diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 940cc140..55ec381e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ Application behavior can be changed by configuring the following environment var
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_PRO_MODE = 1` enables higher quality image storage (results in increased storage usage)
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_PAGES = 1` enables static optimization for pages, i.e., renders pages at build time (results in increased project usage)—⚠️ _Experimental_
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_OG_IMAGES = 1` enables static optimization for OG images, i.e., renders images at build time (results in increased project usage)—⚠️ _Experimental_
-- `NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_SETTING = light` constrains the size of each photo, and enables a surrounding border (can be set to `light` or `dark`)
+- `NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_PHOTOS = 1` constrains the size of each photo, and enables a surrounding border (potentially useful for photos with tall aspect ratios)
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_BLUR_DISABLED = 1` prevents image blur data being stored and displayed (potentially useful for limiting Postgres usage)
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_GEO_PRIVACY = 1` disables collection/display of location-based data
 - `NEXT_PUBLIC_IGNORE_PRIORITY_ORDER = 1` prevents `priority_order` field affecting photo order
diff --git a/src/components/CommandKClient.tsx b/src/components/CommandKClient.tsx
index 0f538e3d..c57696d5 100644
--- a/src/components/CommandKClient.tsx
+++ b/src/components/CommandKClient.tsx
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ export default function CommandKClient({
     isUserSignedIn,
     setUserEmail,
     isCommandKOpen: isOpen,
-    matteSetting,
-    setMatteSetting,
+    arePhotosMatted,
     shouldShowBaselineGrid,
     shouldDebugBlur,
     setIsCommandKOpen: setIsOpen,
     setShouldRespondToKeyboardCommands,
     setShouldShowBaselineGrid,
+    setArePhotosMatted,
     setShouldDebugBlur,
   } = useAppState();
 
@@ -199,15 +199,9 @@ export default function CommandKClient({
       heading: 'Debug Tools',
       accessory: <RiToolsFill size={16} className="translate-x-[-1px]" />,
       items: [{
-        label: 'Toggle Matte Setting',
-        action: () => setMatteSetting?.(prev => {
-          if (!prev) {
-            return 'light';
-          } else if (prev === 'light') {
-            return 'dark';
-          }
-        }),
-        annotation: Boolean(matteSetting) ? <FaCheck size={12} /> : undefined,
+        label: 'Toggle Photo Matting',
+        action: () => setArePhotosMatted?.(prev => !prev),
+        annotation: arePhotosMatted ? <FaCheck size={12} /> : undefined,
       }, {
         label: 'Toggle Blur Debug',
         action: () => setShouldDebugBlur?.(prev => !prev),
diff --git a/src/components/ImageBlurFallback.tsx b/src/components/ImageBlurFallback.tsx
index 9007309c..0b922fb5 100644
--- a/src/components/ImageBlurFallback.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ImageBlurFallback.tsx
@@ -75,8 +75,9 @@ export default function ImageBlurFallback(props: ImageProps & {
         <div className={clsx(
           '@container',
           'absolute inset-0',
-          'bg-main overflow-hidden',
+          'overflow-hidden',
           'transition-opacity duration-300 ease-in',
+          !(BLUR_ENABLED && props.blurDataURL) && 'bg-main',
           (isLoading || shouldDebugBlur) ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0',
         )}>
           {(BLUR_ENABLED && props.blurDataURL)
diff --git a/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx b/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
index 3adb10b8..71eaf8a0 100644
--- a/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
+++ b/src/photo/PhotoLarge.tsx
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export default function PhotoLarge({
 
   useOnVisible(ref, onVisible);
 
