Why minimal wins for photographyYour images should do the talking. A good portfolio loads fast, stays still while it loads, and gets clients to contact without detours. That’s why I start with Finnik - Minimal WordPress Theme for Photographers as the visual backbone: crisp grids, honest typography, and predictable sections. This post mixes tutorial steps with a short checklist so you can ship today, then keep it maintainable.
Links you’ll need exactly once each: Finnik Theme · WordPress Theme · GPLPal

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Structure (small, strong, shippable)

• Home: one sentence promise + featured gallery (12–18 shots).
  
• Portfolio: category filters (weddings, portraits, editorial, travel).
  
• Project: hero image, 6–12 shots with one ratio, brief story, location, gear (optional).
  
• About: two paragraphs + small portrait + contact CTA.
  
• Contact: one form (name, email, message), plus direct email for backups.
  
  

Keep it boring; consistency photographs well.

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Fast and steady (tiny CSS that pays off):root{--gap:.9rem;--radius:14px}.grid{display:grid;gap:var(--gap)}.grid.-3{grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr))}@media (max-){.grid.-3{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}}@media (max-){.grid.-3{grid-template-columns:1fr}}.card .cover{aspect-ratio:3/2;overflow:hidden;border-radius:var(--radius)}img{width:100%;height:auto;display:block}

• Aspect ratio kills CLS jitter.
  
• Three breakpoints are enough for most grids.
  
  

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Image discipline (the quiet superpower)

• Choose one card ratio (3:2 or 4:3) and stick to it site-wide.
  
• Export WebP where possible; keep long edge ~1600–2000px for cards.
  
• Name files meaningfully (2025-wedding-kyoto-01.webp), add alt text (“bride under torii gate at dusk”).
  
• Avoid watermarks on thumbnails—use tasteful signature inside project shots if needed.
  
  

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Copy you can pasteHome hero (≤ 18 words):
Timeless portraits and editorial travel stories—crafted in natural light, delivered with calm professionalism.
Project blurb (3 bullets):

• Location & story in one line.
  
• What made the light work.
  
• 1–2 technical choices that mattered (lens, shutter, film profile).
  
  

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Contact that converts

• Single form; no captcha unless you suffer abuse (use a honeypot first).
  
• Microcopy under the button: “I reply within one business day.”
  
• Auto-reply with a plain-text receipt and a link to two favorite projects.
  
  

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Performance & a11y guardrails (checklist)

• LCP ≤ 2.4s, CLS ≤ 0.1 (declare aspect-ratio on all covers).
  
• JS ≤ 100 KB; portfolios aren’t SPAs.
  
• Fonts ≤ 2 families; font-display: swap.
  
• Visible focus rings; headings in order; alt text on all images.
  
  

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ClosingMinimal isn’t empty—it’s focused. Keep ratios consistent, words few, forms simple, and pages fast. With Finnik - Minimal WordPress Theme for Photographers as your layout spine and a small set of habits, your site will feel like your best assistant: quiet, dependable, and always ready.