Masonry vs. Grid: Choosing the Right Gallery Layout
Masonry, uniform grid, or a large editorial layout? How to pick the gallery style that makes your photography shine.
The way images are arranged changes how they're felt. The same set of photos can read as a tidy catalog or a flowing story depending on the layout. GalleryLink gives you three styles to choose from when you create a gallery — here's how to decide.
Masonry vs. grid: which gallery layout should I use?
Use masonry for mixed orientations and a flowing, editorial feel, grid for uniform catalog-style consistency, and large for a small set of hero images. Here's a quick comparison:
| Layout | Best for | Crop behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry | Mixed orientations — weddings, travel, lifestyle | Keeps each photo's natural proportions |
| Grid | Uniform sets — products, headshots, proofing | Square thumbnails (full image in the lightbox) |
| Large | Few, hero-worthy images — fine-art selects | Big columns, minimal cropping |
Masonry
Masonry packs images into columns while preserving each photo's natural proportions, so verticals stay tall and panoramas stay wide. It's the most editorial and least repetitive option, and it's the right default for mixed orientations — weddings, travel, lifestyle.
Grid
A uniform grid crops every thumbnail to a square for a calm, even rhythm. It's ideal when consistency matters more than individual framing: product sets, headshots, contact-sheet style proofing. The square is just the preview — the lightbox always shows the full, uncropped image.
Large
The Large layout uses fewer, bigger columns so each frame commands attention. Reach for it with smaller, hero-worthy selects — a fine-art set, a cover story, a tight highlight reel where every image earns its space.
A quick rule of thumb
- Lots of mixed orientations? Masonry.
- Want uniformity and order? Grid.
- Few, exceptional images? Large.
You set the style per gallery when you create it, so each client delivery can match the mood of the work. When in doubt, start with masonry — it flatters almost everything.