diff --git a/backend/handlers/portfolio/images.go b/backend/handlers/portfolio/images.go
index 7264091..d1db1f4 100644
--- a/backend/handlers/portfolio/images.go
+++ b/backend/handlers/portfolio/images.go
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ func UploadImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	defer file.Close()
 
-	thumbFile, _, err := r.FormFile("thumbnail")
+	thumbFile, thumbHeader, err := r.FormFile("thumbnail")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Failed to get thumbnail: %v", err)
 		http.Error(w, "No thumbnail provided", http.StatusBadRequest)
@@ -575,13 +575,21 @@ func UploadImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	// Use nanosecond timestamp for unique keys
 	timestamp := time.Now().UnixNano()
-	ext := ".jpg"
+
+	// Extract extension from main file
+	mainExt := ".jpg"
 	if idx := strings.LastIndex(header.Filename, "."); idx != -1 {
-		ext = strings.ToLower(header.Filename[idx:])
+		mainExt = strings.ToLower(header.Filename[idx:])
 	}
 
-	key := fmt.Sprintf("portfolio/%d%s", timestamp, ext)
-	thumbKey := fmt.Sprintf("portfolio/%d_thumb%s", timestamp, ext)
+	// Extract extension from thumbnail file
+	thumbExt := ".jpg"
+	if idx := strings.LastIndex(thumbHeader.Filename, "."); idx != -1 {
+		thumbExt = strings.ToLower(thumbHeader.Filename[idx:])
+	}
+
+	key := fmt.Sprintf("portfolio/%d%s", timestamp, mainExt)
+	thumbKey := fmt.Sprintf("portfolio/%d_thumb%s", timestamp, thumbExt)
 
 	fileBytes, err := io.ReadAll(file)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -589,14 +597,8 @@ func UploadImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		http.Error(w, "Failed to read file", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
-
-	// Strip metadata (EXIF, GPS, camera info) and auto-orient
-	fileBytes, err = processImage(fileBytes, 85)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Failed to process image: %v", err)
-		http.Error(w, "Failed to process image", http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	// Images are already processed by frontend (compressed, metadata stripped)
+	// Skip re-encoding - just use the uploaded bytes directly
 
 	thumbBytes, err := io.ReadAll(thumbFile)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -605,13 +607,7 @@ func UploadImage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Strip metadata from thumbnail too
-	thumbBytes, err = processImage(thumbBytes, 75)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Failed to process thumbnail: %v", err)
-		http.Error(w, "Failed to process thumbnail", http.StatusInternalServerError)
-		return
-	}
+	// Thumbnail is already processed by frontend - use as-is
 
 	bucket := "crussell"