The Darkroom Mate Digital Design, Typography, UI/UX Design
The Darkroom Mate
The project started with a simple frustration: existing apps for film logging, development charts, timers, light metering, and inventory are often strong in isolation but fragmented in real use. After researching the space, I defined a unified structure that connects Film Rolls, Darkroom, Inventory, and Light Meter into a single system.
Problem
Film photographers often manage a full workflow across multiple disconnected tools: a development chart app, a timer app, a roll logger, a notes system, and sometimes a separate inventory tracker. That fragmentation creates friction and inconsistent record keeping.
When I reviewed existing apps in each category, I found a recurring gap: many tools are good at one specific function but don’t support the real end-to-end rhythm of shooting and developing.
The moment a user tries to move from logging a roll to metering a scene to prepping for development, the experience falls apart into separate apps and inconsistent UI patterns. The missing piece wasn’t another single-purpose tool, it was a cohesive system.
Skills: Digital Design, UI/UX, FIGMA Design, Design Guide
Software Used: Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator
Solution
I designed The Darkroom Mate, a four-in-one darkroom assistant that unifies the entire film cycle in one consistent interface:
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Darkroom — Development charts, recipes, and a guided timer.
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Film Rolls — Roll-level tracking and frame-by-frame logging.
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Inventory — Film, chemicals, and gear management for real-world readiness.
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Light Meter — iPhone-based metering with the intent to save exposure data directly into frame logs.
I mapped the experience in FigJam, defining core states and transitions — In Camera → Developing → Archived — to ensure the modules weren’t just grouped features but a connected workflow. From there I developed the UI with a calm, tool-first aesthetic: dark surfaces, clear hierarchy, consistent cards/pills, and restrained accent colour used for status and primary actions.
Outcome
The result is a high-fidelity concept that treats film photography as a single journey — loading a roll, logging frames, referencing metering data, running the developing process — all within one shared logic and consistent interaction model. The brief was self-imposed. The discipline wasn’t.