We have just launched a photographer's portfolio website. The design is minimalist. The slideshow that appears when you click on a thumbnail will have the simplicity of an iPad gallery. In fact, that was the request - something as simple as an iPad gallery.
The added benefit here is that the photographer can add as many galleries and as many photos to each gallery as he likes with minimal effort. (There's that word again...) A simple dropdown selection files the gallery under a menu heading and he's all set to start adding photos. They are sized and styled to match the others and added to the Colorbox slideshow auto-magically.