-  const { matteSetting } = useAppState();
+  const { arePhotosMatted } = useAppState();
 
   return (
     <SiteGrid
@@ -79,28 +79,30 @@ export default function PhotoLarge({
           href={pathForPhoto(photo)}
           className={clsx(
             'active:brightness-75',
-            Boolean(matteSetting) &&
-              'flex items-center justify-center aspect-[3/2]',
-            matteSetting === 'light' && 'bg-invert',
-            matteSetting === 'dark' && 'bg-dim',
+            arePhotosMatted &&
+              'flex items-center aspect-[3/2] bg-gray-100',
           )}
           prefetch={prefetch}
         >
-          <ImageLarge
-            className={clsx(Boolean(matteSetting) &&
-              'flex items-center justify-center h-full')}
-            imgClassName={clsx(
-              Boolean(matteSetting) && 'object-scale-down',
-              Boolean(matteSetting) &&
-                photo.aspectRatio >= 1 ? 'max-h-[80%]' : 'max-h-[90%]'
-            )}
-            alt={altTextForPhoto(photo)}
-            src={photo.url}
-            aspectRatio={photo.aspectRatio}
-            blurData={photo.blurData}
-            blurCompatibilityMode={doesPhotoNeedBlurCompatibility(photo)}
-            priority={priority}
-          />
+          <div className={clsx(
+            arePhotosMatted &&
+              'flex items-center justify-center w-full',
+            arePhotosMatted && photo.aspectRatio >= 1
+              ? 'h-[80%]'
+              : 'h-[90%]',
+          )}>
+            <ImageLarge
+              className={clsx(arePhotosMatted && 'h-full')}
+              imgClassName={clsx(arePhotosMatted &&
+                'object-contain w-full h-full')}
+              alt={altTextForPhoto(photo)}
+              src={photo.url}
+              aspectRatio={photo.aspectRatio}
+              blurData={photo.blurData}
+              blurCompatibilityMode={doesPhotoNeedBlurCompatibility(photo)}
+              priority={priority}
+            />
+          </div>
         </Link>}
       contentSide={
         <DivDebugBaselineGrid className={clsx(
diff --git a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
index e07129cb..46f3c641 100644
--- a/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
+++ b/src/site/SiteChecklistClient.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
   isStaticallyOptimized,
   arePagesStaticallyOptimized,
   areOGImagesStaticallyOptimized,
-  matteSetting,
+  arePhotosMatted,
   isBlurEnabled,
   isGeoPrivacyEnabled,
   isPriorityOrderEnabled,
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
     >
       <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1">
         <span className={clsx(
-          'text-xs font-medium tracking-wide',
-          'px-0.5 py-0.5',
-          'rounded-sm',
+          'text-[11px] font-medium tracking-wide',
+          'px-0.5 py-[0.5px]',
+          'rounded-[5px]',
           'bg-gray-100 dark:bg-gray-800',
         )}>
           `{variable}`
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
     </div>;
 
   const renderEnvVars = (variables: string[]) =>
-    <div className="py-1 space-y-1">
+    <div className="py-0.5">
       {variables.map(envVar => renderEnvVar(envVar))}
     </div>;
 
