diff --git a/client/src/components/Journey/PhotoLightbox.tsx b/client/src/components/Journey/PhotoLightbox.tsx
index 0bb5225d..e3096ee1 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Journey/PhotoLightbox.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Journey/PhotoLightbox.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from 'react'
-import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, X, Camera, Aperture } from 'lucide-react'
-import apiClient from '../../api/client'
+import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, X } from 'lucide-react'
 
 interface LightboxPhoto {
   id: string
@@ -11,16 +10,6 @@ interface LightboxPhoto {
   owner_id?: number | null
 }
 
-interface ExifData {
-  camera?: string
-  lens?: string
-  focalLength?: string
-  aperture?: string
-  shutter?: string
-  iso?: number
-  fileName?: string
-}
-
 interface Props {
   photos: LightboxPhoto[]
   startIndex?: number
@@ -29,8 +18,6 @@ interface Props {
 
 export default function PhotoLightbox({ photos, startIndex = 0, onClose }: Props) {
   const [idx, setIdx] = useState(startIndex)
-  const [exif, setExif] = useState<ExifData | null>(null)
-  const [exifLoading, setExifLoading] = useState(false)
   const touchStart = useRef<{ x: number; y: number } | null>(null)
 
   const photo = photos[idx]
@@ -50,32 +37,6 @@ export default function PhotoLightbox({ photos, startIndex = 0, onClose }: Props
     return () => window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKey)
   }, [prev, next, onClose])
 
-  // Fetch EXIF data for Immich photos
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setExif(null)
-    if (!photo || photo.provider !== 'immich' || !photo.asset_id || !photo.owner_id) return
-    let cancelled = false
-    setExifLoading(true)
-    apiClient.get(`/integrations/memories/immich/assets/0/${photo.asset_id}/${photo.owner_id}/info`)
-      .then(r => {
-        if (!cancelled && r.data) {
-          const d = r.data
-          const parts: Partial<ExifData> = {}
-          if (d.camera && d.camera.trim() && d.camera !== 'undefined undefined') parts.camera = d.camera
-          if (d.lens) parts.lens = d.lens
-          if (d.focalLength) parts.focalLength = d.focalLength
-          if (d.aperture) parts.aperture = d.aperture
-          if (d.shutter) parts.shutter = d.shutter
-          if (d.iso) parts.iso = d.iso
-          if (d.fileName) parts.fileName = d.fileName
-          if (Object.keys(parts).length > 0) setExif(parts)
-        }
-      })
-      .catch(() => {})
-      .finally(() => { if (!cancelled) setExifLoading(false) })
-    return () => { cancelled = true }
-  }, [photo])
-
   const onTouchStart = (e: React.TouchEvent) => {
     const t = e.touches[0]
     touchStart.current = { x: t.clientX, y: t.clientY }
@@ -112,99 +73,77 @@ export default function PhotoLightbox({ photos, startIndex = 0, onClose }: Props
       onTouchStart={onTouchStart}
       onTouchEnd={onTouchEnd}
     >
-      {/* Top bar */}
-      <div style={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', padding: '12px 16px', flexShrink: 0 }}>
-        <span style={{ color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.5)', fontSize: 13 }}>
-          {idx + 1} / {photos.length}
-        </span>
-        <button onClick={onClose} style={{
-          background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.1)', border: 'none', borderRadius: '50%',
-          width: 36, height: 36, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
-          color: '#fff', cursor: 'pointer',
-        }}>
-          <X size={18} />
-        </button>
-      </div>
+      {/* Photo area — centered with nav overlays */}
+      <div
+        className="group/lightbox"
+        style={{ flex: 1, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', position: 'relative', overflow: 'hidden' }}
+      >
+        {/* Top bar */}
+        <div style={{ position: 'absolute', top: 0, left: 0, right: 0, zIndex: 10, display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between', alignItems: 'center', padding: '16px 20px' }}>
+          <span style={{ color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.5)', fontSize: 13, fontWeight: 500 }}>
+            {idx + 1} / {photos.length}
+          </span>
+          <button onClick={onClose} style={{
+            background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.1)', border: 'none', borderRadius: '50%',
+            width: 36, height: 36, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+            color: '#fff', cursor: 'pointer',
+          }}>
+            <X size={18} />
+          </button>
+        </div>
 
