Top 6 Spots to Consider for UCR Graduation Photos
FEBRUARY 6TH, 2025
Introduction
While there are many beautiful spots to take photos at on UCR’s campus, there are six in particular that I would recommend considering for your graduation photo session.
Not only are these spots popular, but there is so much great architecture, creative opportunity, and ways you can plan for classic photos you’ll end up appreciating from each one.
With that being said, here’s my pitch as to why you should consider these six spots for your graduation photo session at UCR.
1. The Bell Tower
One of UCR’s most well-known landmarks is the Bell Tower. For the best photos with it, I recommend standing in the grass field in front of Rivera Library. This spot lets you have some nice green trees and the full height of the tower shown in your background.
Since the sky is easy to see at a wide angle here, I highly recommend using this spot for cap tosses and champagne pops. Typical poses I suggest to my grads here include standing, sitting on the grass, walking towards me, and jumping (if you’re up for it). And since the grass field is so large, it’s easy for multiple photoshoots to be happening simultaneously without getting in other people’s photos.
2. Tomás Rivera Library Arches
With the two lines of arches outside the library, this spot creates an aesthetically pleasing background for grad photos. It’s great for solo, partner, and group photos. Ideally, I would position you in a spot so we wouldn’t see any people in the background, but since this is a popular spot and students are constantly walking through, it’ll likely require some patience for a clear background.
3. UCR Sign
The UCR sign can be a great spot for photos at both a front view and a side view. During golden hour, there tends to be a long line directly in front of the sign so that students can take photos standing right in front of the sign or on the individual letters.
While these can make for solid photos, I’ve found that taking photos at a side angle where the handrails are have also made for solid backgrounds with the full UCR sign in view. The best part about this angle is that it usually doesn’t have a line of people waiting and you can probably position yourself in a way where someone standing right in front of the sign can be hidden from your background.
The rosebushes to the right of the sign are also an aesthetically pleasing and colorful foreground for photos.
4. Scotty the Bear
Scotty the Bear is UCR’s mascot and has a bench that makes for an easy spot with taking photos. The bench can comfortably seat 1-3 people, but if you want photos with a larger group, having some people stand behind the bench can work too.
Grads with multiple stoles or sashes can lay them out on the bench to display. Since there’s only one bench, only one photo session can be happening at a time here, so you may need to wait your turn if there’s a line.
5. HUB Ledge
Perhaps the most underrated spot for grad photos is the HUB (Highlander Union Building) ledge. If you walk up the stairs to the 2nd level of the HUB, you’ll see a ledge with a nice wide angle view of the UCR sign, Bell Tower, and main center of campus.
Staff have recently added a sign in Spring 2024 saying that you’re not allowed to sit on the ledge. This warning is meant to keep students from being reckless and accidentally falling off the ledge.
At the same time though, I’ve had a number of grads choose to sit on the edge of the ledge closer to the stairs and be just fine. If you choose to do this, just know that you’re taking a risk and be really careful not to sit too far out on the ledge! If you would prefer not to sit on the ledge, standing or leaning with your arms back can make for solid poses as well.
6. UCR School of Business (Anderson Hall)
The last spot I wanted to mention is UCR School of Business (Anderson Hall). Since this spot is an 8-minute walk from the Bell Tower and main part of campus, it’s good to keep in mind that the travel time can take time away from other photo spots you might want, so thoughtfully planning out which spots you’d want in advance would be helpful.
For posing, I find that the steps look good to sit or stand on. If you do request to take photos at this spot, I usually save it towards the end of our session so the sun is lowest and not shining too brightly in your face.
Conclusion
If you’ve read up to this point, hopefully you can see the value of considering each of these spots for your UCR graduation photo session.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you where you feel like you’d want photos most at on campus, but since grad sessions have limited time, I encourage you to be intentional with planning yours out and communicating your wants clearly with your photographer.
And if you’re still looking for a grad photographer in 2025, feel free to view my grad packages through clicking on the button below.
I hope this was helpful and I’m looking forward to meeting some of you in person, collaborating with you to plan some fun sessions, and having the honor and joy of capturing this awesome milestone in your life!