Added some stock photos (royalty free from pexels.com) for empty albums and to replace the fuel gauge on the main screen.

app/Album.php

@@ -71,7 +71,13 @@ class Album extends Model
             return $this->getAlbumSource()->getUrlToPhoto($photo, $thumbnailName);
         }
 
-        return '';
+        // Rotate standard images
+        $images = [
+            asset('themes/base/images/empty-album-1.jpg'),
+            asset('themes/base/images/empty-album-2.jpg'),
+            asset('themes/base/images/empty-album-3.jpg')
+        ];
+        return $images[rand(0, count($images) - 1)];
     }
 
     public function url()

app/Http/Controllers/Gallery/AlbumController.php

@@ -38,17 +38,23 @@ class AlbumController extends Controller
 
         $this->authorizeForUser($this->getUser(), 'album.view', $album);
 
-        // The slideshow view needs access to all photos, not paged
+        if ($album->photos()->count() == 0)
-        $photos = $album->photos()
-            ->orderBy(DB::raw('COALESCE(taken_at, created_at)'));
-
-        if ($requestedView != 'slideshow')
         {
-            $photos = $photos->paginate(UserConfig::get('items_per_page'));
+            $requestedView = 'empty';
+            $photos = [];
+        }
+        else if ($requestedView != 'slideshow')
+        {
+            $photos = $album->photos()
+                ->orderBy(DB::raw('COALESCE(taken_at, created_at)'))
+                ->paginate(UserConfig::get('items_per_page'));
         }
         else
         {
-            $photos = $photos->get();
+            // The slideshow view needs access to all photos, not paged
+            $photos = $album->photos()
+                ->orderBy(DB::raw('COALESCE(taken_at, created_at)'))
+                ->get();
         }
 
         return Theme::render(sprintf('gallery.album_%s', $requestedView), [

resources/lang/en/gallery.php

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 <?php
 return [
+    'album_no_results_heading' => 'Let\'s get snapping!',
+    'album_no_results_text' => 'This album is currently empty. If you are the owner of this album, you can upload photos using the :admin_link.',
+    'album_no_results_text_2' => 'Did you know you can upload photos straight from your smartphone or tablet. Simply access the above link on your device.',
     'album_views' => [
         'default' => 'Default',
         'slideshow' => 'Slideshow'
     ],
     'back_to_album' => 'Back to :name',
-    'index_no_results_heading' => 'This gallery is empty!',
+    'index_no_results_heading' => 'Start something amazing',
-    'index_no_results_text' => 'If you are the owner of this gallery, you can create new albums and upload photos using the :admin_link.'
+    'index_no_results_text' => 'This gallery is currently empty. If you are the owner of this gallery, you can create new albums and upload photos using the :admin_link.'
 ];

resources/views/themes/base/gallery/album_empty.blade.php

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+@extends('themes.base.layout')
+@section('title', $album->name)
+
+@section('breadcrumb')
+    <div class="breadcrumb">
+        <div class="container">
+            <ol class="breadcrumb">
+                <li><a href="{{ route('home') }}">@lang('navigation.breadcrumb.home')</a></li>
+                <li class="active">{{ $album->name }}</li>
+            </ol>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+@endsection
+
+@section('content')
+    <div class="container album-container">
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-8 col-sm-offset-2 text-center">
+                <h1>@lang('gallery.album_no_results_heading')</h1>
+                <p style="line-height: 1.6em;">@lang('gallery.album_no_results_text', ['admin_link' => sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', route('admin'), trans('admin.title'))])</p>
+                <p style="margin-bottom: 30px; line-height: 1.6em;">@lang('gallery.album_no_results_text_2')</p>
+
+                <img src="{{ asset('themes/base/images/smartphone-photo.jpg') }}" class="img-responsive img-rounded" style="display: inline;" />
+            </div>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+@endsection

resources/views/themes/base/gallery/index.blade.php

@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@
                 </div>
                 @endforeach
             @else
-                <div class="col-xs-12 text-center">
+                <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-8 col-sm-offset-2 text-center">
-                    <img src="{{ $theme_url }}/images/empty-fuel-gauge.jpg" style="width: 300px;" />
-
                     <h1>@lang('gallery.index_no_results_heading')</h1>
-                    <p>@lang('gallery.index_no_results_text', ['admin_link' => sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', route('admin'), trans('admin.title'))])</p>
+                    <p style="margin-bottom: 30px; line-height: 2em;">@lang('gallery.index_no_results_text', ['admin_link' => sprintf('<a href="%s">%s</a>', route('admin'), trans('admin.title'))])</p>
+
+                    <img src="{{ asset('themes/base/images/take-a-photo.jpg') }}" class="img-responsive img-rounded" style="display: inline;" />
                 </div>
             @endif
         </div>