Miraculous photography

Photographer website on a budget

One talented photogrpaher took us up on a crazy offer for a free website with domain name purchase

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Visit Website

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Finding the "easy" button

Finding the "easy" button

Finding the "easy" button

Sometimes, you run into the right people at the right time, and it turns out to be an "easy button" for life. Frankly, this photographer found the button with us on this project.

Sometimes, you run into the right people at the right time, and it turns out to be an "easy button" for life. Frankly, this photographer found the button with us on this project.

Problem
A busy and ambitious mother needs help with her photography business

April is a talented professional photographer in Colorado. She is a full-time mom with a full plate - a husband, a house, and two children to care for. She doesn't have the time or technical know-how to build a website. Also, She has a Facebook page but no website or other social media. Also, she has no official channel to make payments.

Solution
A single-page website with links and an embedded photo gallery

We used our industry knowledge and expertise to give April's business exactly what it needed and more. We delivered a beautifully branded, fully functional marketing website AND help with social media.

My role/The team
An amazing two-person team with a proven track record - myself as designer, and my partner as coder

This project was a team effort between my business partner Christian and me, a software engineer. The two of us previously designed and built mobile and web apps while working for an award-winning startup in the digital identity space. We also collaborated on several freelance digital projects.

Project summary
In-depth consultation, recommendations, and quick shipping

At the time, we had an amazing offer for a free landing page design and build with the purchase of 1-year domain hosting feeds. After assessing the current state of the business and April's goals and requirements, we made a plan to bridge the gap between where she was and where she needed to go. She jumped on board with our plan, and we made it happen with a domain, website, and even social media templates.

This deal was almost too good to be true

This deal was almost too good to be true

This deal was almost too good to be true

It was fall 2023. My business partner and I had each recently started our own respective digital agencies. To boost our marketing profiles, we decided to offer an insane deal - free simple landing page build and design with the purchase of 1yr of domain hosting. It should be mentioned that the domain hosting deal was super cheap.

It was fall 2023. My business partner and I had each recently started our own respective digital agencies. To boost our marketing profiles, we decided to offer an insane deal - free simple landing page build and design with the purchase of 1yr of domain hosting. It should be mentioned that the domain hosting deal was super cheap.

Full-time mother, part-time photographer

One local photographer named April decided to take us up on the offer. She was a long-time hobby photographer but had started to take it more seriously in recent years, being paid to do family portraits, wedding photos, and other events, mostly for friends. But now, she was ready to step up her game with a stronger digital presence.


One local photographer named April decided to take us up on the offer. She was a long-time hobby photographer but had started to take it more seriously in recent years, being paid to do family portraits, wedding photos, and other events, mostly for friends. But now, she was ready to step up her game with a stronger digital presence.

An altruistic consultation

Frankly, I'm not much of a salesman. It would be impossible for me to sell a client something if I didn't believe it was perfect for their business. Like most new entrepreneurs, April wasn't sure about the right way for her to build a website. We were honest with her in reviewing the options - custom code, wix, wordpress, etc. After some brief back-and-forth, we agreed that our free landing page deal would be the perfect fit.

Frankly, I'm not much of a salesman. It would be impossible for me to sell a client something if I didn't believe it was perfect for their business. Like most new entrepreneurs, April wasn't sure about the right way for her to build a website. We were honest with her in reviewing the options - custom code, wix, wordpress, etc. After some brief back-and-forth, we agreed that our free landing page deal would be the perfect fit.

Nailing down a domain name

My partner Christian guided April in choosing a custom domain name for her business, Miraculous Photography. She reviewed the available options and decided her new masterpiece portfolio would live at miraculousphotos.com

My partner Christian guided April in choosing a custom domain name for her business, Miraculous Photography. She reviewed the available options and decided her new masterpiece portfolio would live at miraculousphotos.com

Features and functions of the site

In our early discussions with April, we agreed that the website should enable users to complete the following actions:

In our early discussions with April, we agreed that the website should enable users to complete the following actions:

  • View a photo gallery

  • Make a deposit

  • Send an email

What's the vibe we're going for?

Being that this project was a photography portfolio, it's a given that we'll need to put a premium on aesthetics. April shared her vision for the visual direction as "natural, elegant, and classy"

Being that this project was a photography portfolio, it's a given that we'll need to put a premium on aesthetics. April shared her vision for the visual direction as "natural, elegant, and classy"

Let the photography resonate through the website

Aside from her direct input, I also let the visual style of her photography guide the direction of the website. Her photos were crisp, clean, and colorful, with a lot of sunlight and an optimistic, somewhat idyllic quality. All of these factors went into the final UI design.

Aside from her direct input, I also let the visual style of her photography guide the direction of the website. Her photos were crisp, clean, and colorful, with a lot of sunlight and an optimistic, somewhat idyllic quality. All of these factors went into the final UI design.

