Case Study
The Challange
Heartstory Photography, one of Canberra’s most-loved family photography studios, came to me for a partial website refresh. They’d recently worked with a brand designer and wanted their new branding—complete with botanical graphics, wordmarks, and a layered aesthetic—woven seamlessly into their site. While the structure of their website worked well, they felt it needed more personality and polish to truly reflect their brand.
Their wish list included fixing some clunky overlay text on sliders, improving the mobile experience, and adding a touch of visual flair without losing the clean and minimal feel they loved. I needed to add these new elements in a way that felt cohesive, warm, and unmistakably “Heartstory.”
The solution
The goal was to create a design that felt layered and intentional, while staying true to Heartstory’s clean and minimal aesthetic. I started by integrating their new branding elements, adding subtle textures and botanical graphics in just the right places to create depth and interest. Their wordmarks were carefully layered over images to tie everything together in a way that felt fresh and cohesive.
One of the trickiest parts was the homepage hero section. Heartstory wanted to showcase their stunning photography without cluttering it with overlay text but still needed a way to communicate important information. The solution was a hover box that reveals the text only when users hover or scroll, keeping the focus on the visuals while delivering the message when it’s needed.
To tie it all together, I reimagined small but impactful details, like replacing plain content dividers with subtle graphic elements that echoed their branding. On top of that, I made sure the mobile version was just as functional and visually engaging as the desktop experience.
The Outcome
The refreshed website now feels completely on-brand and elevates Heartstory’s online presence. From the layered graphics to the thoughtful design touches, the site captures the heart and warmth they’re known for while staying clean and user-friendly.
The “Family Photography Experience” section on the homepage became a real standout—it beautifully showcases their new brand graphics and colors while making a strong impression. Even small details, like the custom 404 page (“Oops, looks like this page is a bit camera shy!”), add personality and charm in a way that feels true to them.
Beyond aesthetics, the new design makes it easy for visitors to understand who Heartstory is and what they do, creating a warm and welcoming experience from the first click.
I loved working on this project because it gave me the chance to flex my creative muscles and think outside the box. The layering effects and hover-box solution were a bit of a challenge, but they turned out to be some of my favorite parts of the project. Heartstory’s trust in my process and creative freedom made this such a fun, rewarding experience
Client Feedback
Heartstory was over the moon with the results, telling me, “Thanks, Bianca. Gosh, I’m glad we have you. You’re a gem.”, and “OMG, amazing!!! SO HAPPY WITH THIS!”
