TL;DR
- To add a photo gallery: edit the page, add a Gallery block, choose your photos, and save.
- Turn on “Enlarge on click” so visitors can click a small photo to see it full size.
- Resize your photos first. A page full of big files loads slowly.
- Rather not do it yourself? Send us the photos, and we’ll build the gallery.
How Do I Add a Photo Gallery to My Website?
- Edit the page or post where the gallery goes.
- Click the + button and search for “Gallery,” or type /gallery and press Enter.
- Click Add, then choose Upload for new photos or Open Media Library for photos already on your site. You can also drag photos straight into the block.
- Set the link to “Enlarge on click” in the block’s toolbar. Visitors can then open each photo in a larger view without leaving the page.
- Choose the number of columns in the sidebar settings.
- Add captions if you want them. Click a photo and use its caption button.
- Save, then check the page on a computer and a phone.
See WordPress’s guide to the Gallery block. If your site uses a page builder (a drag-and-drop design tool) or a gallery plugin (an add-on), look for its gallery element instead. The steps are similar.
Why Use Small Photos That Open Larger?
It fits many photos on one page without a long scroll. Beth described this layout years ago: “You scroll through small images, and clicking one shows the larger image. Then you can have all your images on one page.” It still works the same way today.
How Do I Get Gallery Photos Ready?
- Pick your best shots. A short gallery of great photos beats a long run of similar ones.
- Keep the frame clean. For one client’s event group photo, Beth’s tip was, “Try to keep food, plates, and cellphones out of the shot.”
- Resize before you upload. See How to Resize Images Before Uploading Them to Your Website
- Use similar shapes. Galleries may crop photos to match. See Why Are Images Cut Off or Too Small on My Website?
Where Should a Photo Gallery Go?
Put it where the photos tell a story. For events, a gallery pairs well with a blog post about the event. When Beth set up one client’s event gallery, she asked, “Do you want to write a blog post for the event?”
Build a new gallery out of sight, then publish it when every photo is in. If it’s on a new page, keep the page as a draft until then, so visitors never see a half-finished gallery.
Rather Have Us Build It?
Send us the photos, any captions, and the page they belong on. See How to Send Large Photos, Videos, and Files to Your Webmaster. We’ll resize them, build the gallery, and send you a preview on your Webmaster Retainer.
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends
- Use small photos that open larger for big sets of photos.
- Resize every photo before it goes into a gallery.
- Pair event galleries with a short post about the event.
:: Common Questions ::
Will a Big Gallery Slow Down My Page?
It can, if the photo files are large. Smaller files help. On one photo-heavy site, Beth explained, “Image compression typically will lighten the load of a page with a lot of images.” See Why Is My WordPress Website So Slow?
Can I Add Photos to a Gallery Later?
Yes. Edit the page, click the gallery, click Add, and choose the new photos. Then save.
Have Photos to Share?
See our Webmaster Retainer, or request a consultation.
