Web Design with Passion back on new PC

Finally, Web Design with Passion is back on a new PC…. actually a whole new OS on 64bit. What a journey… and this with powercuts and connectivity issues… all fun but we’re getting there!

We grow through our struggles… but inbetween I just imagine myself being that happy, fat and buzzing bumble bee in my garden floating from flower to flower and living in complete bliss!

Web Design with Passion back on new PC

To get Web Design with Passion back on a new PC meant and still means installing each and every program from scratch. Not that this isn’t an interesting and instructive exercise nor is it the first time I do this – but it’s time-consuming and often frustrating especially when there is such a huge list to do!

However, starting out from scratch has its merits that can be compared to the annual spring clean-out: unless you are an obsessive gatherer and collector, it’s a good time to get rid of everything that’s superfluous and not absolutely necessary and becoming lean and light with lots of potential to move forward with a new and speedy lightness of being and let the creative juices flow. I’m not quite there yet as too puzzled by some mysteries noone else knew an answer to so far – but here’s my first post ‘after the storm’ and it can only get better and faster!

YEBO GOGO – this is about being a student for life!

data-text='Web Design with Passion back on new PC' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-28S' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/bianca-gubalke/web-design-with-passion-back-on-new-pc/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Bird Sanctuary Websites

If bird sanctuaries offer us tickets into the glorious theatre of Nature, Bird Sanctuary Websites are our virtual GPS.

Bird Sanctuary Websites

Bird sanctuary websites offer online bird watchers information and insight about the bird life found in a specific bird park or area, opening times, entry fees, special events and perhaps membership possibilities etc, but what everyone is probably most interested in are pictures and images of birds, our favourite feathered friends.

Personal Birding Website

If you have a garden that’s frequented by many different birds and you love to watch and photograph them, you may consider publishing your personal birding website or blog to share your thoughts, impressions, photos, perhaps sketches and whatever you want to include, with fellow birding afficinados. You may even invite other bird watchers to join you to gain a broader and even more interesting spectrum!

Your personal bird lover website could be designed in such an attractive way that it captures the interest of like-minded bird watchers from other parts of the country if not the world! The world of birds is truly without limits!

The Internet offers us such wonderful and affordable possibilities for individual expression today where we can create something that can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Why not pass on the wonder, joy and privilege of living in our magic world today?!

data-text='Bird Sanctuary Websites' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-28M' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/south-africa/bird-sanctuary-websites/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Full Moon over Noordhoek Beach

While we are used to a beautiful Full Moon over Noordhoek Beach – I was amazed at the ‘super moon’ photos posted officially on BBC and elsewhere on 6 and 7 May 2012 … pictures that seemed incredulous and left me wondering. I did take some photos as well and thought the moon was definitely more brilliant than usual… but nothing like I had expected, at least not on our side of the… globe and mountain.

Full Moon over Noordhoek Beach

Well, meanwhile I know most if not all of those pictures were illusions… and that we can all achieve with some good original photo material and a little bit of Photoshop! Ha!

What you see here is definitely the full moon I photographed in that night – around 11: 45 pm – and it stood like that in the pitchblack sky. No halo, no softness – like cut out.

And this was Noordhoek Beach in the very early morning where the full moon was hardly visible – now it is!I mean it was !

The fact is, I photographed the ‘real thing’ on 24 July 2010 and wrote about it HERE. And there was no manipulation involved whatsoever – it was huge, red and definitely super and extraordinary in many ways!

data-text='Full Moon over Noordhoek Beach' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-28E' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/south-africa/full-moon-over-noordhoek-beach/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Restaurant Websites

Today, even the most popular restaurant needs a presence online and there are extensive web developments for Restaurant Websites.

Restaurant Websites

While we may all have our favourite hangout spots and like to follow our friends’ suggestions when visiting a new one, Restaurant Websites help to find new places when travelling to another town or an unknown area.

For this reason, a restaurant website needs to indicate what it specializes on in terms of food (seafood, country cuisine, Thai Food etc…) and it must offer clear directions, possibly through Google Maps or good photography of the environment.

Pictures Sell the Restaurant and Menu

Friends, real ones and those we collect on Social Networks, suggest… but then Pictures sell the Restaurant and Menu!
It’s through the way a Restaurant Blog communicates its atmosphere, service and – of course – mouth-watering menus, wines, cocktails and specials – that we are attracted to one or another. Often these reactions are spontaneous and following our belly!

Restaurant websites and blogs serve as a brilliant, easy and fun way to be and keep in touch with the restaurant clientele, inform them of what’s new on the menu or which ‘Specials’ are on when and where, especially also around major annual festivities and events like for Christmas Dinners, New Year’s Dinners or for Valentine’s Day or linked to certain activities and festivals in the area or town, eg music concerts, sports events and the like.

Wine and Dine

Restaurants should ideally have a “Wine and Dine” Fanpage on Facebook that’s kept up-to-date with what’s happening, where questions are answered and where there’s continuous conversation.

