[davidjade]

I offer it as an option but I strongly encourage it, especially if you want to see a large view.

From an artistic point of view and as the creator of the work, it's my prerogative to control the presentation of my work. I want to remove distractions and provide a clean viewing space that doesn't bias how the image is perceived. To me its akin to not having other stuff all over the presentation walls. Just the photographs, some space and nothing more.

[stcredzero]

I want to remove distractions

If you want to "provide a clean viewing space" and "nothing more" then leave off the music or give me an option to opt-in. Speaking strictly as a consumer, I don't think of the web as a "push" medium. It should be a "pull" medium. I want the HTML I ask for. The same goes for audio-visual. I hate it when a web page imposes a soundtrack and/or video on me. Give me access, but don't push it on me unannounced and unasked for.

How do you know I'm not listening to my favorite mix on iTunes?

[davidjade]

Personally, I don't do anything like that. I don't even offer soundtracks as an option. I remove as many widgets/options as possible. It all goes back to my objectives in presenting my photographs.

My main point was, right now Flash gives me more control over achieving clean full screen presentation, control over image scaling that doesn't destroy sharpness, and smooth and stutter-free fade in/out transitions.

I can't get that in all browsers and have it be consistent yet. When I can I'll drop Flash. In the meantime for those users that don't have Flash I'll offer a fallback view, albeit with not as nice or consistent presentation as I would like.