I've incorporated Highslide JS 4.1 into my Matrix skin for Jalbum, including the thumbstrips, which I suspect some users are really going to like (hit the Matrix link for a few sample pages). For those not familiar with Jalbum and Matrix, this combination lets you build photo albums incorporating Highslide JS with absolutely no coding required. All the options are available with simple checkboxes and pull-down menu choices - choice of controlbar type, positioning, thumbstrips, expander speeds, background dimming, and so on.
If you love coding by hand, more power to you! But if you want the Highslide JS effects in a package that lets you put things together quickly and painlessly, check it out. It's all freebies, of course, unless you want to use it for a commercial site, in which case Highslide JS has to be licensed from Torstein.