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Halcyon | Editorial Photography Experience
Halcyon is an editorial photography platform built around the feeling of a modern independent photo journal. Rather than approaching the project like a traditional portfolio, I focused on creating an immersive browsing experience where the photography, typography, pacing, and layout work together to tell a story.
The experience combines strong editorial art direction with a responsive front end, giving photography room to breathe while maintaining a distinctive visual identity across screen sizes. I paid particular attention to image presentation, typography, composition, performance, and subtle interactions that make exploring the journal feel intentional rather than simply scrolling through a gallery.
The result is a highly visual digital publication that blends photography and modern web development into an experience that feels closer to a carefully designed print journal brought to the web.
Role: Full-Stack Developer
Focus: Editorial Design, Photography, Creative Development, Responsive Web Design, UI/UX
Technologies: Next.js, React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Vercel
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The only glow on the Kestra page is the reflective strip on the jacket. It comes from the image itself, so the Framer layers on top stay flat: grey, white and mono text, no glow effects on buttons or headings. That keeps the page easy to edit, because nothing in the UI depends on one lighting setup. If you swap the photo, the glow goes with it. Would you add a glow effect in Framer or keep it in the image?
wow, nothing but top notch
Built this in Framer as a concept project. Goal was to make it feel run by ex-journalists. Choices: editorial serif (Libre Baskerville), a dark photo with one color accent, and copy that positions against blast-style PR.
Where I’m unsure: text legibility over the photo and whether the two CTAs compete. What would you change?
That's great design it feels professional I like how the background mixed with interface ❤️❤️
Great job Cheree🎉🎉
I don’t avoid templates just to make things look different.
I avoid flattening a physical brand into a generic digital experience.
A restaurant, studio, fashion label or product can have incredible character in the real world, then lose all of it the moment it becomes a website.
That gap is what interests me.
The website should be able to carry the atmosphere through layout, typography, pacing, motion and interaction, and ideally attract people before they ever experience the physical space.
Not every project needs to be highly expressive.
Some websites should stay simple, direct and functional.
But even simplicity can carry identity.
Bolluni was built with that in mind: translating the character of the restaurant into a digital experience rather than simply presenting information.
Embrace the Creativity.
So well said. That's exactly the problem - a restaurant can have so much soul IRL then become another generic grid online. Love that you don't just avoid templates to be different, but to protect the brand's actual character. 100% agree.