Executive summary
Maclellan Family Photo App
A private Pinterest-style website built for the Maclellan family to store, view, and organize their photo collections, optimized for performance and secure access.
Objectives
Provide the Maclellan family with a private, modern web app to manage heavy photo collections without the friction of traditional storage systems.
Market & Opportunity
Market size: N/A (personal/private project)
Industry trends: Private cloud storage, custom galleries, lightweight photo management
Competitive landscape: Different from iCloud/Google Photos by being custom-built and private
Target audience: Private family use
Why now: Families need simple, secure alternatives to scattered photo folders
Approach
Integrated Firebase for authentication and storage, Dropbox API for handling bulk photo uploads, and Next.js Image Optimization with AWS CDN delivery to ensure fast load times even for high-resolution family photos.
- Private photo boards
- Pinterest-style gallery layout
- Dropbox integration
- Automatic image optimization
- AWS CDN delivery
- Firebase authentication
Challenges
Managing heavy photo files while maintaining speed, ensuring private access only to family members, and building a familiar yet simplified Pinterest-like gallery for ease of use.
Results
The Maclellan family gained a secure, easy-to-navigate digital home for their photo archives that runs quickly even with large image uploads.
Funding & Partner Impact
None — personal project
Valuation: N/A
Credibility
Founder story
The project originated as a personal solution for the Maclellan family’s large photo library. Instead of relying on scattered cloud folders, they wanted a centralized, custom-built site with a beautiful interface.
Scalability & Defensibility
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