Welcome to the first preview page focussing on the image module. This page shows some valuable features of the J1 Template to manage your image-based content using lightboxes, carousels (slider), and galleries.
The image module offers complex functionality based on powerful OpenSource libraries like JustifiedGallery for high-end, masonry-styled preview maps. J1 Template uses the jQuery plugin Owl Carousel as a base for image sliders. A carousel app (slider) lets you present your images as shows.
Lightboxes like LightGallery or Lightbox V2 support your web for enlarged image views of your picture or video content. Have a look, a quick tour of what J1 can do for image data. Have fun!
J1 Lightboxes
A Lightbox, in general, is a helper which displays enlarged, almost screen-filling versions of pictures (or videos) while dimming the rest of the page. The technique, introduced by Lightbox V2, gained widespread popularity due to its simple and elegant style. The term lightbox is used since then for Javascript libraries to support such functionality.
For the J1 Template, two different lightboxes can be used:
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Lightbox V2 (lightbox)
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LightGallery
The default lightbox used by J1 Template is Lightbox V2, a Javascript library written by Lokesh Dhakar. The name of that (build-in) is simply: lightbox. For more complex use cases, like a thumbnail gallery preview or video support, LightGallery can be used alternatively.
| The name LightGallery implies a sort of a Gallery, but the library is a lightbox. And, LightGallery provides much more functionality on image-based data rather than enlarged displaying of images. See the examples below to check for the differences in comparison to the simpler Lightbox V2 lightbox. |
Both lightboxes are fully integrated to be used as standalone modules or used as helpers under-the-hood by other apps or modules focussing on image-data like gallery or carousel, the build-in carousel module.
Lightbox Examples
Find below an example of using the lightbox Lightbox standalone. See how single (individual) images are linked for use with Lightbox.
Lightbox supports image groups (image sets). Click on the images below to see how Lightbox manages a group of images.
LightGallery Example
LightGallery provides more complex functions on image data. The module supports a gallery-style thumbnail preview plus image resizing, a download dialog, sharing provider support, and some more helpful. Check what LightGallery can do by the following example.
J1 Carousel App
J1 Carousel is based on OWL Carousel V1 in the latest (and unfortunately last) version of 1.3.3. OWL Carousel is a clean and neat jQuery slider plugin for creating fully responsive and touch-enabled carousel sliders.
| OWL Carousel V1 is no longer available on the Internet; for an unknown reason. Anyway, the J1 Template is using this version of OWL Carousel as a build-in carousel module because the software does an excellent job, is based on an MIT license with no issues using them for private and business use. And offers a lot of great features! |
Simple Text Carousel
A slider or carousel is typically used for displaying images. Still, the implementation for the J1 Template supports a lot more sources to be displayed as a slide show: simple text, for example.
Important statements or topics can be placed, e.g., on top of an article or a paragraph to give them better visibility. In one line, you can present a bunch of facts to know animated for the reader’s attention within a single line. No much space is needed!
Parallax Text Carousel
A more eye-minded type of a text-show is a parallax text slider. If you want to place emphasis on your personal statements focussing the meaning, this kind of a slide show may be interesting. Image-based slide shows may draw off the reader’s attention from the text, therefor a pure text-based presentation may the better choice.
Parallax text shows can be placed as banners on a page. A lot of different animations can be used. Internally, J1 Template is using some of the really great CSS styles offered by animate.css.
| Have a look a Dan Eden’s home page to see all the possible dynamic styles, you can create based on pure CSS. Some of them are implemented for OWL Carousel for animation. See the documentation for the CAROUSEL Module for more details. |
Simple Image Carousel
Carousels are mostly used for pictures data to animate the images as a series. Find with the following some examples how to use a carousel for your image data.
A simple image show is useful for example as an animated (or not animated) banner presenting exciting things of your site or the products offered.
Carousel + Caption + Lightbox
Carousels can be used for an exceptionally compact form of image galleries. This example shows some pictures having individual caption text and supports a lightbox to enlarge images full size. For the example below, a almost simple lightbox is used: Lightbox V2; or short: lightbox.
The J1 module lightbox is a simple Lightbox but offers a bunch of impressive features for displaying images. For example, the lightbox can display all images (of a carousel) as a group. If one picture is opened in the lightbox, all the other can be browsed as well.
One Slide Carousel + Lightbox
The build-in Carousel carousel supports multiple and single image shows. Here you find an example of a single image slide show with controls enabled to browse all images back and forth. An indicator below the slider shows how many images the show contains.
J1 Gallery App
To create image and video galleries, J1 Template implements the jQuery plugin JustifiedGallery as the main gallery module. Beside Justified Gallery, a gallery based on pure Bootstrap code is available with the built-in gallery app gallery.
JustifiedGallery is a great jQuery plugin to create responsive, infinite, and high quality justified image galleries. J1 Template combines the Gallery with the lightboxes supported to enlarge the images of a gallery.
See JustifiedGallery in action - and for sure all that you see is even responsive. Change the size of your current browser window, by width or height, to see what will happen!
JustifiedGallery
Pictures you’ve made are typically not even in size. Images may have the same size (resolution), but some of them are orientated landscape or other may portrait. For that reason, a more powerful gallery is needed to create so-called justified views.
JustifiedGallery is using a so-called masonry grid layout. It works by placing elements in an optimal position based on available horizontal and vertical space. Sort of like mason fitting stones in a wall. You’ll have seen it in use all over the Internet!
Whats next
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed exploring the possibilities J1 offers for managing and displaying digital image content. But much, much more can the J1 do for your web.
Incredible? See the next example page Present videos.