Photography Website4 platforms compared

Best CMS for Photography Websites in 2026

Compare the best platforms for photographer websites. Fast image loading, beautiful galleries, and client-facing proof galleries.

Your photos deserve a site that loads them fast and shows them beautifully.

TL;DR — Our Top Pick

Next.js is our top recommendation for photography website sites.

Built-in Image component with automatic optimization, lazy loading, and AVIF/WebP conversion. Dynamic galleries with React. Client portals with NextAuth.

What a Photography Website CMS Needs

Professional and hobbyist photographers who want to showcase their work and attract clients.

Fast image loading with lazy loading and optimization

Gallery layouts with lightbox and filtering

Client proof galleries (password-protected)

Contact and booking forms

Mobile-responsive image display

Top 4 Platforms Ranked

Next.js

React framework for production with SSR, SSG, and API routes

TOP PICK

Built-in Image component with automatic optimization, lazy loading, and AVIF/WebP conversion. Dynamic galleries with React. Client portals with NextAuth.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Hybrid rendering — SSG, SSR, ISR, and client-side in one app
Most popular React framework with massive community
Built-in image optimization, API routes, and middleware

Trade-offs

React learning curve for non-JavaScript developers
App Router introduced complexity with Server Components

Astro

Content-focused framework that ships zero JavaScript by default

Zero JavaScript galleries that load instantly. Sharp image processing built-in. Content collections for organizing photo sets.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Ships zero JS to the client by default (Islands Architecture)
Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any framework in the same project
Content collections with type-safe Markdown/MDX

Trade-offs

Not ideal for highly interactive apps (designed for content sites)
Smaller ecosystem than Next.js — fewer integrations available

Sanity + Next.js

Real-time collaborative headless CMS with customizable Studio

Image pipeline with hotspot cropping and on-the-fly transforms. Photographer uploads to Sanity, website auto-optimizes. Great for large portfolios.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio)Free / $15+/month per user

Strengths

GROQ query language is more powerful and flexible than GraphQL
Real-time collaborative editing (like Google Docs)
Fully customizable React-based Studio admin panel

Trade-offs

GROQ is a custom query language with its own learning curve
Studio customization requires React development knowledge

SvelteKit

Full-stack Svelte framework with SSR and SSG

Smooth transitions between gallery views. Small bundles for fast initial loads. Great for image-heavy sites where every kilobyte matters.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (Svelte)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Svelte compiles to vanilla JS — smallest possible bundle sizes
Intuitive syntax — easier to learn than React or Vue
Excellent developer experience with fast HMR

Trade-offs

Smaller ecosystem — fewer libraries and UI component kits
Harder to hire Svelte developers compared to React

How to Decide

Image optimization is your biggest performance lever — choose a platform with built-in image processing

Use WebP/AVIF formats with JPEG fallbacks for broad compatibility

For client proof galleries, add password protection with NextAuth or Supabase Auth

Consider Cloudinary or Imgix for advanced image transforms if your CMS doesn't include them

Ready to migrate from WordPress?

WordPress → Next.js WordPress → Astro WordPress → Sanity

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I optimize hundreds of high-res photos?

Use your framework's built-in image component (Next.js Image or Astro assets) to auto-generate responsive sizes and modern formats. For storage, use Cloudinary or your CMS's media library.

Can I create client proof galleries?

Yes. Build password-protected gallery pages with authentication. Clients view, select favorites, and download — all on your own domain instead of a third-party service.

Should I still use SmugMug or Pixieset?

Those platforms are convenient but limit your brand and SEO. Building your own site gives you a custom domain, better SEO, and no monthly platform fees.