A method and system for providing a mood based virtual photo album which provides photos based upon a sensed mood the viewer. The method may include the steps of capturing a first image of a facial expression of a viewer by a camera, providing the image to a pattern recognition module of a processor, determine a mood of the viewer by comparing the facial expression with a plurality of previously stored images of facial expressions having an associated emotional identifier that indicates a mood of each of the plurality of previously stored images, retrieving a set of photos from storage for transmission to the viewer based on the emotional identifier associated with the determined mood, and transmitting the set of photos in the form of an electronic photo album. A system includes a camera, a user interface for transmitting a first image of a facial expression of a viewer captured by the camera, a processor for receiving the transmitted image by the user interface, and including a pattern recognition module for comparing the image received by the processor with a plurality of images of facial expressions from a storage area to determine a mood of the viewer. A retrieval unit retrieves a set of electronic photos corresponding to the mood of the viewer, and transmits the set of electronic photos for display as a virtual photo album.