Portfolio Website for Jacob Gronberg

Jacob Gronberg is a bold, immersive portfolio website built for a contemporary photographer known for pushing visual boundaries. The client wanted a digital experience that matched the unconventional and provocative nature of their work, which includes raw, often unsettling imagery such as a photograph featuring flies covering a subject's mouth.

I was responsible for developing the site using Next.js for performance and structure, and GSAP (GreenSock Animation Platform) for rich, fluid animations that reflect the disruptive aesthetic of the artist.

Translate a bold creative vision into a functional, interactive website, without compromising performance or accessibility.

Build a highly visual, fast-loading portfolio to showcase high-resolution, concept-heavy photography.

Create immersive transitions and animations that align with the tone and intensity of the artwork.

Implement a custom loader experience that sets the mood from the moment a user lands on the site.

Optimize for both desktop and mobile to ensure the site performs well across devices, despite heavy visual assets.

Visual intensity vs performance: The photographer’s work is high-res, detail-rich, and often visually dense. Balancing that with performance and smooth scrolling was technically demanding.

Unconventional navigation & flow: The layout and interactions were designed to feel different, so I had to break away from traditional portfolio patterns while keeping the site intuitive.

Animation complexity: The creative required subtle and intense GSAP animations custom loaders, scroll-triggered effects, hover interactions all without overloading the browser.

Mood-driven design implementation: The atmosphere was dark, emotional, and uncomfortable by design. Implementing that visually, with careful color treatment, spacing, and micro-interactions, required close attention to tone.

Built the site with Next.js, using server-side rendering for SEO and fast initial loads, and static generation where possible for speed and reliability.

Leveraged GSAP for a fully custom loader animation that immediately sets a cinematic tone using fades, image reveals, and dynamic transitions.

Implemented scroll-triggered animations and interactive elements (hover reveals, parallax effects, animated galleries) using GSAP ScrollTrigger, enhancing storytelling through motion.

Optimized large image assets by implementing dynamic imports, lazy loading, and next/image optimization to maintain speed without sacrificing quality.

Dark-mode visual theme with custom typography and spacing that reflects the artist’s raw and rebellious tone.

The final site delivered an experience that genuinely matched the unconventional spirit of the photographer’s work. Users are immediately drawn into a bold, mood-heavy interface that feels more like an art installation than a traditional portfolio. The client was thrilled that their website became an extension of their creative identity, not just a gallery.

Working on an art-driven site taught me how to balance creative freedom with performance and UX best practices.

GSAP is incredibly powerful for creating mood through motion but performance optimization is critical when combining it with heavy visuals.

Minimal, focused content structure paired with strong animation can create deeply memorable user experiences.

Collaborating on this project sharpened my eye for tone, pacing, and the emotional impact of design.