Thomas Hole
The project
Thomas Hole is an award-winning director of photography based in London and working internationally, with projects for clients including Apple, Nike, Cartier, the Premier League and Shawn Mendes.
Having worked together earlier in our careers, Tom returned to me for a complete rebrand and a new portfolio website. I created a restrained visual identity and custom WordPress build designed to let his moving-image work take centre stage.
Reconnecting for the next stage of the brand
Tom and I first worked together many years ago when we were both starting out, so it was especially rewarding to collaborate again as his career and portfolio had grown.
The new website needed to reflect the level of work he was now producing while remaining understated, confident and easy to navigate.
Developing the visual identity
I created a minimal monogram using Tom’s initials, designed as a compact mark that could work across the website and wider brand applications.
A simple horizontal line became a recurring device within the identity. Used alongside the logo, navigation and page details, it helped create a consistent visual language without competing with the imagery.
The restrained typography and monochrome palette reinforced the cinematic, editorial feel of the brand.
Designing around film and motion
The website was designed to give each project as much visual impact as possible.
Large-format video and still imagery lead the experience, with minimal supporting text and very little interface clutter. This allows visitors to engage with the work immediately rather than moving through lengthy introductions or complex navigation.
The homepage opens with a prominent featured project, followed by a dense image-led grid of selected work.
Creating a striking project grid
The project gallery was designed as a flexible mosaic rather than a conventional list of identical cards.
Different image proportions sit together in a tightly structured grid, allowing landscape stills, portrait compositions and title-led artwork to coexist without losing visual rhythm.
This gives the homepage a more cinematic and editorial quality while showing the breadth of Tom’s portfolio at a glance.
Minimal navigation and interaction
The navigation was intentionally kept light.
A compact menu, restrained labels and subtle line details support the work without distracting from it. Project links are integrated directly into the imagery, creating a simple route from the homepage into the full project experience.
The overall interaction remains quiet and considered, matching the tone of the identity.
Custom WordPress development
The site was built as a bespoke WordPress theme tailored around Tom’s portfolio.
He can add new projects, upload films and stills, update project information and manage the selected-work grid without needing to edit code or rely on a developer for routine changes.
The content-management setup was designed to remain straightforward, even though the front-end layouts feel highly visual and bespoke.
Supporting varied project content
Each project may require a different balance of video, still imagery and contextual information.
The custom build gives Tom enough flexibility to present work in the most suitable way while maintaining the same visual standards across the site. This avoids forcing every project into a rigid template.
Performance and responsive behaviour
Video-led portfolio sites can quickly become heavy, so the build needed to balance visual quality with performance.
The responsive layouts were designed to preserve the scale and impact of the work across desktop, tablet and mobile, while keeping navigation and project browsing clear on smaller screens.
The result
The finished website gives Tom a clean and confident platform that reflects the quality of his cinematography. Considering this website was built in 2018 I think thats testament to the build quality and design being ahead of its time.
The minimal brand identity, large-format project presentation and flexible WordPress system work together to create a distinctive portfolio that is visually striking while remaining straightforward for him to manage.
Services
- Brand identity design
- Monogram and logo design
- Website design
- UX and portfolio planning
- Custom WordPress development
- Responsive front-end development
- Video portfolio design
- Image-grid development
- Project content system
- Performance optimisation
Need a portfolio website that gives moving-image work the space and impact it deserves?
I design and develop custom WordPress websites for photographers, filmmakers and visual creatives, combining strong presentation with a simple editing experience.
