4 Column Themes for Tumblr Photo Blogs

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Best 4 Column Tumblr Themes to Showcase Photos

Tumblr is one of the top micro-blogging websites available. Its flexibility allows you to post anything you can think of, from quotes to videos to a traditional blog post, but my favorite use for Tumblr is the photoblog.

4 Column layouts (called themes on Tumblr) are perfect for maximizing the available space on your blog. With most of these themes, almost every pixel of the screen is used, creating an infinite wall of images that are easily balanced with other types of posts, if you decide you just have to share a link, quick blurb about your day, quote, etc.

This lens showcases the best 4 Column themes (listed in alphabetical order) for creating a photo Tumblelog. I've tried & tested each one, detailing the pros & cons of each, along with examples of other photo-blogs using the theme, to help you pick the best theme for your Tumblr portfolio.

Franklin Street Theme

Lots of colors, little functionality.

Franklin Street Theme by Some Random Dude

Click here or the image above to preview & install.

FEATURES
**1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
----Change colors for almost everything imaginable.
----Upload background image.
**Click an image to view a larger version without having to click to the permalink page.

DISADVANTAGES
**Some HTML isn't recognized in the description, like the strikeout tag, but links show up.
**Doesn't show full size image - must right click and choose "View Image" to see it.
**Doesn't display tags anywhere.
** Permalink only shows up when you hover over a post.
**Doesn't link to an outside source AT ALL.

franklin street customize page preview franklin street permalink preview franklin street preview enlarge photo thumbnail
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Examples of Franklin Street Theme

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New Book Theme

Classic & to the point.

New Book Theme by nerdboyfriend

Click here or the image above to preview & install.

FEATURES
***1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
----Change colors for header, background, body text, links, post title, description, tags, & more.
----Change body & title font.
----Upload background image.
----Show/hide notes, search, icon, & tweets.
----Input your Disqus username to enable comments on your posts
***Displays each post's tags, description, notes, source, & date on main page.
***Shows full-size image on permalink page.
***Displays a small profile icon (40 by 40 pixels) in header.

DISADVANTAGES
***If you link an image to an outside source, you have to click thru to the permalink page to access it.

new book theme permalink preview new book theme preview 2 new book theme editing
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Examples of New Book Theme

Retrobitch Theme

Professional & clean.

Retrobitch Theme by cherryseim

Click here or the image above to preview & install.

FEATURES
**1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
---- Change colors for background, heading, text, links, quotes, header, & footer.
----Upload custom image to display above description in the top left corner.
**Professional drop shadow for each image post.
**Link to higher resolution version of each image.
**Images link directly to outside source (if applicable).

DISADVANTAGES
**Doesn't display tags.
**Doesn't show likes or reblogs on permalink pages.

retrobitch tumblr 4 column theme custom image preview retrobitch tumblr 4 column theme customize page preview retrobitch tumblr 4 column theme permalink page preview
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Examples of Retrobitch Theme

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Stacky Theme

Clean & Modern

Stacky Theme by Andrew

Click here or the image above to preview & download.

FEATURES
**1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
----Change link color & link hover color
----Upload logo image (for sidebar) & background image
----Show/Hide Archive link, Fixed Elements, & Captions on Index Page
**Sidebar navigation scrolls with page
**Archive, RSS, Mobile, Follow & Top of Page icons at bottom of page
**Grey-scaled hovering over images that displays post date & notes

DISADVANTAGES
**Next Page link at bottom of page - doesn't scroll
**No Permalink to individual post page - have to click "Notes" to get to the post page

stacky theme stacky theme hover stacky theme individual post page
Click images above to view larger.

Examples of Stacky Theme

Themenificent Theme

A plethora of columns & choice

Themenificient Theme by Anthagio

Click here or the image above to preview & install.

FEATURES
**1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
----Upload header & background images
----Show/Hide Streampad & change its background color & turn autoplay on/off
----Choose from Orange, Lime, Fuschia, Lavender, Seafoam, Blue, or Red color schemes.
----Choose 4 column or 5 column version
----Customize header image (repeat or fixed; image height)
----Show/Hide scrolling description, captions, description, title, archive, random, mobile, & feed links.
----Make post types (Text, Photo, Quote, etc.) wider
----Add up to 4 custom links (appears in top navigation bar)
----Input your Disqus username to enable comments on your posts
----Input Google Analytics ID to enable ads on your blog
**Images link directly to an outside source (if applicable)
**Displays tags on permalink pages
**Next & Previous links on every permalink page

DISADVANTAGES
**Can't seem to find any. This may be the perfect theme!

Themenificent 5 column tumblr theme customize page preview Themenificent 5 column tumblr theme magnify photo preview Themenificent 5 column tumblr theme permalink page preview
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Examples of Themenificent Theme

Do You Use a 4 Column Theme?

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Yip Theme

Clean & simple, but a little flawed.

Yip Theme by happymonsterr

Click here or the image above to preview & install.

A nice, simple theme with a few customizable options that's great for showcasing photographs, just wish the sidebar navigation was less wide so you don't have to scroll across to see the entire page.

FEATURES
**1-click customizations from the "Appearance" tab in "Customize" mode
----Change color for links, background, & info box.
----Change font for header & search box.
----Upload background image.
----Turn on/off large posts size.
----Show/hide captions & notes.
**Previous & Next links on each permalink page.
**Displays full-size image on permalink page.
**Fixed sidebar navigation.

DISADVANTAGES
**Photos don't link to outside sources.
**Links to Previous, Next, or Permalink open in new windows.

yip 4 column tumblr theme alternate preview yip 4 column tumblr theme customize page preview yip 4 column tumblr theme permalink page preview
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What's Your Favorite 4 Column Theme?

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Comments/Questions

  • anilagarwal Dec 29, 2011 @ 9:57 am | delete
    Must have themes in case you want to start a photo or gallery blog on Tumblr
  • Dec 7, 2011 @ 11:18 am | delete
    I like Stacky. I don't like that you see all of the posts and urls underneath Retrobitch.
  • May 31, 2011 @ 3:18 am | delete
    The "Yip Theme" is a bad rip off of Stacky.
  • heehaw May 20, 2011 @ 1:01 pm | delete
    i love the Retrobitch Theme 4 column.

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