Vincent Tantardini

Hello, I’m Vincent Tantardini, a product designer and independent developer with over a decade of experience creating digital tools that prioritise clarity, usefulness and aesthetic purpose. I began my career designing at scale for startups and teams like LINE, where I learned to balance thoughtful UX with real-world constraints. These experiences shaped my design values and encouraged a deep focus on simplicity, consistency and the small details that make software feel truly considered.

Today, I’m fully dedicated to building Frames, a privacy-focused iOS and macOS film photography app crafted for film photographers. Frames helps photographers document their creative process with structure and intention, offering features like real-time metadata capture, film roll management, and the ability to embed data back into scanned images. It is a tool designed to serve the rhythm of analogue photography without sacrificing the benefits of digital organisation.

As a solo builder, I wear many hats. From product design to code and support, I care deeply about creating a cohesive, enjoyable experience across every touchpoint. Whether you're here to book a chat about indie software, design systems, analogue photography or simply to exchange ideas, I’m always happy to connect.

Frames grew out of my own frustrations as a film photographer, not with the medium, but with the digital tools meant to support it. I wanted something that respected the slow, intentional nature of analogue photography, while helping me organise, log and revisit my process with the kind of clarity that modern tools can enable when they’re built with care. Most existing solutions felt like awkward adaptations of digital-first paradigms, too focused on image editing or raw cataloguing, and not enough on the experience of shooting film itself. So, I built Frames from the ground up, not as a general-purpose photo app, but as a thoughtful companion for people who shoot film with purpose.

Every feature is grounded in actual use, mine and the many photographers who have generously shared their feedback along the way. Whether it's writing Swift code that syncs metadata across platforms, shaping a UI that never distracts from the user’s process, or designing interactions that feel native and fluid, my goal has always been to make something that feels quiet, reliable and enduring. Good software shouldn’t demand attention; it should earn trust by staying out of the way until it’s needed.

Frames doesn’t use tracking, doesn’t rely on cloud storage, and doesn’t demand users conform to a social platform. It’s designed as a private workspace, where your creative intent is respected and your data stays yours. Privacy by design and ownership over convenience, isn’t just a technical choice, but a philosophical one. It reflects how I see software: as a craft, not a commodity.

Outside of Frames, I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of tools and culture. I enjoy exploring how niche software can shape the way communities work, think and collaborate. I believe small, independent apps, the ones with a point of view, are not only still viable, but vital. They’re where true innovation often happens, free from the growth-at-all-costs mindset that dominates much of the tech industry.

My background in product design taught me the discipline of systems thinking and the value of clear constraints. Working in fast-paced environments taught me to ship, to learn from real users, and to treat software as a living thing. But going indie sharpened a different set of muscles: listening more closely, iterating more deliberately, and building something that can be sustained, financially and creatively, over the long term.

I'm based in Bangkok/Paris but collaborate with people all over the world. I believe in asynchronous work, plain communication, and the quiet joy of seeing a tool you made help someone do their work better. I tend to keep things minimal, not for the aesthetic alone, but because I find that what’s left after you remove the unnecessary is usually what matters most.

If you’re an independent developer, a designer thinking about starting something solo, or a film photographer with ideas on how Frames could improve, I’d love to hear from you. This work thrives on conversation and shared curiosity. Whether you build software, shoot film, or simply enjoy well-made tools, feel free to reach out.

For more info visit my personal website.