Justin Hernandez

Work Contact

jdev

Justin Hernandez - Web Designer and Developer

Full-Stack Web Developer & Digital Creator

Hey there! I'm Justin Hernandez (you might know me online as Jdev). My goal is to be a full-stack web developer but I am hooked on creating digital experiences that don't just look good—they actually *feel* good to use. Right now, I'm finishing up my diploma in Digital Media & Information Technology at NAIT. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.

Projects

Lollipop's Party Packages logo design for capstone project

Lollipop's Party Packages

My capstone project for NAIT's Digital Media program—a ongoing development of a complete e-commerce website for a local party supply business. I handle the deployment as the main developer and the coding. Using WordPress for the backend and custom CSS. It's a responsive site that works beautifully on mobile devices. The biggest challenge was creating it from scratch as it was built from Wix, although my team quickly picked up on the development. This project taught me that the best designs are invisible; when users can focus on what they're buying rather than how to buy it, you've done something right.

Clean, modern portfolio website with dark/light theme toggle and responsive grid layout

Personal Portfolio (This Site!)

This very website you're looking at! I built it using Astro and Tailwind CSS to create something fast, accessible, and easy to maintain. The challenge was creating a design system that could scale while keeping the code clean and the performance lightning-quick. I love how the dark/light theme toggle feels seamless, and the responsive grid layouts adapt perfectly to any screen size. Building this taught me that sometimes the best way to showcase your skills is by solving the problems you know best—creating a portfolio that actually represents who you are as a developer.

Comic book database interface showing search filters by genre, character, and publisher

Comic Chronicler Database

One of my favorite projects from my web development course—a comprehensive comic book database built with PHP and MySQL. I created advanced search and filtering capabilities that let users browse by genre, character, publisher, and more. The real fun came when I added features like "similar comics" recommendations and user-curated reading lists. This project taught me the importance of clean database design and how to make complex data feel simple and intuitive. Plus, I got to geek out over comic books while learning—talk about a win-win!

Simply Broccoli website featuring broccolini recipes and cooking guides

Simply Broccoli

I created a clean, modern design under a persona that showcases broccolini dishes with high-quality imagery and engaging storytelling. The site includes a comprehensive recipe collection, nutritional information, and seasonal growing insights. All hard-coded with a focus on user experience and mobile responsiveness.

Awards & Recognition

Juno College Web Development Scholarship

Snagged a partial scholarship from Juno College during my JavaScript course. I guess my layouts were clicking with the instructors—responsive design and good UX aren't just buzzwords after all.

Adobe Creative Suite Certified

Got properly certified in Adobe's Creative Suite. Spent way too many late nights learning Photoshop, Illustrator, and the rest.

Community & Interests

Street Photography & Event Coverage

When I'm not coding, you'll find me with a camera in hand, trying to capturing candid moments around Edmonton. This duck featured in my portfolio is from Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away Film. It's taught me so much about composition, lighting, and connecting with people. Yes.. people, you can check out my portfolio. I just like this duck (Ōtori-Sama)

Pokémon & One Piece TCG

I collecting trading cards—Pokémon and One Piece are my main obsessions. There's something satisfying about hunting for rare cards and building a playing deck with a budget of $5. It scratches the same itch as debugging code: you're searching for that perfect piece to complete the puzzle.

Comic Book Collector & Coffee Roaster

I'm a bit of a comic book nerd at heart (hence the Comic Chronicler project!), and I love experimenting with home coffee roasting. I just bought a Nespresso machine and have been exploring Amazon to buy imported coffee beans. I have made an unhealthy amount of connections in the world of caffeine. They know their stuff too. Cool beans

Photography

Night photography - Canon lens with city lights bokeh

Ōtori-Sama are spirits who visit the bathhouse as clients. Appearance: They are depicted as bird-like spirits, resembling either giant ducks or chickens. Significance: They are minor characters in the Studio Ghibli Film "Spirtied Away" who are part of the spirit world's clientele, adding to the film's rich fantasy elements.

Night photography - Vintage toys with bokeh lights

The "ducks" in Spirited Away are actually called Ōtori-Sama and are spirits that resemble giant chickens or ducks.

Work

Capstone Project

Capstone Project

My capstone project for NAIT Digital Media & Information Technology diploma. A comprehensive web application showcasing modern web development skills with a mix of coding, WordPress and design principles.

Education

Digital Media & Information Technology Diploma

Currently completing NAIT's Digital Media & Information Technology diploma. Focusing on modern web development, design principles, and digital media production.

JavaScript & jQuery Course

Completed Juno College's JavaScript & jQuery course covering control flow, functions, data structures, DOM manipulation, browser events, asynchronous JavaScript, and REST APIs.

Introduction to Web Development

Completed Juno College's comprehensive web development course covering HTML5, CSS3, responsive design, Flexbox, SCSS, and introduction to JavaScript & jQuery.

About Me

I've been the go-to tech person for my family since I was a kid—you know, the one they call when their printer stops working or they can't figure out why their email isn't sending. Somewhere between fixing my uncle's laptop and teaching my grandma how to use FaceTime, I realized I actually loved this stuff. Not just the troubleshooting part, but the moment when things finally click and work the way they're supposed to.

Right now, I'm deep in my Digital Media program at NAIT, learning everything from frontend frameworks to backend databases. My favorite projects are the ones where I get to wear multiple hats—designing the user experience, writing clean code, and making sure everything works smoothly on any device.

I've worked with everything from React and Node.js to WordPress and PHP, now I'm diving into Astro. What really gets me excited is understanding what users actually need and finding the simplest way to give it to them. Also the fastest way to give it to them. Whether it's debugging a tricky API or making sure a form looks perfect on mobile, I'm all in. I believe the best digital experiences are the ones you don't notice—they just work. That's my approach: build things that feel natural, that help people focus on what matters instead of fighting with technology. That's the kind of work I want to keep doing.

What I Can Do For You

Custom Website Development

I build websites that actually work for real people. Whether you need a simple portfolio or a full e-commerce site, I focus on making things that look great and function even better. Your website should help you, not give you headaches.

Event & Portrait Photography

Even with my crazy schedule of my part-time job, coding and studying, I still find time to capture those special moments. Weddings, events, portraits—I'm there with my camera, trying to catch the genuine emotions and real connections. I've done this gig for over 2 years now and I am committed to impressing my clients.

Digital Strategy & Tech Advice

After building websites and learning from plenty of mistakes, I can help you figure out the best approach for your digital projects. Need to know if WordPress is right for you, or how to make your site load faster? Let's chat about it.