Kotoyu: Editorial website system development

Kotoyu is an editorial website system designed for photographers who treat their work as a body of work, not a feed.

The project explores how photographic narratives can be presented online with the same restraint and pacing found in print editorials. Rather than optimizing for volume or trend-driven layouts, Kotoyu prioritizes sequence, rhythm, and visual hierarchy.

The work spans design direction, layout system development, content structure, and Framer implementation.

Many photography websites fail in predictable ways:

Images are shown without narrative or sequencing

Layouts prioritize novelty over readability

Typography feels secondary or ornamental

Sites resemble social feeds rather than curated portfolios

For photographers producing long-form or conceptual work, these patterns flatten meaning and reduce impact.

Kotoyu was designed to:

Present photography as a curated editorial experience

Establish clear visual pacing across projects

Balance imagery and text without competition

Support both single images and extended series

Remain calm and legible across devices

The goal was to create a system that respects attention — both the photographer’s and the viewer’s.

The visual language draws from editorial and Swiss-inspired design principles:

Strong typographic hierarchy

Modular grid systems

Generous whitespace

Neutral color palette

Typography anchors the experience. Headings introduce context, body text provides reflection, and spacing controls tempo. Design decisions are deliberate and quiet, allowing photographs to retain emotional weight.

Motion is minimal and functional, used only to support transitions and continuity.

Kotoyu is built as a modular editorial system:

Reusable layout patterns for consistency

Flexible compositions for different photographic formats

Predictable reading flow across pages

This system allows photographers to expand their work without fragmenting the overall experience.

Content structure is intentionally restrained:

Projects are treated as complete narratives, not collections of images

Text supports imagery without explaining it away

The system encourages selection over accumulation

The emphasis is on intentional curation, not exhaustive display.

Kotoyu was implemented in Framer with a focus on:

Responsive behavior across all screen sizes

Clean component hierarchy for adaptability

Performance-aware image handling

SEO-conscious structure without compromising design integrity

Framer functions as the delivery medium, not the visual driver.

Kotoyu results in a photographic website experience that feels:

Considered rather than performative

Structured without rigidity

Editorial instead of algorithmic

It supports photographers who value depth, clarity, and authorship.

Kotoyu explores a simple idea: Photography gains power through restraint.

When images are sequenced with care, the design disappears — and the work holds.