Besides, and most importantly, a restaurant must be easily reachable on the Mobile Web. People want to see what’s on offer and hit the booking button fast – often just minutes before they arrive !

We at Web Design with Passion develop and design elegant, user-friendly and extremely Google efficient websites and blogs exclusively on WP based Semiomantics – have a look and get in touch HERE to discuss what you may be needing.

Restaurant Websites Sell!

data-text='Restaurant Websites' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-28y' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/website-development/restaurant-websites/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Make Your Website Mobile

Actually, the title of this post should not be “How to Make Your Website Mobile” – as for this you use a plugin like WP Touch Pro.

The issue here is – as discussed in my earlier article on  “iPhone Simulator”  (or ‘iPhone Emulator’ as it was called in the Ycademy Workshop) – :  how to actually see what you design when doing the mobile setup of your blog when you do not have access to an iphone or smartphone and none of the iphone simulators or emulators found on Google seem to be helpful, in other words: when you can’t see what you do.

While I enjoyed Zen Shooting with Bow & Arrow, in Web Design I prefer to see exactly what I do :)

Make Your Website Mobile

Once you know the answer it’s always simple: when you make your website mobile without owning or having access to one of those spiffy mobile devices, the answer is to download the Safari Browser and then, at the top under DEVELOP and > USER AGENT > choose the iPhone or iPad or whatever you need to test your work!

What you see here are first results when using exclusively the settings in WP Touch Pro – no CSS stylesheet at this stage. First, I wanted to see what’s there and experiment with it, learning the lessons from trial and error and getting an understanding of what should ideally be changed or adapted and for what purpose. Our customers are all different and have other priorities. The mobile web has become crucial for attracting potential clients for those who run a business and have products and/or services to sell.

Important: Thumbnails don’t show if you leave them on “Custom Field Thumbnails” in the Dashboard (WP Touch Settings); you have to select “WP Thumbnails” as you can see on the above top example. I did not change the size nor take out the reflections.

My next excursion will be into the stylesheet… but first let’s greet another absolutely stunning day to begin a week filled with promise!

data-text='Make Your Website Mobile' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-28g' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/how-to/make-your-website-mobile/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Author Blogs

Author Blogs are not necessarily writer blogs, meaning websites of published authors, as many people believe. In many cases they are personal blogs or websites where the focus can be on any specific topic – eg. gardening or cooking – or the author’s family or life in chronological order – which brings this digital medium in close proximity to auto-biographies, especially if the owner of the blog is a prolific writer.

And publishing regular original content is crucial for the success of an Author Blog.

Author Blogs

If you look at my Author Blog, you find anything related to Art, Media Design, Website Development and Design, Photography, Nature and… of course South Africa. This is where my heart and focus are and this leaves me a lot of scope for things to investigate, research, be enthusiastic about and share in form of any kind of expression that’s possible online.

Social Networks work for themselves

While many people believe they can get away in a ‘free’ way by just using their Facebook accounts to write and express themselves, they don’t operate from a position of freedom – like if they would be owning their own website or blog where they are in full control. Social Networks work for themselves and make and change the rules, they possess your content – be it written or in form of photos – and even sell you without your consent or vote nor giving you a fair share.

If a herd mentality is what you like, this will not bother you and you gladly pay the price.

If, however, you wish to be independent and build your own reputation online, based on your name, your talents and your services and/or products, there is no way around having your own personalized Author Blog or website.

Think about it and get started – for instance on a free WordPress Blog. If you want something more sophisticated, have a look at my SHOWCASE and – if and once you’re ready for your own driver’s seat online – let’s talk!

data-text='Author Blogs' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-289' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/web-design-with-passion/author-blogs/author-blogs/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Hakamela Africa Tours

After a couple of years of excursions via India and South Africa, legendary tracker Dumisani Sakuinje from Zimbabwe will finally be back with personalized high-end Hakamela Africa Tours – a special African Experience not to be missed.

Hakamela Africa Tours

Hakamela Africa Tours will be at INDABA 2012, one of the leading annual marketing events in African Tourism, that has won the prestigious World Travel Award for Africa’s best Travel & Tourism Show two years in a row.

INDABA will take place from 12 to 15 May 2012 at the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa.

We will report on our website development of this exciting project in due time – don’t miss our SHOWCASE.

data-text='Hakamela Africa Tours' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-27N' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/web-design-with-passion/africa-tourism/hakamela-africa-tours/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

Conferences and Events Websites

Conferences and Events Websites are a topic I am currently focusing on as developing a new company website for Conference Management Services in Southern Africa. This will also include Weddings and Destination Management. For more information and to see some of my work in this area, please go to my brand-new SHOWCASE HERE ( http://showcase.biancagubalke.com ).

