Industry: Creative Portfolio
Services Delivered: Custom Astro frontend, WordPress backend, visual storytelling, performance-first build
A Portfolio That Speaks in Colour, Light, and Emotion
Marcela Jordane Photography is a conceptual project designed to explore how a bold visual portfolio can be both expressive and technically solid. The goal was to build something that feels personal, emotive, and rich in narrative — while staying lean, fast, and easy to manage.
Although the content is hypothetical and the imagery is stock, the structure and execution were treated with the same care I’d apply to a real client build. The site needed to demonstrate how visual identity, layout, and messaging could come together in a compelling way — the kind of experience that makes you pause, look again, and feel something.
What It Needed
- A high-impact visual experience with video backgrounds and animated transitions
- Clean, manageable content editing using WordPress
- Full responsiveness and performance without relying on page builders
- A layout that could flex to support real-world client work in the future
How I Built It
Hybrid Architecture
I used WordPress for content management and Astro — a modern frontend framework for building fast, static sites — for the frontend. This decoupled setup gave me the performance and control of a static build, while still offering the flexibility and ease of a full CMS behind the scenes. It allowed me to craft a custom visual experience without sacrificing maintainability or editorial usability.
Design That Supports the Message
The visuals were carefully selected to match the tone of each section — rich with mood, colour, and narrative weight. Even though stock, each image was chosen with intention, reinforcing the themes of emotion, style, and artistic vision expressed in the text. Combined with smooth scroll effects and cinematic video backgrounds, the result is a site that feels purposeful and impactful from the first screen.
Thoughtful Content Structure
Each section — from the personal introduction to the deeper reflections on style and motivation — was laid out to feel like a narrative rather than a brochure. Even though this wasn’t a commissioned build, the result is a portfolio site that feels lived-in and real.
The Result
- A striking visual identity, delivered without sacrificing performance
- A clean, maintainable site that showcases how visuals and words can work in harmony
- A demonstration of what’s possible when you combine Astro’s frontend power with WordPress flexibility
This project is a great example of my approach: even a hypothetical site deserves care, structure, and clarity. Whether it’s a real-world brief or a concept piece, I aim to build things that communicate — clearly, beautifully, and without bloat.
