diff --git a/src/shared/assets/icons/CloseIcon.tsx b/src/shared/assets/icons/CloseIcon.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..722f9e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/assets/icons/CloseIcon.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+type Props = {
+  /**
+   * CSS classes on the svg element
+   */
+  className?: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Close / X icon (Lucide).
+ */
+export function CloseIcon({ className }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <svg
+      xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+      width="24"
+      height="24"
+      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+      fill="none"
+      stroke="currentColor"
+      strokeWidth="2"
+      strokeLinecap="round"
+      strokeLinejoin="round"
+      aria-hidden={true}
+      className={className}
+    >
+      <path d="M18 6 6 18" />
+      <path d="m6 6 12 12" />
+    </svg>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/assets/icons/MagnifyIcon.tsx b/src/shared/assets/icons/MagnifyIcon.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6197cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/assets/icons/MagnifyIcon.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+type Props = {
+  /**
+   * CSS classes on the svg element
+   */
+  className?: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Magnify / search icon (Lucide).
+ */
+export function MagnifyIcon({ className }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <svg
+      xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
+      width="24"
+      height="24"
+      viewBox="0 0 24 24"
+      fill="none"
+      stroke="currentColor"
+      strokeWidth="2"
+      strokeLinecap="round"
+      strokeLinejoin="round"
+      aria-hidden={true}
+      className={className}
+    >
+      <path d="m21 21-4.34-4.34" />
+      <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="8" />
+    </svg>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/shared/assets/icons/index.ts b/src/shared/assets/icons/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21698bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/assets/icons/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export { CloseIcon } from './CloseIcon';
+export { MagnifyIcon } from './MagnifyIcon';
diff --git a/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.stories.tsx b/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8da395c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/nextjs-vite';
+import { ImageLightbox } from './ImageLightbox';
+
+const meta: Meta<typeof ImageLightbox> = {
+  title: 'Shared/ImageLightbox',
+  component: ImageLightbox,
+};
+
+export default meta;
+
+type Story = StoryObj<typeof ImageLightbox>;
+
+export const Default: Story = {
+  args: {
+    src: 'https://picsum.photos/800/450',
+    alt: 'Sample project image',
+  },
+  decorators: [
+    (Story) => (
+      <div className="p-8 max-w-2xl">
+        <Story />
+      </div>
+    ),
+  ],
+};
diff --git a/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.tsx b/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.tsx
index ba4bff9..bc92aff 100644
--- a/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.tsx
+++ b/src/shared/ui/ImageLightbox/ui/ImageLightbox.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 
 import Image from 'next/image';
 import { useRef } from 'react';
+import { CloseIcon, MagnifyIcon } from '$shared/assets/icons';
 import { cn } from '$shared/lib';
+import { Button } from '$shared/ui/Button';
 
 type Props = {
   /**
@@ -33,6 +35,11 @@ export function ImageLightbox({ src, alt, className }: Props) {
     dialogRef.current?.close();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Closes the dialog when the user clicks the backdrop area directly.
+   * Comparing target to currentTarget distinguishes a click on the <dialog>
+   * element itself (the backdrop) from a click on its content children.
+   */
   function handleBackdropClick(e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDialogElement>) {
     if (e.target === e.currentTarget) {
       close();
@@ -59,6 +66,10 @@ export function ImageLightbox({ src, alt, className }: Props) {
         className={cn('relative block w-full aspect-video overflow-hidden cursor-zoom-in', className)}
       >
         <Image src={src} alt={alt} fill className="object-cover" />
+        {/* Magnify hint — pointer-events-none so clicks pass through to the button */}
+        <span aria-hidden={true} className="absolute bottom-2 right-2 bg-cream text-blue p-1 pointer-events-none">
+          <MagnifyIcon />
+        </span>
       </button>
 
       <dialog
@@ -66,20 +77,15 @@ export function ImageLightbox({ src, alt, className }: Props) {
         aria-label={alt}
         onClick={handleBackdropClick}
         onKeyUp={handleBackdropKeyUp}
-        className="lightbox bg-blue brutal-border shadow-brutal-xl p-0 max-w-5xl w-full"
+        className="lightbox relative bg-blue brutal-border shadow-brutal-xl p-0 max-w-5xl w-full"
       >
         <div className="relative aspect-video w-full">
           {/* aria-hidden: the dialog element itself carries the accessible label */}
           <Image src={src} alt={alt} fill className="object-contain" aria-hidden={true} />
         </div>
-        <button
-          type="button"
-          onClick={close}
-          aria-label="Close image"
-          className="absolute top-3 right-3 bg-blue text-cream brutal-border px-3 py-1 text-sm font-bold"
-        >
-          Close
-        </button>
+        <Button variant="ghost" size="sm" onClick={close} aria-label="Close image" className="absolute top-3 right-3">
+          <CloseIcon />
+        </Button>
       </dialog>
     </>
   );