Uchicago grad portraits are some of my favorite photos to take each season. The university’s beautiful campus is a perfect backdrop for portraits!
UChicago Grad Photos
One of the questions you may be asking is when is the best time to take UChicago grad photos? The answer is a little complex. As an undergrad, about the earliest you can take photos is in April, because the website to purchase grad regalia is live starting in early spring. Here are the benefits to each season:
Best Months to Take University of Chicago Senior Photos
April: no lines for popular locations, beautiful magnolias and sometimes redbud pink flowering trees on campus. Can often be quite cold.
May: flowers; there is a gap in flowers on campus from about the first to third weeks in May. 50:50 chance of cold weather. This is a popular time of year for grad photos and you can expect to wait in line at popular spots.
June: White flowering trees on campus (chinese lilacs) the first week of June, but the weather is pretty variable. Campus is filled with tents, chairs, and many people for the week leading up to graduation. You can expect to wait your turn to take photos at the most popular locations on campus – Bond Chapel, Hull Gate, and Botany Pond.
Summer: fully a third of my grad clients each year choose to take their grad photos after graduation in order to be less stressed, beat the lines, and have warmer, more consistent weather. If you have the flexibility in your schedule, definitely consider this option for a calmer photoshoot.
Want more information? Check out my blog on the best time to take grad photos.
Best Locations for University of Chicago Graduation Photos
Here’s a map with some of my favorite photo locations on the UChicago campus!
Bond Chapel
The number one most popular location on campus, Bond Chapel photos show off the classic architecture and ivy that the University of Chicago’s campus is known for. Often, especially in late May and early June, it is helpful to have a friend come with us to help wait in line while we photograph in nearby areas.
Rockefeller Chapel
With the scaffolding finally gone, Rockefeller Chapel is another popular spot on campus. The light can be challenging here, so your best angles may be from the east or west rather than the very front of the building.
The Quadrangle
With purple allium flowers in May, the UChicago Quad is a beautiful location that shows off the classic UChicago architecture and ivy while providing great light. Watch out, though, because if your photoshoot is at the beginning of June you will run into tents and chairs all over this space.
Hull Gate
A beautiful wrought iron gate that holds special meaning to the UChicago undergrads – it’s the gate you enter as a freshman and leave as a graduate. This is one of the more popular locations on campus for champagne pops – see my guide for how to pop a champagne bottle for your grad photos here!
Cobb Gate
Just north of Hull Gate and south of the Mansueto library is Cobb Gate. It has less of an airy feel than Hull Gate, but provides that classic look for your University of Chicago grad portraits (and has grotesques up at the top)!
Botany Pond
Closed for many years for renovation, Botany Pond is open and ready to be a backdrop for your UChicago grad portraits. This is one location that works really well for morning sessions.
Harper Library
Want to include your favorite library or study hang-out on campus? Let’s do it! Just outside of Harper Library is a popular location choice for UChicago grad photos for the history aspect (and because it just looks cool)!
Locations that make sense for your major
This client was a Chem major and wanted to include her organic chemistry models in front of Levi Hall.
As an econ major, this client wanted to include Saieh Hall in his UChicago grad portraits.
Another client was a Physics PhD and wanted to include the MCP and Nuclear Energy sculpture at Pile A near the Mansueto Library.
University of Chicago Graduation Photographer
As your University of Chicago graduation photographer, I’m here to help design the perfect photoshoot for you. We’ll design a session that highlights your favorite times on campus so you have a beautiful reminder through photos of this stage of your life at the University of Chicago. 🙂 The more customization the better. I welcome clients to incorporate their majors, favorite locations, and friends in their photoshoots.
Client Thoughts
“Kristen was wonderful! She really took the time to get to know me and what I wanted out of my senior photos. The shoot was so much fun and I couldn’t be happier with the results!”
“Working with Kristen was seamless from start to finish. Her organization is unparalleled. We were so prepared for our session due to Kristen’s clear written communication and Zoom meeting prior to our scheduled date. Kristen’s energy on the day of the shoot was extremely positive and encouraging. She listened to our style and creative ideas and had many professional suggestions of her own. We were on a bit of a time crunch to receive the proofs in order to get graduation announcements sent out. Kristen delivered incredibly polished photos in record time. It was a blessing to have worked with Kristen. I highly recommend Kristen to anyone who is interested in having their loved ones professionally photographed. We will treasure our photographs for years to come.”
Kristen Hazelton is a multi award-winning Chicago, IL and San Francisco Bay Area high school senior, university graduate, and family photographer. She also photographs in San Diego, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Monterey, CA, and Seattle, WA. She is a firm believer in human rights and welcomes LGBTQ+ and nonbinary clients. You can inquire about your own photoshoot here!
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