an infinity mirrored rooms developed by Yayoi Kusama in Washington, DC

A photographer makes use of an “infinity room” during an exhibit of Yayoi Kusama’s work at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.

Photograph by Kohei Ueda, National Geographic Your Shot

5 tips for taking better photos in a museum

One photo editor shares his advice alongside some favorite photos from museums around the world.

ByMatt Adams
May 23, 2017
5 min read

Lines of Instagram-crazed art lovers circled the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden this spring for the hottest ticket in Washington D.C. Toting cameras and phones, the record-breaking 160,000 visitors arrived for the mesmerizing polka dot paintings and trippy installation rooms of the much-hyped “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” exhibition.

National Geographic’s Your Shot photo community took a photo walk before the museum opened to the crowds. For those who missed the event, take a look at these five tips to bring your museum photos to a whole new level, no matter where you go.

people passing by the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris, France
the spiral stairs in the Vatican Museum, Vatican City
a young girl looking through binoculars in a museum
a museum goer at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in Bangkok, Thailand
a couple sitting under a sky light in Teshima Art Museum in Tonosho, Japan
The Louvre, France
Photograph by charly lataste, National Geographic Your Shot

Bring a lens (maybe two)

All set for a photo adventure through a local museum? Before grabbing every camera and lens that you own, think about how much of that gear you actually want to carry. Try packing only one lens, maybe two, including something small like a 35mm or 24-70mm. No need for that bulky 300mm on this trip. Be sure to check for any photography restrictions; most museums have a no flash policy when photographing artwork. You don’t want to be asked to leave because you wanted to brighten up the art with a potentially damaging camera flash.

Look for the people

tourists looking at a painting in a museum
two nuns at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York
a person experiencing the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden
people walking past a stuffed bear in National History Museum, London
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Photograph by JULIUS Y., National Geographic Your Shot

Watch how visitors are interacting with or viewing the art. Anyone can photograph a famous painting on a wall, but look for more interesting compositions. By focusing on the people in the scene, the image takes on a life of its own. You never know what interesting or humorous results you may get.

Check the architecture

Sometimes museum buildings can be interesting works of art in their own right. Before stepping inside, study the design of the building. Find an interesting perspective and try to capture the personality of the structure. This might involve getting low on the ground or photographing from across the street. Try to work the entire location until you make an photograph you are happy with.

the Central Hall at Natural History Museum, London
three cyclists passing near the science museum in Valencia, Spain
the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain
people looking the 911 museum in New York City, New York
a visitor in the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Natural History Museum, London
Photograph by Raymond Choo, National Geographic Your Shot

Watch the light

Art exhibitions always have that perfect setting with some beautiful light. Whether large windows let natural light flow through or overhead lighting casts a sharper scene, pay attention. Watch how the light falls onto the artwork, then compose some nice exposures.

a museum guard sitting near a window in Jodhpur, India
the clock in Musee d'Orsay, Paris
a cross on the wall of The Kolumba, an art museum in Cologne, Germany
the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York
a person at a museum
Mandore Museum, Jodhpur, India
Photograph by David Taggart, National Geographic Your Shot

Don’t photograph the art

Sure, everyone goes to museums for inspiration. But try to think creatively—don’t just photograph the paintings or sculptures. Find something interesting going on in the room and add it to the frame. Anyone can google an image of the Mona Lisa. Instead, create something that is all your own.

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