CASE STUDY / WEB DESIGN
Picture-Perfect Transformation:
A Photographer's Journey to a New Digital Identity
THE PROBLEM
Facing an upcoming photo exhibit, the client lacked a website to facilitate the sale of any surplus products.
THE SOLUTION
Revamp client's brand with an updated e-commerce website, facilitating both product sales and photo session bookings.
THE RESULT
Polished, user-friendly website with online booking capability and significantly increased new and returning traffic.
The Client
DigieMade Photography, a St. Paul Minnesota-based photography studio owned and operated by photographic artist, Roosevelt D. Mansfield.
The Objective
Roosevelt Mansfield, an established Twin Cities photographer, fearlessly experiments with unconventional techniques. He captures subjects with a distinctive blend of classic, vintage, moody, and rich styles, however his website did not reflect this. And with a very important photography showcase on the horizon, he sought to elevate his online presence through a website redesign.
To showcase his diverse portfolio, increase visibility in the competitive photography industry, and create a user-friendly platform that engages and converts potential clients.
Original homepage
Original 'Portrait Session'
Original 'About'
Original 'Services'
The Challenges
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Outdated Branding: The existing brand identity did not align with the photographer's style and the evolving industry standards. The site was bland and didn’t reflect the complexity in his photography.
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Lacked Functionality: While the old website had links for booking services, they were not functional nor did they provide any information to let customers know what to expect from a session. Additionally there was no means for selling product online.
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Non-optimized Portfolio Showcase: The portfolio presentation needed enhancement to effectively highlight the photographer's expertise. While the photographer displayed a variety of images, he wasn’t selective about which images he shared to best show his range.
The Approach
1. Branding Overhaul:
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Conducted a comprehensive brand audit to understand the photographer's unique style and vision. The client didn't know what he wanted, so I pulled inspiration from the photo library.
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Developed a new brand identity that reflected the essence of DigieMadePhotography, creating a cohesive and memorable visual language encompassing a subtle color palette of muted earth tones and elegant, legible fonts.
E9DECE
D4DDD4
3F7652
2A3027
FAHKWANG
Wix Madefor Display
Montserrat
2. Website Redesign:
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Performed competitive analysis and potential audience surveys.
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Collaborated closely with photographer to identify specific design preferences and user experience goals.
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Implemented a modern, clean, and intuitive design to showcase the photographer's work effectively.
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Ensured mobile responsiveness and cross-browser compatibility for a seamless viewing experience.
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Created SEO strategy and incorporated keywords, meta descriptions, and H tags.
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Added a blog section and wrote first couple of blog posts.
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Enabled online booking and established payment processing ability.
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Built e-store to enable photographer to sell portraits online.
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Wrote marketing copy for each product page, session details, and product descriptions.
Revised homepage
Revised 'Portrait Session'
Revised 'Services'
Revised 'About'
3. Portfolio Enhancement:
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Reorganized the portfolio section to categorize and display the very best of his fashion, family, commercial, engagement, and senior photography to show diversity.
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Incorporated high-quality visuals and engaging captions to tell a compelling story for each project while supporting SEO strategy.
The Results
1. Elevated Brand Perception:
The new brand identity better resonates with DigieMade's style, contributing to an elevated and cohesive brand perception. The site is more visually appealing and better showcases the photographer's work.
2. Improved User Engagement:
The redesigned website witnessed a significant increase in user engagement, with visitors spending more time exploring the portfolio and services.
3. Increased Site Traffic:
Changes to the site and its promotion resulted in a 603% increase in visits to the site within the first 30 days. Although traffic has since leveled off, it remains steady and significantly higher than the same timeframe the prior year.
4. Elevated Brand Awareness:
Site changes and subsequent promotion also saw a significant and continued spike in unique visits.
The Conclusion
By strategically merging a rebranded identity with a modern, user-friendly website, I was able to successfully propel DigieMade Photography into the digital spotlight. The results speak for themselves, with increased engagement, a broader awareness and growing client base, and a more distinguished online presence. This project exemplifies the impact of thoughtful branding, design, and development in transforming a photographer's vision into a captivating digital experience.
