A little about me first.
Hi! I’m Ramzi Dreessen, a web developer with 7 years of experience, along with 6 years of print and web design experience, living in New York and Chicago.
Here are a few companies I’ve worked for, or worked with on a freelance basis:
Portrait photography
Portrait, event photography
Event photography
Portrait, event photography
Web design, development, admin work, photo, video, print design
Portrait photography
Portrait, event photography
Videography
Portrait photography
Event photography
Web development, design
Web development
Web development, design, video production
Portrait photography
Portrait, event, product photography
Videography, photography
Interior photography
Photography assistance
Web design, development, admin work; photo, video, print design
Web design, development, admin work; photo, video, print design
I like building websites that people poke and prod on their tiny screens.
Most recently, I worked for High 5 Games in New York City as a web developer, building out High 5 Casino using React + Hooks. Previously, I was a junior software engineer at Fitch Ratings (using Vue.js, GraphQL and Atomic CSS), and before that, I was the web guy for Chicago magazine, and attended Northwestern University’s full-stack coding bootcamp on nights/weekends.
At Chicago, I was in charge of web design and administration (taking over from the very talented Luke Seemann), and won a national award for online excellence with my team from the City and Regional Magazine Association.
Here’s some of the work I did there:
- A Second City (design direction, interactive components, 2019 CRMA Finalist for Multiplatform Storytelling)
- Welcome to Refugee High (video and interactive components, 2018 CRMA Finalist for Multiplatform Storytelling)
- What’s in Their Fridge (3D transforms, SVGs, pseudo elements)
- A Guide to Farmer’s Markets (photo deconstructed into flexbox components)
- Face of a Century (custom gallery with audio integration)
- A Foolproof Guide to Finding the Best Beach for You (interactive quiz)
I enjoy being the utility guy.
I’m no stranger to acting as a one-man agency for the right project. For Chicago-based real estate company Hudson Burnham, they wanted a homepage that would attract attention and play nicely with their slogan “Move Up”. They wanted a video background unlike any of their competitors - stock footage wouldn't cut it.
I enjoy exploring new intersections of programming and design...
At Fitch Ratings, I worked with with component-based design and architecture, and was interested in how we could better use patterning and rulesets to improve both the user and developer experiences.
... as well as intersections of UI and UX.
My user experience philosophy is centered around streamlining common pathways, reducing cognitive load and improving design (duh).
Did the whole CMYK thing, too.
My interest in web design stemmed from print design, starting at the Chicago Sun-Times in 2012 and culminating at Chicago in 2016. Two of the biggest projects I worked on there were:
1. Designing a 103-page glossy embossed hardcover book for the Chicago Sun-Times Foundation in Fall/Winter 2015, including hundreds of photos that I shot over four years of covering the biggest philanthropic events in the city.
2. As a part of a three-person team, designed a 24-page glossy lifestyle magazine (SPLASH) from 2012-2016. Circulation: 225,000.
Sometimes I take photos.
I've been shooting for eight years now, both on my own and on staff at Chicago Sun-Times SPLASH and Chicago. Check out more on my dedicated photo portfolio site.
Let’s chat!
You can reach me by email at ramzidreessen@gmail.com. Please put relevant information in the subject line. If we've already worked together, please feel free to add me as a contact on LinkedIn.
Video and images copyright Ramzi Dreessen 2008 - 2025. Photo and video content is protected by U.S. Copyright Law and is NOT Public Domain, and may not be manipulated, copied, published, reproduced, downloaded, or used in any manner without prior consent of Ramzi Dreessen. Select web design and photo content is copyrighted by SPLASH PUBLICATIONS, LLC, Tribune Publishing or Fitch Ratings and may not be manipulated, copied, published, reproduced, downloaded, or used in any manner without prior consent of SPLASH PUBLICATIONS, LLC, Tribune Publishing or Fitch Ratings.