Finnik - Minimal WordPress Theme for Photographers

Why minimal wins for photography

Your 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

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.

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-width:900px){.grid.-3{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}}
@media (max-width:560px){.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.

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.

Copy you can paste

Home 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).

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.

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.

Closing

Minimal 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.