CSS Image Gallery

An image gallery is a collection of images displayed on a webpage, often organized in a grid format. It can be enhanced with various CSS styles to create a visually appealing layout that is responsive and interactive.

1. Basic Image Gallery Layout

A simple image gallery can be created using HTML and CSS with a grid layout.

HTML Structure

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
  <title>Basic Image Gallery</title>
</head>
<body>
  <div class="gallery">
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image1.jpg" alt="Image 1"></div>
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image2.jpg" alt="Image 2"></div>
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image3.jpg" alt="Image 3"></div>
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image4.jpg" alt="Image 4"></div>
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image5.jpg" alt="Image 5"></div>
    <div class="gallery-item"><img src="image6.jpg" alt="Image 6"></div>
  </div>
</body>
</html>

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CSS Styles

body {
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  min-height: 100vh;
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
}

.gallery {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(150px, 1fr));
  gap: 10px;
  width: 90%;
  max-width: 1200px;
}

.gallery-item {
  overflow: hidden;
}

.gallery-item img {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
  display: block;
  transition: transform 0.2s ease-in-out;
}

.gallery-item img:hover {
  transform: scale(1.1);
}

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2. Responsive Image Gallery

To ensure the gallery is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes, CSS grid properties like auto-fill or auto-fit can be used with minmax() to create flexible columns.

Updated CSS for Responsiveness

.gallery {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(150px, 1fr));
  gap: 10px;
  width: 100%;
}

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3. Adding Captions to Images

You can enhance the gallery by adding captions below each image.

HTML with Captions

<div class="gallery-item">
  <img src="image1.jpg" alt="Image 1">
  <div class="caption">Image 1 Caption</div>
</div>

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CSS for Captions

.caption {
  text-align: center;
  padding: 5px 0;
  font-size: 14px;
  color: #555;
}

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4. Creating a Lightbox Effect

A lightbox effect allows users to click on an image to view it in a larger format overlaid on the page.

HTML Structure

<div class="gallery-item">
  <a href="image1-large.jpg" target="_blank">
    <img src="image1.jpg" alt="Image 1">
  </a>
</div>

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CSS for Lightbox

.gallery-item a {
  display: block;
  text-decoration: none;
}

.gallery-item img {
  transition: opacity 0.3s;
}

.gallery-item img:hover {
  opacity: 0.8;
}

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5. Using Flexbox for Layout

Alternatively, you can use Flexbox to create a gallery layout.

CSS with Flexbox

.gallery {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
  gap: 10px;
  justify-content: center;
}

.gallery-item {
  flex: 1 1 calc(25% - 20px);
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.gallery-item img {
  width: 100%;
  height: auto;
}

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6. Advanced Styling Techniques

  • Hover Effects: Adding hover effects such as scaling, rotating, or adding a shadow can make the gallery interactive.
  • Filters: Use CSS filters like grayscale(), blur(), or sepia() to stylize images.
  • Transitions: Smooth transitions for hover effects enhance user experience.

Example with Filters and Transitions

.gallery-item img {
  filter: grayscale(100%);
  transition: filter 0.3s ease-in-out, transform 0.3s ease-in-out;
}

.gallery-item img:hover {
  filter: grayscale(0%);
  transform: scale(1.05);
}

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7. Accessibility Considerations

  • Alt Text: Ensure each image has a descriptive alt attribute for screen readers.
  • Keyboard Navigation: Ensure that lightbox or interactive elements are accessible via keyboard.

Conclusion

Creating a CSS image gallery involves a combination of layout techniques, styling, and interactivity. By using CSS grid or flexbox, hover effects, and responsive design principles, you can build an attractive and functional gallery that enhances the user experience.