Photography Website Design: 7 Steps to Build a Site That Actually Books Clients

What do I actually want my website to do?

If you've ever Googled how to build a photography website then you've probably felt the overwhelm. There's too much advice out there — plugins, templates, SEO hacks — and none of it feels straightforward.

I know you just want your website to look good and work. But the first mistake most photographers make is starting on the wrong platform.

They get sucked into "pretty" templates or spend hours battling tech without asking the most important question: what do I actually need my website to do?

Your site isn't just a gallery. It should book clients, build trust, and make working with you feel seamless.

Think of your website as your hub: your portfolio, booking system, blog, and even shop if you're selling prints, presets, or courses.

At Tides Studio, my approach to photography website design is simple: story-driven, strategic, and clean. I want your site to feel like your work — and guide people from "wow, I love this photographer" to sending an inquiry straight to your inbox. Take Bec Zacher's site— it's one of those photography websites examples that perfectly shows how clean design can make stunning work feel even more impactful.

Step 1 – Choose the Right Platform

Should you use WordPress or Squarespace?

Look, everyone told me WordPress was the holy grail. "Learn WP," they said. "WordPress is the future," they said. So I tried. God, did I try.

I spent months attempting to build my own site on WordPress, and I'm not even exaggerating when I say it gave me literal migraines. I'd sit there for hours trying to get one simple thing to work, only to have a plugin crash and take half my site with it. The designing process felt like pulling teeth, updating anything was a nightmare, and don't even get me started on the backup situation — I was creating backup after backup after backup like I was preparing for the apocalypse.

For a tiny business like mine, it just wasn't worth the headache. Or the actual headaches.

Then I discovered Squarespace, and quite honestly? I hated it too (I know, I know... but Squarespace wasn't drag and drop yet. I mean, yeah, it was beautiful, it had all the features I needed, but it required coding knowledge to make it stand out even more).

But then when they released Squarespace 7.1--AHHH. Game changer! That's when it felt like someone had finally turned the lights on. It was fast, secure, reliable, beautiful, AND drag-and-drop. It works beautifully out of the box and comes with everything built in: blogging, booking, member areas, even e-commerce if you decide to sell that preset pack you've been thinking about. Best part? No plugins having temper tantrums at 2 AM.🎉

Do you need coding knowledge to work with Squarespace? Hmm. Yes, and no. Yes if you want to add really cool design features and animations, no if you're happy with all the cool things Squarespace already has to offer.

WordPress makes sense if you're Amazon or Walmart. But for photographers who want a beautiful, reliable site without wanting to throw their laptop out the window, Squarespace is the right move.

Step 2 – Define Your Brand Before You Design

Here's where most people mess up: they dive straight into templates without figuring out who they actually are as a photographer.

I get it. You see gorgeous photography website examples like Bec Zacher's clean, minimalist vibe and think "I want that!" But here's the thing — if your work is bold and moody, copying her aesthetic is going to feel like wearing someone else's clothes.

Maybe you're scrolling Instagram and see editorial photography websites trending, so you think that's what you need, even though your work is soft and romantic. That mismatch makes people wonder, "Is this even the same photographer?"

Your personal photography website should feel like YOU, not like every other photographer online.

Web design for creatives should always start with branding: your colors, fonts, voice, and the feeling you want people to have when they see your work. Get that right first, and everything else falls into place.

Step 3 – Create a Homepage That Converts

Okay, can we talk about something that drives me absolutely crazy? Gorgeous photography websites where I literally cannot figure out how to book the photographer.

I'm not kidding. I've spent 10 minutes on stunning sites, scrolling and clicking, trying to find a "Contact" or "Book Now" button. If I'm struggling as someone who builds websites for a living, imagine how frustrating it is for your actual clients.

In photography website design, this is non-negotiable: have a Book Now button in plain sight. It could be a floating button on your screen. Make it obvious. Use a color that stands out but doesn't take away from the images you take. Don't make people hunt for it like it's hidden treasure.

And please, for the love of all things holy, be clear about what you actually do. I see so many personal photography websites with vague taglines like "Capturing life's moments" or "Telling your story through images." Cool... but what KIND of moments? What KIND of stories?

Instead, be specific: "Wedding photographer for couples who want authentic, unposed moments in the Pacific Northwest" or "Family photographer specializing in outdoor sessions with toddlers and newborns in Austin." See the difference? The right clients will read that and think, "Yes, that's exactly what I want."

When you're looking at photography website examples for inspiration, pay attention to the ones that make you immediately understand what they do and how to hire them. That's your goal.

