Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Blog
March 4, 20262 min readcinematography

Building a Website That Invites Discovery / A Cinematographer’s Take

Why I built a site that’s fun to explore and finally presents my work properly—and what I learned about open source, community, and growing step by step.

Building a Website That Invites Discovery / A Cinematographer’s Take

On this page

  • A place that fits what I do
  • Making it enjoyable to explore
  • Content I can actually update
  • Why the stack matters to me
  • Still growing

A place that fits what I do#

A place for work. After chasing a my perfect site for ages, I built a space that breathes with the shoots, prioritizes feel over formatting, and keeps my work in spotlight.

What did I use to pull that off?

Next.js, React, and a bit of stubborn curiosity. For a long time I didn’t have a site that felt like my work, something that’s fun to click through, invites people to stay a bit, and shows the projects the way I see them. So I built one.

Making it enjoyable to explore#

Not a boring grid.

I ditched the wall of text and built a flow that glides from reel to project to blog, letting the work breathe and the story hold attention without forcing reading. Clear, fast, and designed for the work to speak.

So how did I keep it fast and findable?

Tailwind for styling, Next.js for routing and SEO previews.

Content I can actually update#

Shooting and editing keep me busy, so I needed a CMS where I can add projects, write blog posts, update text, and not touch code.

Sanity does that, headless, so the frontend stays mine, but the content side stays simple.

TypeScript keeps the codebase manageable so I can keep evolving the site over time.

Why the stack matters to me#

Tailwind speeds up styling.

So I can focus on layout and feel rather than wrestling with CSS politics. Honestly, hosting on Vercel means every update is a simple push with previews when I try something new. The whole setup is a mix of modern open source tools, and what matters just as much is the community around them: tutorials, plugins, people sharing how they built their own thing. That support makes the learning curve less lonely and the project feel like a long term experiment.

Still growing#

It isn’t finished yet.

I keep adding projects, tweak sections, and try new ways to present the work. For me that’s the point: a site that grows with what I do as a cameraman, photographer and editor, and stays fun to build and explore.

If you’re thinking about building your own corner of the web or you’re curious how this one is put together, I’m happy to share more. Just get in touch.

cinematographyportfolioweb designopen sourcecommunity
Paul Kothe

Written by

Paul Kothe

Cinematographer, photographer & developer based in Berlin. Building tools for creatives.

@robertpaulkothe@pauls.appsLinkedInpaulkothe.de

Newsletter

Enjoyed this post?

New articles, projects & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

PreviousFrom Idea to the Mac App Store in 2 Months
NextShooting Smarter: 5 Video Tech Upgrades That Actually Save Time
All posts2 min

Continue reading

Related posts

Aspect Ratios Explained: A Filmmaker’s Guide to Choosing the Right Frame
April 3, 2026filmmaking

Aspect Ratios Explained: A Filmmaker’s Guide to Choosing the Right Frame

2.39:1, 16:9, 4:3... every ratio tells a different story. Here’s when to use each one and how to handle letterboxing.

The Lens That Changed My Shoot (And the Workflow Behind It)
March 7, 2026cinematography

The Lens That Changed My Shoot (And the Workflow Behind It)

Discover how the DZOFilm Vespid Prime 40mm reshaped my workflow with a cine build, minimal focus breathing, and versatile PL-mount on mirrorless bodies.

Shooting Smarter: 5 Video Tech Upgrades That Actually Save Time
March 6, 2026workflow

Shooting Smarter: 5 Video Tech Upgrades That Actually Save Time

Not every upgrade is about image quality. Some of the best investments you can make as a filmmaker aren’t flashy. They’re the ones that shave 30 minutes off...

Paul Kothe
InstagramLinkedIn
© 2026 Paul Kothehello@paulkothe.de