Website Templates for Photographers: Start Strong with the Right Design
Let’s talk a bit about website templates for photographers.
We really do live in an amazing time, need a website for a business or side project, you could have one up in less than a week.
But honestly, designing websites can be challenging.
Website design tools like Showit allow users to drag and drop elements wherever they want to build a site with a unique look and feel.
For some, that’s exciting, for others it can be overwhelming.
Sure, you could hire a professional designer—and there’s certainly a time and place for that. But if you’re just getting started, you might not be ready to invest in professional design services.
That’s where pre-designed templates can save the day.
What to Look for in a Website Template for Photographers
So, it all starts with knowing what to look for in a photography website template.
A great template doesn’t just make your site look beautiful—it also helps your visitors have a seamless experience, helps with SEO, and brings you MORE CLIENTS!
Here’s a few features you should look for when shopping for a website template:
SEO Optimized
No point in having a visually stunning website is useless if no one can find it.
That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes in.
A good template should be built with SEO best practices in mind, including:
- Clean, well-structured code that helps search engines understand your content.
- The ability to add custom page titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images (which is crucial for photographers).
- Fast-loading pages, as Google favors websites with good performance.
- Mobile responsiveness (more on that below) since Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites.
The good news, all Showit templates are SEO optimized and ready to grow your photography business.
Mobile Responsiveness
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More than half (much more) of all website traffic comes from mobile phones, so your website needs to look and function perfectly on phones and tablets.
If a potential client visits your site and finds it hard to navigate on their phone, they’ll likely leave and look elsewhere.
When choosing a template, check for:
- A responsive design that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes, ensuring your images and text look great on any device.
- A mobile-friendly menu that makes navigation seamless without frustrating dropdowns or tiny links.
- Clickable phone numbers and contact forms, making it easy for clients to reach you directly from their phones.
Fortionatly, All Showit templates are completely responsive on mobile so you won’t need to worry about it.
Client-Friendly Navigation
Potential clients should be able to find what they need quickly and easily.
A well-structured template will guide visitors through your portfolio and encourage them to take action.
Look for:
- A clean, intuitive menu with easy access to your portfolio, pricing, and contact page.
- A logical page hierarchy that doesn’t overwhelm visitors.
- Call-to-action buttons (such as “Book a Session” or “Inquire Now”) placed in visible areas.
You can easily add these features any way you want on any Showit website.
Customization & Branding
Your website should reflect your unique photography style and brand. Choose a template that allows you to:
- Customize fonts, colors, and layouts to match your branding.
- Upload your own logo and branding elements easily.
- Create a consistent and cohesive look across your entire website.
And you guessed it, you can customize as little or as much as you want with all Showit templates.
Loading Speed & Performance
Slow websites = loosing potential clients
Google recommends that pages load in under three seconds, so your template should be optimized for speed.
Look for:
- Simple designs that aren’t bogged down by crazy animations.
- Templates that support optimized image compression (so your high-resolution photos load quickly without losing quality).
- Fast hosting options to ensure a smooth experience for users.
There tons of little things you can do to optimize page load speed, but all Showit templates will have all the basics covered so you site will work well out of the box.
Showit’s Best Website Templates for Photographers
Within the Showit design market, there’s a ton of great-looking templates aimed directly at photographers building their first website or simply wanting a refresh.
1. Monstera (free template)
This one is a Showit classic. It’s described by our designers as a breezy, bold aesthetic meets modern, non-boxy design. Monstera is a perfect website template for photographers, bloggers, and educators.
Features of this template include:
- Email opt-in form
- Shop page
- Blog with sidebar
- Collage of favorite things
- Click-through lists
The great thing about this one is it’s free to use with a Showit subscription.
To get a feel for the template you can click here to view a live demo.
2. Athena
Athena was designed for those drawn to modern, minimal design with an editorial edge.
