Built as a publishing system, not a gallery template.
In Frame Before Dark is a static photography site designed around a repeatable loop: shoot, curate, write, review, publish. The interface stays quiet so the photographs can be loud.
Colophon // Under the Hood
THE SYSTEM
BEHIND THE FRAMES
Photography is the point. The system exists so publishing it never becomes the reason I stop.
Astro
Static HTML by default, TypeScript where useful, and almost no client JavaScript unless an interaction actually needs it.
Markdown + data manifests
Field Notes live as Markdown. Portfolio and Journey metadata live in typed data files. No CMS required.
GitHub
Every meaningful change happens on a branch, gets built in CI, and is reviewed before it reaches production.
Render
Production is a static deployment from main. HTTPS, CDN delivery, custom-domain routing and deploys stay boring on purpose.
Publishing Pipeline
From shutter
to production.
The originals stay in Lightroom and Drive. GitHub only gets the photographs that survive curation and are optimized for the web.
01ShootRAW archive
02CuratePortfolio / Journey / Supporting
03OptimizesRGB web exports
04BuildAsset validation + Astro
05ReviewPull request + preview
06DeployRender production
Design Rules
Things I refused
to compromise.
01
The photograph wins.
UI should frame the work, not compete with it.
02
Fast enough to disappear.
Static output, optimized images and minimal JavaScript.
03
Easy enough to maintain.
If publishing becomes a chore, the archive stops growing.
04
Personal, not precious.
Monospace labels, game-like system language and a few hidden details keep it mine.