Expanding on the current logo and branding

Expanding on the current logo and branding

Miraculous Photos only has a single design artifact - a logo - used as a watermark on April's existing photos. It was her desire to leave the logo unchanged and use it on the website. I found one typeface, Angello, which matched the cursive handwriting "MP" in the logo. For the all-caps text below, Libre Baskerville seemed to be a great fit, if not the original typeface.

Miraculous Photos only has a single design artifact - a logo - used as a watermark on April's existing photos. It was her desire to leave the logo unchanged and use it on the website. I found one typeface, Angello, which matched the cursive handwriting "MP" in the logo. For the all-caps text below, Libre Baskerville seemed to be a great fit, if not the original typeface.

A tale of two mood boards

A tale of two mood boards

After figuring out the typography, I moved on to graphic assets and collected dozens of assets that might be a good fit for the Miraculous Photos website. After some perusing, I found two sets of assets and pulled two color palettes from them to create a set of mood boards. April preferred the 2nd board with primary colors green and blue.

After figuring out the typography, I moved on to graphic assets and collected dozens of assets that might be a good fit for the Miraculous Photos website. After some perusing, I found two sets of assets and pulled two color palettes from them to create a set of mood boards. April preferred the 2nd board with primary colors green and blue.

Mood board 1
Mood board 1
Mood board 2
Mood board 2

A last-minute surprise

A last-minute surprise

I began my efforts with initial wireframes but then received some new input - April was requesting to add two new features: a link to her Facebook page and a section showing the types of events she specializes in. After discussing with my partner, we decided to honor these requests and include them on the website.

I began my efforts with initial wireframes but then received some new input - April was requesting to add two new features: a link to her Facebook page and a section showing the types of events she specializes in. After discussing with my partner, we decided to honor these requests and include them on the website.

Events

Events

~ Wedding

~ Birthday

~ Graduation

~ Family Session

~ New born

~ Milestones

~ Field Trip

~ Sporting Event

~ Wedding

~ Birthday

~ Graduation

~ Family Session

~ New born

~ Milestones

~ Field Trip

~ Sporting Event

~ Wedding

~ Birthday

~ Graduation

~ Family Session

~ New born

~ Milestones

~ Field Trip

~ Sporting Event

Design work in Figma and fast feedback

Design work in Figma and fast feedback

I created a set of responsive wireframes and requested feedback from April. She was loving the design direction but had just one small change request - remove the card background color/texture. This would give us a slightly sleeker, cleaner look.

I created a set of responsive wireframes and requested feedback from April. She was loving the design direction but had just one small change request - remove the card background color/texture. This would give us a slightly sleeker, cleaner look.

Polishing the design

Polishing the design

After making some finishing touches, I sent the wireframes to April for final approval. She was fully satisfied with the design!

After making some finishing touches, I sent the wireframes to April for final approval. She was fully satisfied with the design!

Handoff to my partner - the coder

After polishing up the final wireframes, I mocked up some quick prototypes with subtle animations to be included in the site. My developer, Christian, also contributed some ideas for a scroll transform animation for the graphic elements.

After polishing up the final wireframes, I mocked up some quick prototypes with subtle animations to be included in the site. My developer, Christian, also contributed some ideas for a scroll transform animation for the graphic elements.

Social media consultation and templates

Social media consultation and templates

In addition to the website, I drew on my experience with Instagram to provide some advice and templates April could use for testimonials. These branded assets include variations with and without profile avatars, for example.

In addition to the website, I drew on my experience with Instagram to provide some advice and templates April could use for testimonials. These branded assets include variations with and without profile avatars, for example.

1,2,3…Say cheese!

1,2,3…Say cheese!

And just like that, within two weeks, we had designed and built a beautiful website for April and her company, Miraculous Photography. Check out the site live at miraculousphotos.com

And just like that, within two weeks, we had designed and built a beautiful website for April and her company, Miraculous Photography. Check out the site live at miraculousphotos.com

Visit Website

Visit Website

Visit Website

Results
Results

A kick-start to her photography business

As a result of our project, April found a renewed sense of motivation and dedication to her craft and her business. She began sharing lots more work on social media and landed more clients in the two months following than she had in the prior two years.

As a result of our project, April found a renewed sense of motivation and dedication to her craft and her business. She began sharing lots more work on social media and landed more clients in the two months following than she had in the prior two years.

Great client feedback

Great client feedback

We received great positive feedback from April:

We received great positive feedback from April:

"Before I connected with Nate and his partner, I had no idea how to run and manage a website. They answered all my questions, always replied to emails promptly, and worked efficiently.

After talking with me, Nate offered a beautiful website design; besides being functional, the design also showed my style and photography philosophy."

Thanks for viewing!

Thanks for viewing!

Thanks for viewing!

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© 2023 Nate Worford

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