When I started my internship this summer, I had no idea I'd be working on something that would touch the lives of thousands of photographers around the world. Today, I want to share my experience building the web platform for Re-Do Photos, a professional photo editing app that's transforming how people approach mobile photography.
The Beginning: Understanding the Vision
My first day was overwhelming. I walked into a project where the founder, Katherine Elaine, a professional photographer with over a decade of experience, had a clear vision: democratize professional photo editing. She wanted to take her signature film-inspired editing style and make it accessible to everyone through a mobile app. My role? Build the entire web infrastructure that would support this vision.
The initial brief seemed straightforward enough - create a marketing website for an iOS app. But as I dove deeper, I realized this was about so much more than just a landing page. We needed user authentication, email marketing capabilities, content management, analytics, and a robust admin system. All while maintaining the aesthetic sensibility of a professional photographer who cares deeply about every pixel.
Learning to Think Like a Business Owner
One of the most valuable lessons from this internship wasn't about code - it was about understanding business needs. Katherine didn't just want a website; she needed a growth engine for her app. This meant thinking about user acquisition, retention, and engagement from day one.
We spent hours discussing user journeys. What happens when someone first discovers the app? How do we nurture them from curious visitor to paying customer? How do we keep them engaged after they sign up? These conversations fundamentally changed how I approach building features. Every line of code had to serve a business purpose.
The Email Marketing Revelation
I'll be honest - I used to think email marketing was outdated. This project completely changed my perspective. We implemented a sophisticated email campaign system that automatically nurtures users based on their behavior. A welcome email goes out shortly after signup, followed by a retention survey the next day, and a review request a week later.
What amazed me was the impact. Open rates averaging 45%, with the welcome email hitting 72%. These weren't just vanity metrics - they translated directly into app downloads and positive reviews. I learned that email, when done thoughtfully, is still one of the most effective marketing channels.
Navigating Technical Decisions
Working with Rails 8 was a deliberate choice, but not without its debates. The framework's maturity meant we could build features incredibly fast, but we had to resist the temptation to over-engineer. We chose SQLite over PostgreSQL, despite some raised eyebrows. We used server-side rendering with Hotwire instead of building a separate React frontend.
These decisions taught me an important lesson: the best technology choice isn't always the most popular one. It's the one that lets you ship features quickly while maintaining quality. Our simple stack allowed us to go from concept to production in record time.
The Design Challenge
As a developer, I've always been more comfortable with logic than aesthetics. But working on Re-Do Photos pushed me out of my comfort zone. Katherine had strong opinions about design - and rightfully so. This wasn't just any app; it was a photography app. Every visual decision mattered.
We went through countless iterations of the color scheme before settling on a purple-to-pink gradient that captured the creative energy of the brand. I learned to appreciate the nuances of typography, spacing, and visual hierarchy. The attention to detail was exhausting but necessary. When your users are photographers and visual artists, mediocre design isn't an option.
Building for Real Users
The most exciting and terrifying moment was launching to real users. Suddenly, the theoretical became practical. Real photographers were creating accounts, receiving our emails, and reading our blog posts. The feedback was immediate and honest.
Some things worked beautifully. The authentication system was smooth, and users loved the "Remember Me" feature that kept them logged in for 30 days. Other things needed work. Our initial blog pagination was clunky, and we had to rebuild it from scratch. Each piece of feedback was a learning opportunity.
The Admin Dashboard Debate
One of the biggest decisions was whether to use an off-the-shelf admin solution or build our own. We chose to build custom, and while it took more time upfront, it paid dividends. Katherine could see exactly what she needed - user growth, post engagement, email campaign performance - all in one place.
This taught me the value of deeply understanding your users. Katherine wasn't a typical admin user; she was a creative professional who needed specific insights to grow her business. Generic solutions would have frustrated her. By building custom, we created a tool that actually helped her make decisions.
Unexpected Challenges
Not everything went smoothly. Implementing blog pagination seemed simple until we ran into compatibility issues with our gem choices. Setting up email tracking raised privacy concerns we had to carefully navigate. Making the site SEO-friendly while maintaining performance was a constant balancing act.
Each challenge taught me resilience and creative problem-solving. When one approach didn't work, we found another. When gems caused issues, we wrote custom solutions. When performance lagged, we optimized. The ability to adapt and persist became more valuable than any specific technical skill.
The Human Side of Development
What surprised me most about this internship was how much it was about people, not just code. Understanding Katherine's vision, empathizing with photographers' needs, collaborating with designers, and incorporating user feedback - these human interactions shaped the project more than any technical decision.
I learned to ask better questions. Instead of "What features do you want?" I learned to ask "What problem are you trying to solve?" Instead of immediately reaching for complex solutions, I learned to ask "What's the simplest thing that could work?"
Measuring Success
As we near the end of my internship, the numbers tell a story: over 10,000 users, a 4.6-star rating with more than 127 reviews, and email campaigns that consistently perform above industry standards. But beyond the metrics, the real success is in the stories. Photographers telling us how Re-Do Photos has transformed their workflow. Users discovering their creative voice through Katherine's presets.
Reflections and Growth
This internship has fundamentally changed how I think about software development. It's not about using the latest framework or the most sophisticated architecture. It's about solving real problems for real people. It's about understanding business needs as deeply as technical requirements. It's about crafting experiences that delight users while achieving business goals.
I came in thinking I'd learn about Rails and modern web development. I did, but I learned so much more. I learned about entrepreneurship, marketing, design, and most importantly, the intersection of technology and human creativity.
Looking Forward
As my internship concludes, Re-Do Photos continues to grow. There are plans for new features, expanded marketing campaigns, and deeper community engagement. While I may not be there to implement them all, I'm grateful to have been part of laying the foundation.
To future interns and junior developers reading this: seek out projects that challenge you beyond just coding. Find opportunities where you can understand the business, interact with real users, and see the impact of your work. The technical skills will come, but the ability to think holistically about product development - that's what will set you apart.
Building Re-Do Photos taught me that the best software isn't just functional; it's thoughtful, purposeful, and human-centered. That's a lesson I'll carry with me throughout my career.
Thank you to Katherine Elaine and the Re-Do Photos team for an incredible learning experience. To anyone interested in photography and authentic photo editing, I genuinely recommend checking out the app. It's a testament to what happens when creative vision meets thoughtful technology implementation.