Step 4 – Showcase Your Portfolio Strategically

Okay, let's talk about something I see all the time: photography websites with galleries that go on and on and on. I'm talking 47 photos from one wedding, 83 family session images. I totally get why this happens — every shot is beautiful and tells part of the story — but here's why it might be working against you.

Your potential clients are scrolling on their phones during lunch breaks. They don't have 20 minutes to wade through your entire camera roll.

Less is actually more. Pick 10-15 of your absolute strongest images per gallery. Show the range of emotions, the different moments.

When I'm helping photographers with their personal photography websites, this is always the hardest conversation — but it's the most important one.

Trust me, nobody's going to complain that you didn't show them enough photos. They're going to book you based on those 12 stunning images, not because you included that extra shot of the bouquet from a slightly different angle.

Step 5 – Add Essential Pages

Can we talk about the two pages that can make or break your photography website? The About page and the Contact page. I see photographers spend weeks perfecting their galleries, then slap together these pages like an afterthought.

Big mistake.

Your About page isn't just filler content — it's where potential clients decide if they actually want to work with you. I've seen so many personal photography websites with About pages that read like a resume: "Jane has been photographing for 8 years and specializes in natural light." Cool, but do I want to hang out with Jane for 6 hours at my wedding?

Instead, show your personality. Talk about why you love what you do, maybe mention that you always have snacks in your camera bag, or that you cry at every wedding (in a good way). People book photographers they connect with, not just photographers with good portfolios.

And your Contact page? Please, please make it simple. I've seen photography websites where the contact form looks like a job application — 47 required fields asking everything from your great-grandmother's maiden name to your astrological sign.

Keep it basic: name, email, type of session, date, and a message field. That's it. Make the button say something warm like "Let's chat!" instead of the cold, corporate "Submit."

Step 6 – Optimize for SEO and Mobile

Okay, let's talk about SEO without making your eyes glaze over. I know the second someone mentions "search engine optimization," most photographers want to run for the hills. But honestly? You don't need to become an SEO wizard overnight.

Start with the basics: make sure your photography website actually works on a phone.

I cannot tell you how many gorgeous photography websites I've visited on desktop that on my phone that are completely unusable. Photos are cropped weird, text is either microscopic or magnified, buttons are impossible to tap without accidentally clicking three other things. If I'm struggling to navigate your site, your potential clients definitely are too.

Here's the reality: most people are browsing through websites during their commute, on lunch breaks, or while lying in bed scrolling through Instagram. They're not sitting at a desktop computer like it's 2005.

And here's a simple SEO tip that won't make your brain hurt: use actual words to describe your work. Instead of naming your gallery "Gallery 1," call it "Outdoor Family Photography" or "Austin Wedding Photography." Search engines (and humans) will thank you.

Step 7 – Make It Easy to Inquire

Let's talk about inquiry forms, because this is where so many photography websites completely drop the ball.

I've seen forms that are longer than my college application. I'm talking 25+ questions asking everything from your wedding budget breakdown to your favorite pizza toppings. Okay, maybe not pizza toppings, but you get the idea.

Here's what happens: someone falls in love with your work, clicks that "Contact" button we worked so hard to make visible, and then gets hit with a form that feels like filing taxes. They close the tab. You lose a potential client.

Your inquiry form should feel like a friendly conversation starter, not an interrogation. When I'm designing photography websites, I always keep it simple: name, email, type of session, rough date/location, and a message field where they can tell you about their vision.

That's it. Five fields, max.

Save the detailed questionnaire for after they've actually booked you. Right now, you just need them to say "Hey, I'm interested."

And please, for the love of everything, don't make your button say "Submit." It sounds like you're turning in homework. Try something that matches your personality: "Let's chat!" or "I'm ready to connect" or "Tell me more!"

The goal of your photography website design isn't to get every detail upfront — it's to start a conversation.

Look, building your own photography website doesn't have to make you want to throw your laptop out the window. It doesn't need to be perfect on day one — it just needs to feel like you and make it stupidly easy for people to book you.

Start with these steps, take it one section at a time, and remember: your biggest competition isn't other photographers with fancier sites. It's photographers whose sites are so confusing that clients give up trying to contact them.

And hey, if you're sitting there thinking "This all makes sense, but I'd rather spend my time actually taking photos instead of wrestling with website design"? I totally get it. That's exactly why I do what I do.

As a photography website designer who specializes in Squarespace website design, I help photographers build sites that actually convert visitors into clients — without the headaches, the generic templates, or the 2 AM panic attacks when something breaks.

Because at the end of the day, your website should work as hard as you do.