Web Dev

Final Project Reflection

For my final project, I designed and developed a freelance website for my photography business—Abby Kendrick Photography—built on WordPress. My goal was to create a professional and visually captivating online presence that not only showcases my portfolio but also allows potential clients to engage with my brand. I chose WordPress as my platform because of its flexibility and familiarity, but I deliberately challenged myself to go beyond basic templates and push my design and technical skills further than ever before.

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One of the first steps in my process was selecting an Elementor Calligraphy Starter Template, which aligned with the soft, elegant aesthetic I envisioned for my brand. However, I didn’t want the site to feel cookie-cutter or overly templated, so I immediately dove into customizing the layout, blocks, and design elements to reflect my personal style. Below is a screen capture of the original template layout before I made my adjustments:

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The first major customization was creating my logo from scratch using Canva. This wasn’t just a simple text logo—I wanted a design that would carry through the entire site and maintain cohesive branding. Designing the logo itself was a creative highlight, but integrating it seamlessly into my WordPress site was unexpectedly challenging. I faced several file size and resolution issues that prevented my logo from displaying crisply in the site header and favicon (site icon). Through a tedious trial-and-error process of resizing and reformatting files in Canva, I eventually achieved the clean, polished look I was aiming for. I’ve included screenshots of my logo design process in Canva to illustrate this progression:

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Another technical challenge came with the layout adjustments. While Elementor’s drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, certain sections didn’t align properly with my content-heavy structure. I had to experiment with adding and removing blocks, switching out pre-designed elements, and reworking sections to balance aesthetic flow with functional navigation. For instance, I modified the original homepage gallery into a grid layout to better showcase my diverse photography sessions—graduations, couples, and lifestyle shoots.

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A section I’m particularly proud of is the Portfolio Page, where I featured real photography examples from my recent work. I organized these into distinct categories—such as Graduation Sessions, Couple Shoots, and Lifestyle Portraits—so that visitors can easily browse the type of work that best resonates with them. Each category includes high-resolution images that reflect not only my technical photography skills but also my ability to capture candid moments and behind-the-scenes memories. For example, I showcased a graduation session taken in Dahlonega, where a client was initially hesitant about taking photos but ended up loving the experience. I also included shots from a group UGA grad session, as well as a couples’ session that captured a more candid, editorial feel. Including these real examples allowed my website to feel more authentic and personal to the services I provide.

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To build credibility and create a personal connection with prospective clients, I also incorporated a Client Reviews Section. I added testimonials from past clients who shared their experiences working with me, highlighting not just the final product but also how I made them feel comfortable and confident during their sessions. One review from a mom whose son’s graduation session I photographed mentioned how I captured authentic, behind-the-scenes moments that they’ll cherish forever. Adding these testimonials brought a human element to my site, giving potential clients reassurance and building trust before they even reach out.

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Navigation was another priority. I added buttons and links to encourage seamless movement between pages, ensuring users could easily explore my portfolio, read about my services, and contact me. A small but impactful feature I’m proud of is the “Scroll to Top” button, which enhances user experience by making navigation less cumbersome on content-heavy pages.

Although I kept the template’s neutral color palette to maintain a clean and minimal aesthetic, I swapped out header fonts with a more refined serif that matched my logo typography, which helped create a consistent branding experience across the site.

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Through this project, I not only strengthened my web design and problem-solving skills but also gained confidence in branding and technical troubleshooting. The frustration of resolving layout glitches, logo integration, and photo optimization made the final product that much more gratifying. I am proud of the custom elements I built—like the client reviews, photo galleries, and cohesive branding—that created a professional, user-friendly experience for future clients. This website is a reflection of my growth as a designer and my commitment to elevating my brand through intentional, hands-on learning.

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