diff --git a/ui/package.json b/ui/package.json
index e4ff9a9b..0d823f10 100644
--- a/ui/package.json
+++ b/ui/package.json
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
     "url-join": "^4.0.1"
   },
   "scripts": {
-    "start": "BROWSER=none craco start",
+    "start": "BROWSER=none PORT=1234 craco start",
     "build": "craco build",
     "test": "npm run lint && npm run jest -- --watchAll=false",
     "test:ci": "npm run lint && npm run jest:ci",
diff --git a/ui/src/Pages/AlbumPage/AlbumPage.tsx b/ui/src/Pages/AlbumPage/AlbumPage.tsx
index b7b141c5..5877e437 100644
--- a/ui/src/Pages/AlbumPage/AlbumPage.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/Pages/AlbumPage/AlbumPage.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useEffect } from 'react'
+import React, { useCallback } from 'react'
 import { useQuery, gql } from '@apollo/client'
 import AlbumGallery from '../../components/albumGallery/AlbumGallery'
 import Layout from '../../components/layout/Layout'
 import useURLParameters from '../../hooks/useURLParameters'
 import useScrollPagination from '../../hooks/useScrollPagination'
 import PaginateLoader from '../../components/PaginateLoader'
-import LazyLoad from '../../helpers/LazyLoad'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import { albumQuery, albumQueryVariables } from './__generated__/albumQuery'
 import useOrderingParams from '../../hooks/useOrderingParams'
@@ -125,17 +124,6 @@ function AlbumPage({ match }: AlbumPageProps) {
     [setOnlyFavorites, refetch]
   )
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    LazyLoad.loadImages(document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]'))
-    return () => LazyLoad.disconnect()
-  }, [])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!loading) {
-      LazyLoad.loadImages(document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]'))
-    }
-  }, [finishedLoadingMore, onlyFavorites, loading])
-
   if (error) return <div>Error</div>
 
   return (
diff --git a/ui/src/Pages/AllAlbumsPage/AlbumsPage.tsx b/ui/src/Pages/AllAlbumsPage/AlbumsPage.tsx
index 814bbdcf..01978924 100644
--- a/ui/src/Pages/AllAlbumsPage/AlbumsPage.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/Pages/AllAlbumsPage/AlbumsPage.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
+import React from 'react'
 import AlbumBoxes from '../../components/albumGallery/AlbumBoxes'
 import Layout from '../../components/layout/Layout'
 import { useQuery, gql } from '@apollo/client'
-import LazyLoad from '../../helpers/LazyLoad'
 import { getMyAlbums } from './__generated__/getMyAlbums'
 
 const getAlbumsQuery = gql`
@@ -20,15 +19,7 @@ const getAlbumsQuery = gql`
 `
 
 const AlbumsPage = () => {
-  const { loading, error, data } = useQuery<getMyAlbums>(getAlbumsQuery)
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    return () => LazyLoad.disconnect()
-  }, [])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    !loading && LazyLoad.loadImages(document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]'))
-  }, [loading])
+  const { error, data } = useQuery<getMyAlbums>(getAlbumsQuery)
 
   return (
     <Layout title="Albums">
diff --git a/ui/src/components/photoGallery/MediaThumbnail.tsx b/ui/src/components/photoGallery/MediaThumbnail.tsx
index eb97d662..e9df158d 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/photoGallery/MediaThumbnail.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/photoGallery/MediaThumbnail.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useState } from 'react'
+import React from 'react'
 import styled from 'styled-components'
 import { ProtectedImage } from './ProtectedMedia'
 import { MediaType } from '../../__generated__/globalTypes'
@@ -14,12 +14,11 @@ const MediaContainer = styled.div`
   overflow: hidden;
 `
 
-const StyledPhoto = styled(ProtectedImage)<{ loaded: boolean }>`
+const StyledPhoto = styled(ProtectedImage)`
   height: 200px;
   min-width: 100%;
   position: relative;
   object-fit: cover;
-  opacity: ${({ loaded }) => (loaded ? 1 : 0)};
 
   transition: opacity 300ms;
 `
@@ -29,14 +28,7 @@ type LazyPhotoProps = {
 }
 
 const LazyPhoto = (photoProps: LazyPhotoProps) => {
-  const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false)
-  const onLoad = useCallback(e => {
-    !e.target.dataset.src && setLoaded(true)
-  }, [])
-
-  return (
-    <StyledPhoto {...photoProps} lazyLoading loaded={loaded} onLoad={onLoad} />
-  )
+  return <StyledPhoto {...photoProps} lazyLoading />
 }
 
 const PhotoOverlay = styled.div<{ active: boolean }>`
diff --git a/ui/src/components/photoGallery/ProtectedMedia.tsx b/ui/src/components/photoGallery/ProtectedMedia.tsx
index bd95cfc9..e77da326 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/photoGallery/ProtectedMedia.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/photoGallery/ProtectedMedia.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
+import classNames from 'classnames'
 import React, { DetailedHTMLProps, ImgHTMLAttributes } from 'react'
+import { useRef } from 'react'
+import { useState } from 'react'
+import { useEffect } from 'react'
 import { isNil } from '../../helpers/utils'
 
-const isNativeLazyLoadSupported = 'loading' in HTMLImageElement.prototype
+const isNativeLazyLoadSupported = 'loading' in document.createElement('img')
 const placeholder =
   'data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw=='
 
@@ -27,7 +31,6 @@ export interface ProtectedImageProps
   src?: string
   key?: string
   lazyLoading?: boolean
-  loaded?: boolean
 }
 
