How do I create a public website to showcase my photography?

If you’re learning and want complete control, there are many factors to consider, like responsive design for various devices and SEO practices. A popular choice is to start with website builders like Squarespace, which can provide a decent site without too much hassle. Alternatively, WordPress could be a great step up, but be cautious about building bad habits with page builders.

You might be overthinking the whole process. If this is a personal project, using a Content Management System (CMS) could simplify things for you. You could also leverage social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram to showcase your work, then just create a small landing page to tie it all together with links to those profiles. If you're set on going the DIY route with coding, though, just keep in mind that a free hosting service might have limitations, like a storage cap on the published site. Good luck!

Consider using cloud storage options for your images, like an S3 bucket, which you can link to your website. For displaying your photos, a static site created with just HTML/CSS/JavaScript could work without needing a complex back end unless you're planning to manage data with a database. If you're worried about mobile responsiveness, learning some basics about CMSs might be beneficial as you expand.

Honestly, for a photography portfolio, you don’t need much in the way of backend systems. I use Cloudflare for hosting and store images cheaply with Cloudflare R2, which costs me around $5 a month. I keep image metadata in a simple JSON file and use a bit of JavaScript to display them. This way, you can create a nice static site without overly complicating things.

The simplest solution might be to use WordPress. It’s user-friendly, and most hosting providers have one-click installations available.