-      {/* Photo */}
-      <div style={{ flex: 1, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', position: 'relative', overflow: 'hidden' }}>
+        {/* Prev button — visible on hover (desktop), always visible (mobile) */}
         {hasPrev && (
-          <button onClick={prev} className="hidden sm:flex" style={{
-            position: 'absolute', left: 12, zIndex: 2,
-            width: 40, height: 40, borderRadius: '50%',
-            background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.1)', border: 'none',
-            display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+          <button onClick={prev} className="flex sm:opacity-0 sm:group-hover/lightbox:opacity-100 transition-opacity" style={{
+            position: 'absolute', left: 16, zIndex: 5,
+            width: 44, height: 44, borderRadius: '50%',
+            background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.4)', backdropFilter: 'blur(8px)',
+            border: '1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.1)',
+            alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
             color: '#fff', cursor: 'pointer',
           }}>
-            <ChevronLeft size={20} />
+            <ChevronLeft size={22} />
           </button>
         )}
 
-        <div style={{ position: 'relative', display: 'inline-flex' }}>
-          <img
-            key={photo.id}
-            src={photo.src}
-            alt={photo.caption || ''}
-            style={{
-              maxWidth: '90vw', maxHeight: 'calc(100vh - 140px)',
-              objectFit: 'contain', borderRadius: 4,
-              animation: 'fadeIn 0.15s ease',
-            }}
-          />
-
-          {/* EXIF metadata overlay */}
-          {exif && !exifLoading && (
-            <div style={{
-              position: 'absolute', bottom: 12, right: 12,
-              background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.45)', backdropFilter: 'blur(16px)',
-              borderRadius: 12, padding: '10px 14px',
-              color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.85)', fontSize: 11,
-              display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 4,
-              maxWidth: 220, border: '1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08)',
-            }}>
-              {exif.camera && (
-                <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 6 }}>
-                  <Camera size={11} style={{ opacity: 0.6, flexShrink: 0 }} />
-                  <span style={{ fontWeight: 500 }}>{exif.camera}</span>
-                </div>
-              )}
-              {exif.lens && (
-                <div style={{ fontSize: 10, color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.55)', paddingLeft: 17 }}>{exif.lens}</div>
-              )}
-              {(exif.focalLength || exif.aperture || exif.shutter || exif.iso) && (
-                <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 6, marginTop: 2 }}>
-                  <Aperture size={11} style={{ opacity: 0.6, flexShrink: 0 }} />
-                  <span style={{ fontWeight: 400, letterSpacing: '0.02em' }}>
-                    {[exif.focalLength, exif.aperture, exif.shutter, exif.iso ? `ISO ${exif.iso}` : ''].filter(Boolean).join(' · ')}
-                  </span>
-                </div>
-              )}
-            </div>
-          )}
-        </div>
+        {/* Photo */}
+        <img
+          key={photo.id}
+          src={photo.src}
+          alt={photo.caption || ''}
+          style={{
+            maxWidth: '92vw', maxHeight: '92vh',
+            objectFit: 'contain', borderRadius: 4,
+            animation: 'fadeIn 0.15s ease',
+          }}
+        />
 
+        {/* Next button */}
         {hasNext && (
-          <button onClick={next} className="hidden sm:flex" style={{
-            position: 'absolute', right: 12, zIndex: 2,
-            width: 40, height: 40, borderRadius: '50%',
-            background: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.1)', border: 'none',
-            display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+          <button onClick={next} className="flex sm:opacity-0 sm:group-hover/lightbox:opacity-100 transition-opacity" style={{
+            position: 'absolute', right: 16, zIndex: 5,
+            width: 44, height: 44, borderRadius: '50%',
+            background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.4)', backdropFilter: 'blur(8px)',
+            border: '1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.1)',
+            alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
             color: '#fff', cursor: 'pointer',
           }}>
-            <ChevronRight size={20} />
+            <ChevronRight size={22} />
           </button>
         )}
+
+        {/* Caption — bottom center overlay */}
+        {photo.caption && (
+          <div style={{ position: 'absolute', bottom: 20, left: '50%', transform: 'translateX(-50%)', zIndex: 5, maxWidth: '70%', textAlign: 'center' }}>
+            <p style={{
+              fontSize: 14, fontStyle: 'italic',
+              color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.75)', margin: 0, lineHeight: 1.5,
+              background: 'rgba(0,0,0,0.3)', backdropFilter: 'blur(8px)',
+              padding: '6px 14px', borderRadius: 10,
+            }}>{photo.caption}</p>
+          </div>
+        )}
       </div>
-
-      {/* Caption */}
-      {photo.caption && (
-        <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', padding: '12px 24px 20px', flexShrink: 0 }}>
-          <p style={{
-            fontFamily: 'var(--font-system)', fontSize: 14, fontStyle: 'italic',
-            color: 'rgba(255,255,255,0.7)', margin: 0, lineHeight: 1.5,
-          }}>{photo.caption}</p>
-        </div>
-      )}
     </div>
   )
 }