Portfolio lightbox settings
Style the gallery overlay under Portfolio → Settings → Lightbox—pick a preset, layout, caption rules, and video playback for when visitors browse inside the collection without leaving the gallery page.
When a visitor clicks an image in a Portfolio gallery on your public site, the lightbox opens a full-screen or framed overlay so they can browse without leaving the page. Every collection has its own Lightbox tab in the portfolio hub — presets, layout shell, animations, captions, thumbnails, video behavior, and backdrop. Click Save lightbox settings (top right) after changes.
Configure the public gallery URL and layout first under Public portfolio pages and Portfolio layout settings on the standard track, or Portfolio motion settings when motion is active. For full-page URLs with EXIF and print, see Photo detail pages.
Prerequisites
Dashboard → Portfolio → open a collection → Manage portfolio → Lightbox tab
Captions in the overlay: Media (global) or per-image overrides in the portfolio—see View and edit media in the library
Share button in toolbar: Settings tab → Visibility & SEO → Enable Sharing
What happens when a visitor opens an image
[Visitor clicks a thumbnail in your gallery]
|
v
[Enable Lightbox on for this portfolio?]
|
+--> No --> may open photo detail page only (if Page View is on)
|
v Yes
[Overlay opens with your preset + layout]
|
+--> Prev / next (arrows, keyboard, optional thumbnail strip)
+--> Pinch or click to zoom
+--> Captions + counter (when enabled)
+--> Share (when Enable Sharing is on)
+--> Video playback (when the slide is a video clip)
Enable Lightbox
Manage portfolio → Lightbox tab → Enable Lightbox. Click Save lightbox settings when finished.
Turn this on for any gallery embedded on your site or shared with clients where visitors should browse in-overlay. You can run lightbox-only proofing (Enable Page View off) or combine overlay browsing with shareable detail URLs.
Style preset
Controls the overall look—control visibility, transitions, and caption placement.
| Preset | Visitor experience |
|---|---|
| Classic | Standard overlay with visible navigation controls. |
| Minimal | Clean chrome; controls appear on hover. |
| Cinematic | Full-bleed image with subtle fade transitions. |
| Editorial | Emphasis on captions with an elegant bottom text area. |
Lightbox layout
| Layout | Best for |
|---|---|
| Fullscreen | Edge-to-edge immersive viewing (default). |
| Contained | Centered modal with gutters; pair with Shell size below. |
| Split (details right) | Image on the left; title, caption, and description in a side column when the viewport is wide enough. |
| Mobile sheet | Fullscreen on phones; contained modal on larger screens. |
| Auto | Responsive: fullscreen on small screens; contained or split on desktop. |
Shell size (max) appears when layout is Contained or Split—choose Medium (960×720), Large (1200×820), XL (1440×900), or 2XL (1600×960). The live size is always capped by the visitor’s screen.
Animation
Choose how slides change when visitors move prev/next:
- Fade — crossfade between images.
- Slide — horizontal slide transition.
- Zoom — zoom-style transition between slides.
(Pinch and click zoom while viewing a single image is always available regardless of this setting.)
Display options
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Show Captions | Title and description under (or beside) the image from Media, or portfolio overrides when set. |
| Show Thumbnails | Strip of thumbnails for quick navigation within the gallery. |
| Show Counter | Position indicator such as “3 / 24”. |
| Backdrop opacity | How dark the area behind the image appears (50%–100%). |
On Split and Mobile sheet layouts, captions may appear in the side column instead of under the image so text is not duplicated.
Video settings
When the opened item is a video clip in the portfolio:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Show Controls | Playback bar and buttons. |
| Autoplay | Start playback when the slide opens. |
| Muted | Start without sound (required for autoplay in most browsers). |
| Loop | Replay when the clip ends. |
Sharing in the lightbox
Share icons in the toolbar come from Settings tab → Visibility & SEO → Enable Sharing, not from the lightbox tab itself. Turn sharing on when you want visitors to copy links or use social share from the overlay.
Suggested setups
| Goal | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Client proofing | Classic or Minimal, Enable Lightbox on, Enable Page View off, captions on. |
| Portfolio marketing | Cinematic or Editorial, captions on, Split or Fullscreen. |
| Wedding reel + stills | Auto layout, enable video controls; mute autoplay unless you want sound on open. |
| Large wedding sets | Thumbnails on, counter on, Contained + Large shell to avoid edge-to-edge fatigue. |
Implementation steps
- Open the Portfolio used on your public gallery.
- Open Manage portfolio → Lightbox tab → turn Enable Lightbox on. Click Save lightbox settings.
- Pick a Style preset and Lightbox layout that match the gallery’s tone.
- Set Display options (captions, thumbnails, counter, backdrop).
- Adjust Video settings if the collection includes clips.
- Optional: Visibility & SEO → Enable Sharing for toolbar share actions.
- Save, preview the gallery on your live or preview site, and click through several images—including a video if present.
What your visitors see
An overlay that matches your preset: navigation, optional caption text, optional thumbnail rail, zoom, and share when enabled. Closing the overlay returns them to the same gallery page.
Verifying your setup
- Enable Lightbox is on for collections embedded on published pages.
- Preset and layout look correct on both mobile and desktop preview.
- Captions reflect Media text (or portfolio overrides).
- Video clips respect autoplay, mute, and loop choices.
- Share appears only when Enable Sharing is on.