Conferences and Events Websites

My prime objective when preparing a Conferences and Events Website will be speed and user-friendly interaction. When a customer needs Conference Management Services he firstly has to find what he is looking for fast, then like what he sees and lastly be able to get through and book fast. This means the conferencing website has to be well positioned on Google Top 10 – from a content point of view and, increasingly, as an image. And it has to be reachable via the mobile web.

Above you see one of my Conferences and Events Images on the first page on Google Images, competing with 443 million serach returns! Yes – one’s got to learn this and use the most efficient WP based Semiomantics script! Ask me how!!!

Conference Management Services

Clients should be ‘king’ in an absolute sense when it comes to Conference Management Services – that’s what will make the success of one’s conferencing and event management business.

Customers need to be able to fully focus on their objectives to achieve maximum results and productivity. This means preparing workshops, presentations, speeches, educational and media material etc etc … and a lot of their energy will go into attuning to all the different personalities and characters attending the event, the questions coming up and the discussions to be held.

Once the operation budget has been agreed, the Conference Manager is expected to deliver professional services in terms of:

> Planning the Conference or Meeting (dates, format, committee meetings..);

> Arrangements for locations, eg. hotel bookings, conference venues, lodging including all requirements;

> Liaison between client and speakers and presenters including preparational gettogethers;

> Promotion and advertising, materials for print, press and online event websites (if requested);

> Registration procedure – taking care of all communication and payments, prepare name badges etc;

> Facility management – function room setups, electronic setup and equipment, additional staff and operators etc;

> Coordinate food and beverages incl. special menus, recreational and team building activities;

> Clear signs to the conference venue, info packs, continuous liaison for all requests and contingencies;

> Clear check-in and check-out procedures;

> VIP lounge and services on request;

> Accommodation and partner program (eg. sightseeing) if spouse accompanies.

> Follow-up: review and approve invoices for payment, provide meeting summary and financial report;

> Gratuities to staff, ‘thank you’ messages to presenters and attendees

> and much more…

This is just a quick list from my head having attended, talked at and organized many conferences and events in the past…

Baseline is: all must be prepared, planned, negotiated and arranged according to prior agreement and budget limits and quite simply at their fingertips! No worries for your customer, not even a thought!

Even go a little extra mile if needed… I do that each day :)

data-text='Conferences and Events Websites' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-27A' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/web-design-with-passion/conferences-and-events/conferences-and-events-websites/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

iPhone Simulator

Not everybody owns an iPhone – but as Web Designers we are facing the fast evolution of the Mobile Web and have to make our websites mobile. So how can we design what we can’t see? The answer is an iPhone Simulator.

The question is really: which one?

The first sketches I designed for going mobile where featured in my post HERE. Already then, I knew well what I wanted, but I simulated the look based on what I needed and what I had learned at the time.

Today… just a few months later… things have changed again… and especially after an Ycademy Seminar on WP Touch one really wants to get things done – but from all the iphone Simulators I came across so far, spending a fair amount of time to search and test, nothing was satisfactory and especially nothing showed the visual results I would expect to see after what I have set up! Really frustrating!

iPhone Simulator

The iPhone Simulator above – testiPhone – shows my whole website, or rather what remains of it:

That’s really not the idea – so what’s the solution?

data-text='iPhone Simulator' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-27u' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/mobile/iphone-simulator/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >

1 May 2012 Results

Most will look at 1 May 2012 results once the day is over… here in Noordhoek, South Africa, we do the opposite! After a day and night of tremendous gale-force storms with the sound of the ocean reverberating so loud at 3:15 am in the morning we thought the water was at our doorstep, we are gifted with the most stunning day filled with sunshine and promise. Nature is rejoicing while we are cleaning up the debris of the past 48 hours and enjoying that brilliant halo of fresh new energy around each leaf, branch and flower that’s so healing to inhale! Yes… it’s one of those tender mornings I love and captured in a recent photo from my garden below.

With so much heaviness and pain to be finding its angry expression over the course of this day in many parts of the world, some of us are determined to balance this with loving and peaceful vibrations… Make your choice – and follow your heart.

1 May 2012 Results

On another level, 1 May 2012 Results on Google are my main objective with this little article – namely where did yesterday’s post end up?

Hotels and Lodges Websites

Hotels and Lodges Websites show an incredible amount of search returns on Google: 3,250,000,000 ! Sounds like counting the stars… and yet, as I checked the position of my featured images, I found two of them on page one as you can see on the screenshot! SEO results that talk!

There were more images from my Web Design Showcase at http://showcase.biancagubalke.com on the following pages, but what I want to illustrate here is the efficiency of my work in terms of Website Development with Semiomantics – nothing more, nothing less.

There are many stunning websites for hotels and lodges – the question is always: if and where do they show up on Google Top 10 and at what price?

Here’s with sunshine from South Africa and wishing you a peaceful 1 May 2012!

data-text='1 May 2012 Results' data-url='http://wp.me/p1zHhO-27m' data-counturl='http://biancagubalke.com/south-africa/1-may-2012-results/'
data-count='horizontal'
data-via='Bianca Gubalke' >