GŽ Photo Studio

Client

G. Žymančiūtė

2021

My role

UX UI

Gabrielė Žymančiūtė is a portrait and lifestyle photographer based in Akmenė, Lithuania, specializing in wedding, themed, personal, couple, family, and event photography. While she has built a strong brand through Instagram and Facebook, her business primarily grows through word of mouth recommendations from past clients. To expand her reach beyond Northern Lithuania and establish a more professional online presence, a need for a dedicated photography portfolio website emerged.

Overview

01 Problem

Ms. Žymančiūtė lacks a centralized, professional platform to showcase her work, limiting her visibility and client reach beyond local referrals and social media. A structured portfolio is needed to strengthen her brand and support business growth.

02 Solution

To streamline the Equal Pay audit process, the Audit page was extended with an integrated Actions section, allowing users to address flagged cases directly within the workflow.

03 Impact

While the design was successfully completed, web development was paused due to external factors. The project underscored the importance of expressing personality through design—especially in photography, where human connection is key.

04 Deliverables

Custom Website Design: Aligned with photographer’s brand and style, featuring client testimonials, optimized photo galleries, web, mobile & tablet versions.

Web solution

01 Home page

Serving as the first impression, the homepage defines the studio’s positioning and narrative. It provides essential information about the photographer, references, services, and background to build trust and create an emotional connection. A strong focus is placed on showcasing the photography style through a brief introduction and plenty of photo samples.

02 Gallery

The gallery enables customers to explore the studio’s offerings in greater detail, presenting the variety of photography styles and services available while setting clear expectations of the final results

03 Mobile

Snapshot of the mobile view highlighting samples from the service catalogue, gallery, and homepage.

Process

Timeline: 8 weeks including development time.

01 Discovery

Ms. Žymančiūtė’s goals, functional requirements, and visual style preferences were defined to establish a clear design direction. A competitive analysis and market research were conducted to identify industry trends and user expectations.

02 Definition

The website structure and initial wireframes were developed to outline the user flow. A high-fidelity prototype was then created, incorporating branding and aesthetics, which was presented for early client feedback to refine the design further.

03 Development

The design was iterated based on client input, with continuous refinements to UI elements and layout. Additionally, third-party solutions were explored to optimize photo display without compromising quality or performance.

04 Development & Delivery

Usability testing was conducted to ensure smooth navigation and readability across devices. Final design adjustments were made based on feedback, and design documentation was prepared for future development and implementation.

Constraints

One of the primary challenges was translating Ms. Žymančiūtė’s photography style into a digital format that enhanced her work without distracting from it. Additionally, as a solo entrepreneur, her limited availability for content creation and feedback required a flexible approach to the design process.

Iteration

Throughout the process, adjustments were made to ensure the design aligned with Ms. Žymančiūtė’s evolving vision. A key takeaway was the need to balance visual aesthetics with functionality – ensuring design elements complimented, rather than overshadowed, the photography itself.

For future improvements, further optimization of photo galleries could enhance the user experience, especially on mobile, where horizontal images can be less convenient to browse. Additionally, integrating a booking system could streamline client inquiries, while implementing SEO strategies could expand visibility beyond social media.