A photographer’s portfolio is the star of this site, with full-screen imagery, 6 galleries-alternate layouts, and just the right amount of negative space.
Athena would be perfect for wedding, elopement, and destination photographers.
Features of this template include:
- Home Page
- About Page
- Information Page
- Portfolio Page
- Contact Page
- Blog Layout
- Blog Single-Post Layout
- 404 page
Additional features of this template
- Optional Pop-up
- Booking Banner
- 3+ drag and drop Gallery Choices
- Coming Soon Page
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
3. Luna Rae
Luna Rae embodies a bohemian aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the free-spirited bohemian culture.
It offers photographers a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface to showcase their work, share their stories, and connect with clients through a warm and inviting online presence.
Features of this template include:
- Homepage Slideshow
- Portfolio Gallery
- Blog Setup
- Client Testimonials Section
- About the Photographer Section
- Newsletter Signup Page
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
4. San Sebastian
San Sebastián is a warm, boho-style template designed for photographers and creatives.
It’s image-heavy to allow you to feature your best work, has three gallery styles to choose from, and can easily be customized to fit your brand.
It also includes premium fonts and illustrations (licensing for use within the template is included).
Features of this template include:
- Home Page
- About Page
- Services Page
- Portfolio Page
- Contact Page
- 404 Page
- Blog Page
- Single Post Page
- Category Page
- Legal Page
- Instagram Links Page
- Coming Soon Page
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
5. Love & Vows
The Love & Vows template is a romantic, editorial and modern website template for wedding industry pros who are ready to showcase their work in a professional and beautiful way.
Features of this template include:
- Home Page
- About Page
- Galleries Page
- Services Page
- Journal/Blog Page
- Contact Page
- Coming Soon Page
Additionally, you’ll receive a quick start guide with everything you need to start customizing your new site right after you checkout.
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
6. North
North is a design tailored for the modern creative who adores a timeless, elegant aesthetic.
Imagine a website that embodies the elegance of Audrey Hepburn – this is it.
North exudes sophistication and versatility, offering a sleek platform to showcase your visual artistry and engage your audience.
Features of this template include:
- Elegant, high-end magazine-style layout
- Multiple interactive galleries
- Blog-ready with a cohesive theme design for a unified online presence
- Style Words: minimalistic, elegant, sophisticated
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
7. Josephine
Immerse yourself in the essence of femininity, vintage charm, and moody allure with the captivating Josephine template.
This thoughtfully crafted with photographers and creative entrepreneurs in mind, it transports you to a world where your artistic vision will truly flourish.
Features of this template include:
- Home Page
- About Page
- Services Page
- Portfolio Page
- Blog Setup
- Single Post Page
- Contact Page
This template comes with Heather Jones Creative’s Showit-Off eCourse, which will walk you through customizing your new website and getting familiar with Showit.
If you are interested in this template, you can learn more and view a live demo here.
Why Photographers Love Using Showit
Since this is a Showit blog, we want to say a bit more about why photographers love using our platform.
Showit offers complete creative freedom to design a website that showcases their unique style and portfolio.
The drag-and-drop interface and intuitive tools allow photographers to easily customize their sites without any advanced technical skills.
Whether starting with a blank canvas or using a template, we make it simple to craft a site that highlights your best work and resonates with your potential clients.
Plus, its seamless integration with WordPress allows photographers to include a powerful blog to share their stories and expertise.
Finally, the customer support is unmatched.
Seriously, when photographers need help along the way, they can easily speak with one of our support pros in our Phoenix office, who can help them through any challenges they face in building, designing, or launching their site.
Choose The Best Template for You
We get it—choosing the right website builder and template is a big decision. After all, this is where you’ll be showcasing your hard work.
Having the right look and feel for your site is crucial to bringing in potential clients.
Above all, choose a template that truly reflects you and your brand.
Get out there and start creating! If you’d like to give Showit a try, we offer a 14-day trial with no credit card required, so you can experience it for yourself.