@@ -370,26 +370,24 @@ export default function SiteChecklistClient({
             {renderSubStatus(
               arePagesStaticallyOptimized ? 'checked' : 'optional',
               renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_PAGES']),
-              'translate-y-[4.5px]',
+              'translate-y-[3.5px]',
             )}
             {renderSubStatus(
               areOGImagesStaticallyOptimized ? 'checked' : 'optional',
               renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_OG_IMAGES']),
-              'translate-y-[4.5px]',
+              'translate-y-[3.5px]',
             )}
           </ChecklistRow>
           <ChecklistRow
-            title={'Photo Matte' + (matteSetting
-              ? `: ${matteSetting?.toLocaleUpperCase()}`
-              : '')}
-            status={Boolean(matteSetting)}
+            title="Photo Matting"
+            status={arePhotosMatted}
             isPending={isPendingPage}
             optional
           >
-            Set environment variable to {'"light"'} or {'"dark"'} to
+            Set environment variable to {'"1"'} to constrain the size
             {' '}
-            constrain the size of each photo, and enable a surrounding border:
-            {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_SETTING'])}
+            of each photo, and enable a surrounding border:
+            {renderEnvVars(['NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_PHOTOS'])}
           </ChecklistRow>
           <ChecklistRow
             title="Image Blur"
diff --git a/src/site/config.ts b/src/site/config.ts
index 8daf3b6e..e119321a 100644
--- a/src/site/config.ts
+++ b/src/site/config.ts
@@ -114,12 +114,8 @@ export const STATICALLY_OPTIMIZED_PAGES =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_PAGES === '1';
 export const STATICALLY_OPTIMIZED_OG_IMAGES =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STATICALLY_OPTIMIZE_OG_IMAGES === '1';
-export const MATTE_SETTING =
-  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_SETTING === 'light'
-    ? 'light'
-    : process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_SETTING === 'dark'
-      ? 'dark'
-      : undefined;
+export const MATTE_PHOTOS =
+  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_MATTE_PHOTOS === '1';
 export const BLUR_ENABLED =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_BLUR_DISABLED !== '1';
 export const GEO_PRIVACY_ENABLED =
@@ -183,7 +179,7 @@ export const CONFIG_CHECKLIST_STATUS = {
   ),
   arePagesStaticallyOptimized: STATICALLY_OPTIMIZED_PAGES,
   areOGImagesStaticallyOptimized: STATICALLY_OPTIMIZED_OG_IMAGES,
-  matteSetting: MATTE_SETTING,
+  arePhotosMatted: MATTE_PHOTOS,
   isBlurEnabled: BLUR_ENABLED,
   isGeoPrivacyEnabled: GEO_PRIVACY_ENABLED,
   isAiTextGenerationEnabled: AI_TEXT_GENERATION_ENABLED,
diff --git a/src/site/globals.css b/src/site/globals.css
index 4ab0d2a9..c4b8cf43 100644
--- a/src/site/globals.css
+++ b/src/site/globals.css
@@ -162,10 +162,6 @@
     @apply
       bg-gray-900 dark:bg-gray-100
   }
-  .bg-dim {
-    @apply
-      bg-gray-200/40 dark:bg-gray-800/40
-  }
   /* Utilities: Baseline Grid */
   .space-y-baseline {
     @apply
diff --git a/src/state/AppState.ts b/src/state/AppState.ts
index 5e9c8f95..47af4712 100644
--- a/src/state/AppState.ts
+++ b/src/state/AppState.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 import { Dispatch, SetStateAction, createContext, useContext } from 'react';
 import { AnimationConfig } from '@/components/AnimateItems';
 
-export type MatteSetting = 'light' | 'dark' | undefined;
-
 export interface AppStateContext {
   previousPathname?: string
   hasLoaded?: boolean
-  matteSetting?: MatteSetting
-  setMatteSetting?: Dispatch<SetStateAction<MatteSetting>>
+  arePhotosMatted?: boolean
+  setArePhotosMatted?: Dispatch<SetStateAction<boolean>>
   swrTimestamp?: number
   invalidateSwr?: () => void
   userEmail?: string
diff --git a/src/state/AppStateProvider.tsx b/src/state/AppStateProvider.tsx
index bb4ceebf..9e0a2701 100644
--- a/src/state/AppStateProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/state/AppStateProvider.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 'use client';
 
 import { useState, useEffect, ReactNode, useCallback } from 'react';
-import { AppStateContext, MatteSetting } from './AppState';
+import { AppStateContext } from './AppState';
 import { AnimationConfig } from '@/components/AnimateItems';
 import usePathnames from '@/utility/usePathnames';
 import { getAuthAction } from '@/auth/actions';
 import useSWR from 'swr';
-import { MATTE_SETTING } from '@/site/config';
+import { MATTE_PHOTOS } from '@/site/config';
 
 export default function AppStateProvider({
   children,
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ export default function AppStateProvider({
 
   const [hasLoaded, setHasLoaded] =
     useState(false);
-  const [matteSetting, setMatteSetting] =
-    useState<MatteSetting>(MATTE_SETTING);
+  const [arePhotosMatted, setArePhotosMatted] =
+    useState(MATTE_PHOTOS);
   const [swrTimestamp, setSwrTimestamp] =
     useState(Date.now());
   const [userEmail, setUserEmail] =
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ export default function AppStateProvider({
       value={{
         previousPathname,
         hasLoaded,
-        matteSetting,
-        setMatteSetting,
+        arePhotosMatted,
+        setArePhotosMatted,
         swrTimestamp,
         invalidateSwr,
         setHasLoaded,