Web Gallery Transition

An example of my previous web gallery look (left) vs. the new look with jAlbum (right)

Finally, just about a week ago with the latest update to Adobe Lightroom (v.15.5.1), the TTG Highslide export module that I had bought, extensively customized and had been using for the last 16 years, has stopped working properly. Exporting a gallery gave messed up formatting and visible XML code scattered all over every page, so finally it became totally unusable. I can’t really complain too much, since I did manage to eke out 16 years of use from that plugin!

Interestingly enough, a few weeks prior to the Lightroom update, I had already started hunting for alternative web gallery software since I had a feeling I might need something in the near future. Since I no longer wanted to be at the mercy of Lightroom updates, I tried a number of different stand-alone web gallery export programs and emailed a few companies for details when they didn’t have free demo versions. Unfortunately none gave me the flexibility and features I was looking for either, and no company I contacted even bothered to reply back to my questions. With some more research and more specific Googling, I finally came across jAlbum (https://jalbum.net) the other day. After some promising tests with the free, feature limited version and seeing some sample galleries online that seemed to do most of what I wanted, I decided to give it a go and bought the mid-tier package.

2026: Ottawa Fireworks Finale

 Gallery (40 images): 2026 Ottawa Fireworks Finale

On August 15th, Emily and I went to see the Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy fireworks festival finale at Kiweki Point Park in Ottawa. We only managed to get there about an hour before the fireworks started, so there were no more spots with an unobstructed view. Any spots with a direct view of the Ottawa River and the fireworks barge were taken, so after scoping out a few early teaser bursts (which Emily also helped me with since she knew the area better), I decided on a spot with some foreground trees and no crowds of people right in front of the camera. The vast majority of the fireworks were plenty high enough to see from that vantage point, and it made for a different framing than my usual. As the show progressed, the fireworks got progressively higher, so I adjusted the camera up a bit, shooting with my widest lens that I had with me. Due to the height and spread, I also decided to crop all the fireworks shots to a 5:4 aspect ratio, instead of the native 3:2 of my camera.

2026 Ottawa Summer Walks

 Gallery (20 images): 2026 Ottawa Summer Walks

Update [2026/08/25]: The linked gallery above is using a new experimental layout, made with jAlbum. With the latest update of Adobe Lightroom, I can no longer use my heavily customized gallery plugin that I'd been using for a long time. I will still be tweaking the design, but so far I am liking what I see. Maps are now supplied by OpenStreetMap and can be seen by clicking the "Map" link at the bottom of the larger image view. On the thumbnail page, there is also a larger map showing pins with locations for each photo in the gallery. Google is no longer being used. Exif data is more detailed and can be accessed by clicking the "Photo data" button beside the map button. You can now double-click the larger image to zoom into the full 3000 pixel wide version and then pan it around. A second double-click fits the image back to the window.

The linked gallery contains photos of a few excursions Emily and I went on in late July and early August. These include a hike to Meech Lake in Gatineau Park, two photos from the patio overlooking some falls on the Mississippi river (not related to the river in the US) at a fantastic Italian restaurant in the small town of Almonte, then a bunch more while hiking around the historic Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park, which include some faux abbey ruins (seen in the headline image above) that Mackenzie King had constructed as a relaxing place to meditate. The components of the ruins were taken from a variety of places, including the former Parliament building that were destroyed by fire in 1916, Mackenzie King’s grandfather’s printing shop, and even pieces of buildings of the British Parliament.