Dolche & Gabbana Exibit

From the Heart to the Hands

Museums are full of beauty — but they can also be full of photography challenges! Between glass, glare, reflections, giant displays, tiny details, and stunning architecture, there’s a lot to think about. Follow our pages for fun, easy tips to help you photograph art, artifacts, and museum spaces in a way that feels more creative, polished, and unforgettable.

The Dolce & Gabbana: From the Heart to the Hands exhibit made its American debut in Miami in 2026, and we were so excited to attend. We were absolutely overwhelmed not only by the breathtaking fashion, but by the extraordinary way it was displayed — from the architecture and wall art to the chandeliers and every beautiful detail — making the challenge not just photographing the clothing, but capturing the entire experience in a way that reflected how beautifully the fashion itself had been elevated.

Landscapes, Building, Almost Anything…

Set Out To Break The Rules

Your mobile phone is a powerful tool for creating abstract art that challenges the way we see the world.

New Zealand: The scene above was captured using panoramic mode. The location is the famous filming site of The Lord of the Rings. To achieve this shot, we traced a wide arc from left to right, capturing the scene and repeating the motion several times until this image stood out as the winner.

Horizontal Panoramic Abstracts

Use unique modes and settings, like panoramic for wide shots or macro mode for extreme close-ups, to transform everyday textures into stunning visual patterns. Panoramic mode on your phone’s camera is a fun and easy way to discover your own creativity! It lets you capture wide, sweeping scenes in a way that transforms ordinary photos into exciting works of art.

Cruise View: The scene above was captured on a cruise ship. We stood up against the railing, set the cell phone camera to panoramic mode, and simply moved the camera from left to right until the desired effect was created.

In panoramic mode, you never really know what the lens will pick up as you move in various directions and with varying speed, so every frame is a new surprise. Whether you're capturing landscapes, crowds, or just playing around with movement, panoramic shots can produce some really unexpected results.

London, England: A unique view of Tower Bridge is created by setting the camera to panoramic mode, and working with a arch movement.

Even the slightest adjustment in your technique, or angle when taking a panoramic can create compelling images. By pushing the boundaries of traditional photography, you can create abstract works of art that inspire and intrigue.

Cruise View: By working in a panoramic mode and then capturing the scene by moving our hands up and down in an “S” effect the lines of the railings are distorted creating a wave pattern.

Composition Abstracts

Abstract photography is all about pushing the boundaries of what we see! It can turn ordinary photos into something extraordinary by distorting or altering them, or simply by capturing unique angles or subjects that make us pause and think. When we eliminate objects that offer perspective, the result is a more intriguing and thought-provoking image.

Using mirrors and reflections in an exhibit space can create a more layered and visually dynamic image. Instead of capturing only the object, you may also be able to include surrounding details, architecture, or repeated shapes that add to the overall story.

A close-up photograph can be a wonderful way to help the viewer slow down and truly appreciate the details that make a piece special. While a wider image shows the full object or display, a close-up can reveal the craftsmanship, texture, materials, and artistry in a way that a standard shot simply cannot. This is especially true in exhibits featuring fashion, textiles, decorative arts, or other highly detailed mediums, where the beauty is often found in the stitching, embellishment, patterns, and finishing touches. Taking a moment to capture these smaller details can add variety to your images and help tell a richer visual story.

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A vertical panoramic is a great way to capture both the display and the ceiling or architecture above it in one image. This often creates a more interesting and unexpected composition than a standard straight-on photo. Because the phone moves during capture, it is helpful to take several versions and move slowly and steadily to help reduce blur and improve the final result.

Vertical Panoramic Abstracts

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Tips for Taking Great Museum or Exhibit Photos with Your Smartphone

🪞 Watch for glare and reflections. If you’re photographing through glass, try pressing your phone gently right up against the glass when possible to help reduce reflections and flare.

🧼 Clean your lens before you go. Museum spotlights and display lighting can really exaggerate smudges, haze, and glare, so a quick lens wipe can make a huge difference.

⏰ Go early or stay late. Arriving when the museum first opens — or visiting just before closing — can help you avoid crowds and make it much easier to capture cleaner, more beautiful images.

📱 Think beyond the straight-on shot. Standard images can be beautiful, but don’t be afraid to try a vertical or horizontal panoramic to capture not just the display, but also the ceiling, architecture, or surrounding mood of the space.

🎨 Take close-ups too. A detail shot can often reveal the craftsmanship, texture, and artistry in a way a wider image simply cannot — especially with fashion, jewelry, decorative arts, or historic artifacts.

💡 Be patient and look for the moment. Sometimes waiting just a few seconds for people to move, a projection to change color, or the background to simplify can make the image much stronger.

🏛️ Capture the experience, not just the object. In museums and exhibitions, the display itself is often part of the art — so notice the architecture, lighting, reflections, and design details that help tell the full story.

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