: Critique background color / gradient to use I'm in the process of putting a site together. I have very limited knowledge regarding Photoshop (but I am trying!!). The site is being built to

@Jennifer810

There are good reasons why 99% of photography showcase sites stick with a very plain, dark, neutral background. In the first place, if you're displaying color images, a dark background will let the colors show most vividly (a light background reduces visual contrast and tends to slightly wash out color), and a neutral background won't ever clash or interfere with the colors in an image. The same considerations obtain as in making the kind of portfolio book you might have in your studio reception or waiting room.

Black and white images tend to look their best against a light, neutral background, which affords maximum contrast to the blacks in the image.

In general, if you're going to use a texture or gradient, keep it subtle. You want the visitor to focus on the image, not be distracted by a visually obtrusive background. (This is exactly the same consideration set you bring to a photograph: focus attention on the subject, remove distractions.)

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