<div class="container-inner clearfix">
  <h1 id="page-title">
    <span><?php print $title ?></span>
  </h1>
  <?php $views = views_embed_view('photos', 'block'); print render($views);?>
</div>

<div class="container-inner clearfix" style="background: url(<?php print $background_image; ?>)">

function my_module_or_theme_preprocess_page(&$vars) {

  // $views=views_embed_view('photos', 'block');
  $views=views_get_view_result('photo', 'block'); // appears to work easier :)
  $background_image=// however you get the url/path to the image from $views;

  $vars['background_image']=$background_image;

}