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All Photographic web sites look their best when viewed with your monitor set for at least "24 bit" color. If some of the pictures you see while browsing the web look layered or the colors don't blend then you are probably running your monitor at only 256 colors or 16 bit color.
If you want to maximize the quality of photographs viewed on your computer screen, check your system's monitor settings to find out if you can use 24 bit color at your preferred screen resolution. To check or adjust these settings in Windows 95/98 right click on any blank area on your desktop and select properties. Click the settings tab. Select 24 bit color from the 'colors' drop down menu. If the resolution (screen area) slider just to the right of the 'colors' dialogue stays at your preferred monitor resolution you are fine. If it moves down to a lower resolution or won't let you select 24 bit color try using 16 bit color instead of 256 colors.
If these photos look too dark or too light, you may have to adjust your monitor's gamma. Gamma adjustment is accomplished by setting your monitor's brightness and contrast controls properly. As a general rule, gamma adjustment should start with raising the contrast control on your computer monitor to 80% or more of it's adjustment range. Do the fine tuning with the 'lightness / darkness' control.
For a quick check of your monitor's gamma adjustments, use the gray scale Gamma Check Chart below. You should be able to see each individual shade from pure black to pure white.
Adjust the brightness scale until the two darkest squares appear to be barely the same density.
(Courtesy of Steve Hoffman's Nature and Scenic Photography Home Page)