfolio showcases your strengths as well as the type of work you want to take on.
I’ve looked at the top rated advertising agencies and noticed that most of them showcase about 10-15 projects. This is key because it tells a concise story that highlights your abilities. The path you’re trying to take seems to be more like a catalog or archive, which doesn’t seem to have the same purpose as a portfolio.
SurfPark, that infinite scroll is getting pretty close to what I am looking for. I prefer more like 4-5 images to fit in the width of the template. The other thing is that it is a plugin? Will have to look at it further. I need it to be responsive.
SurfPark, and PrintDriver, I forgot to mention that this is not going to be a graphic design portfolio. I already have one. It will be an artist’s portfolio with all of my artworks and photos done since I was born. This website will be more like a museum with tons of works as opposed to 10-15 portfolio pieces. So, a menu list with keywords or check-mark buttons for the user to sort out the particular images on the masonry display of works is a must.
Also, I will keep being picky, but I don’t want to start with the wrong template and then regret it after I’ve done thousand pages. So, I’d rather wait and search till I find the right one. So far masonry style of templates that fully cover the monitor in width are what I’m looking for, but it should be a masonry with image and text below it. Clicking on an image should open a pop up window (maybe push aside all the rest of the masonry images), and the pop up should show the image plus the text description below it. Now if the image is a series of works, then a left and right arrow can guide the user through all the works from that series. When the user closes the pop up window, we’re back to the masonry layout (no headers).
I will also try the web developer forums to see if they can guide me.
I don’t think you’ll find an ideal template because the scope of the project you want to create is rare. Most websites with large collections of images use a catalog database that has more advanced search and sorting queries. Based on what you’re looking for, I would you suggest looking into those.
Thanks. I will start searching for catalog database templates.