 /**
@@ -38,41 +41,83 @@ export interface ProtectedImageProps
  */
 export const ProtectedImage = ({
   src,
-  key,
   lazyLoading,
-  loaded,
   ...props
 }: ProtectedImageProps) => {
-  const lazyLoadProps: { 'data-src'?: string; loading?: 'lazy' | 'eager' } = {}
+  const url = getProtectedUrl(src) || placeholder
 
-  if (!isNativeLazyLoadSupported && lazyLoading) {
-    lazyLoadProps['data-src'] = getProtectedUrl(src)
+  if (!lazyLoading) {
+    return (
+      <img {...props} src={url} loading="eager" crossOrigin="use-credentials" />
+    )
   }
 
-  if (isNativeLazyLoadSupported && lazyLoading) {
-    lazyLoadProps.loading = 'lazy'
+  if (!isNativeLazyLoadSupported) {
+    return <FallbackLazyloadedImage src={url} {...props} />
   }
 
-  const imgSrc: string =
-    lazyLoading && !isNativeLazyLoadSupported
-      ? placeholder
-      : getProtectedUrl(src) || placeholder
-
-  const loadedProp =
-    loaded !== undefined ? { loaded: loaded.toString() } : undefined
-
+  // load with native lazy loading
   return (
-    <img
-      key={key}
-      {...props}
-      {...lazyLoadProps}
-      {...loadedProp}
-      src={imgSrc}
-      crossOrigin="use-credentials"
-    />
+    <img {...props} src={url} loading="lazy" crossOrigin="use-credentials" />
   )
 }
 
+interface FallbackLazyloadedImageProps
+  extends Omit<
+    DetailedHTMLProps<ImgHTMLAttributes<HTMLImageElement>, HTMLImageElement>,
+    'src'
+  > {
+  src?: string
+}
+
+const FallbackLazyloadedImage = ({
+  src,
+  ...props
+}: FallbackLazyloadedImageProps) => {
+  const [inView, setInView] = useState(false)
+  const imgRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const imgElm = imgRef.current
+    if (isNil(imgElm) || inView) return
+
+    if (window.IntersectionObserver === undefined) {
+      setInView(true)
+      return
+    }
+
+    const observer = new IntersectionObserver(
+      ([entry]) => {
+        if (entry.isIntersecting) {
+          setInView(true)
+          observer.disconnect()
+        }
+      },
+      {
+        root: null,
+        threshold: 0,
+      }
+    )
+
+    observer.observe(imgElm)
+
+    return () => {
+      observer.disconnect()
+    }
+  }, [imgRef])
+
+  if (inView) {
+    return <img {...props} src={src} crossOrigin="use-credentials" />
+  } else {
+    return (
+      <div
+        ref={imgRef}
+        className={classNames(props.className, 'bg-[#eee]')}
+      ></div>
+    )
+  }
+}
+
 export interface ProtectedVideoProps_Media {
   __typename: 'Media'
   id: string
diff --git a/ui/src/components/timelineGallery/TimelineGallery.tsx b/ui/src/components/timelineGallery/TimelineGallery.tsx
index eb7c5ffd..81e29125 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/timelineGallery/TimelineGallery.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/timelineGallery/TimelineGallery.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import useURLParameters from '../../hooks/useURLParameters'
 import { FavoritesCheckbox } from '../album/AlbumFilter'
 import useScrollPagination from '../../hooks/useScrollPagination'
 import PaginateLoader from '../PaginateLoader'
-import LazyLoad from '../../helpers/LazyLoad'
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import {
   myTimeline,
@@ -141,14 +140,6 @@ const TimelineGallery = () => {
     })
   }, [onlyFavorites])
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    !loading && LazyLoad.loadImages(document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]'))
-  }, [finishedLoadingMore, onlyFavorites, loading])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    return () => LazyLoad.disconnect()
-  }, [])
-
   if (error) {
     return <div>{error.message}</div>
   }
diff --git a/ui/src/helpers/LazyLoad.ts b/ui/src/helpers/LazyLoad.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index c071bd1c..00000000
--- a/ui/src/helpers/LazyLoad.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,57 +0,0 @@
-class LazyLoad {
-  observer: null | IntersectionObserver
-
-  constructor() {
-    this.observe = this.observe.bind(this)
-    this.loadImages = this.loadImages.bind(this)
-    this.disconnect = this.disconnect.bind(this)
-    this.observer = null
-  }
-
-  observe(images: Element[]) {
-    if (!this.observer) {
-      this.observer = new IntersectionObserver(entries => {
-        entries.forEach(entry => {
-          if (entry.isIntersecting || entry.intersectionRatio > 0) {
-            const element = entry.target
-            this.setSrcAttribute(element)
-            this.observer?.unobserve(element)
-          }
-        })
-      })
-    }
-    Array.from(images).forEach(image => this.observer?.observe(image))
-  }
-
-  loadImages(elements: NodeListOf<Element>) {
-    const images = Array.from(elements)
-    if (images.length) {
-      if ('IntersectionObserver' in window) {
-        this.observe(images)
-      } else {
-        images.forEach(image => this.setSrcAttribute(image))
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  disconnect() {
-    this.observer && this.observer.disconnect()
-  }
-
-  setSrcAttribute(element: Element) {
-    if (element.hasAttribute('data-src')) {
-      const src = element.getAttribute('data-src')
-      if (src) {
-        element.removeAttribute('data-src')
-        element.setAttribute('src', src)
-      } else {
-        console.warn(
-          'WARN: expected element to have `data-src` property',
-          element
-        )
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-export default new LazyLoad()