Sometimes it's the browser too. When I upgraded to Firefox 2.0, the pages loaded noticeably faster. I also have Satellite internet access, which should be slower than both Cable/DSL.
A 50kb jpeg image opens in about 3/4 of one second for me. If you use Firefox, this will speed it up even more.
Another thing to check out (only if you are interested and feeling adventurous, of course) is a TCP Optimizer.
I use Firefox also. A jpg on this forum opens within fractions of a second. However, many of the jpgs available in binary groups range from 200,000 to 500,000 bytes or more. They may take from 1 to 3 seconds each.