Personally I think the new design is a big improvement on the old one. Not perfect, but not much ever is.
Everything seems accessible. The number of hits on a photograph is down because of the reasons above, the thumbnails are now much better, and there is no need to click on the photograph most of the time. I don't post to attract hits, I post in the hope that others will enjoy my photographs, but the number doesn't bother me. If only two people do, that's as good for me as 100.
I think the older photographs, especially the b/w ones attract the hits, simply because they are interesting to members. It is that simple. Would I click on the 334th photograph for Estelle Maersk (for example), or the first of a 1950's built freighter. The freighter wins every time, no matter how good the photograph for Estelle Maersk is. I would enjoy the Maersk ship, but the thumbnail would be good enough for me.