The best way to do it IMHO is to resize the pictures to thumbnails (something small, like 200x200 jpgs). Then give them the option to click on the thumbnail for the bigger picture, just like Ziroc did with his hurricane pictures.
And I have to LOL.... How much of an improvement is
www.theprideofrichmondcounty.com? 
I'm very much in favor of short and sweet URLs. In fact, I look at yours and I find myself thinking "hmmmm... what about TPORC?"
In any case, I think it's a great thing you're doing, and I hope the rest of your classmates will appreciate it. Rock on!