ASU GRADUATION PHOTOS AT TEMPE CAMPUS: WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE (AND HOW TO GET GREAT PHOTOS ANYWAY)

If you’re planning ASU graduation photos at the Tempe campus, here’s the honest version of what to expect, where to go, and how to actually get great photos when everyone else has the same idea that weekend.

I just shot a graduation session there for Karim, his parents, and his fiancée. Walking onto the main mall the first time, I counted around 20 photographers working at once. Five separate sessions going at Palm Walk. A 30 to 45 minute line at the 2026 sign. Another long line at the steps of Old Main. It’s a zoo. And the photos still came out exactly how the family wanted them.

This post covers where to shoot, what order to do it in, what to wear, where to park, and how to plan a graduation session that doesn’t feel like you spent the whole evening waiting in line.

THE FOUR SPOTS EVERY ASU GRADUATION SESSION COVERS

If you’ve seen ASU graduation photos before, you’ve seen these four locations. They’re the ones that read instantly as “ASU.” Every grad wants them.

Old Main. The 1894 building at the heart of the original campus. The oldest building at ASU and the most recognizable one. The steps in front are the classic cap-toss spot.

The 2026 sign. The class year installation sits directly in front of the fountain, directly in front of Old Main. Temporary, only up during graduation season. Every grad wants a photo with their year.

Palm Walk. The long walkway lined with date palms running through campus. Photographs beautifully in late afternoon and at sunset. Long enough that you can usually find a stretch that isn’t crowded.

The ASU sign. Out near the main entrance. Classic milestone shot. Works especially well at golden hour or just after sunset with flash.

These four spots are within about a ten minute walk of each other. You can hit all of them in a session if you plan the order right.

THE ORDER MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

Here’s the route I’d recommend for a 90 minute session, especially during peak weekend graduation traffic in May.

The trick is to never wait in a line as a full group. Send a family member or friend to hold spots in different lines while we shoot somewhere else. If you have two or three people coming with you, this works perfectly. Even with one person along, you can stagger things so we’re never standing around.

6:00 PM: Arrive and park. Walk to the main mall area.

6:00 to 6:30: Send one person to wait in the 2026 sign line. Send another to wait in the Old Main line. The grad and I head to Palm Walk to get solo shots and a few with whoever else came along. By the time we’re done, the lines have moved up.

6:30 to 6:45: Meet the first person at the front of the 2026 sign line. Rotate everyone through the shot. Grad with family. Grad with partner. Solo grad with the sign. We move fast because there’s a line behind us.

6:45 to 6:55: A few photos around the fountain in front of Old Main. Less crowded than the line itself, and we get the building in the background without waiting.

6:55 to 7:10: Meet whoever held the Old Main line at the front of it. Cap toss on the steps. Group photos on the steps. Grad solo at the top.

7:10 to 7:25: Walk over to the ASU sign. The sun is going down by now, so I switch to flash. Solo grad shots, group shots, partner shots.

7:25 to 7:30: Back to Palm Walk for the last few photos in the dusk light. Flash on. Wrap up.

That’s a real timeline from a real session.

Sun was just going down at 7:00, so flash came out for the ASU sign and the second pass at Palm Walk. Everything before that was natural light.

“ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE GOING TO BE IN MY PHOTOS?”

This is the question every grad asks when they see the crowds. It was the first thing Karim asked when he walked up that evening.

The answer is no. Not if your photographer knows what they’re doing.

The way I shoot in crowded spots, the people in the background either aren’t in the frame or are blurred out so completely that you can’t tell who they are. It’s a combination of angles, distance from the subject, and how the lens compresses the background. The photos look like you had the spot to yourself even when you didn’t.

If you’re hiring a photographer for ASU graduation, this is worth asking about directly. Anyone who’s shot graduations before will know exactly what you mean. If they don’t have a clear answer, that’s a flag.

WHAT TO WEAR

The cap and gown is doing most of the work. What you wear underneath matters less than people think, but a few things help.

Avoid heavy patterns or very busy prints under the gown. The gown is already a big block of color. Patterns compete with that.

Solid colors photograph cleanly under the gown. A simple shirt or dress in a neutral or solid tone works well.

Comfortable shoes. You’re going to be moving between locations for at least an hour. Heels on brick walkways and grass aren’t fun.

Heads up on the grass. ASU runs the sprinklers on the main mall grass during the evening hours, which is exactly when most graduation sessions happen. The grass is often soft and sometimes muddy.

We can work around it by staying off the lawn, but anyone in heels or nice shoes should know going in that walking on the grass isn’t a good idea.

Bring an outfit change if you want non-gown photos. Some grads want a portion of their session without the cap and gown for a more personal feel. That’s easy to work in if you bring something to change into. There aren’t great changing facilities on the mall, so plan accordingly. A car nearby works.

Family or friends in coordinated tones, not matching outfits. Soft neutrals, earth tones, denim. Anything but white shirts and khakis, which photographs as a uniform.

WHERE TO PARK

If you drive past the main section where Old Main is, just past the walkway that crosses the street near the ASU sign, there’s a parking lot on the right hand side. You pay through a QR code at the lot, digital payment from your phone. It’s the closest option to the main shooting locations.

Plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before your session start time. You’ll need to park, walk to the mall, and get oriented before the shoot begins.

WHAT TO BRING

Cap, gown, tassel, and any honor cords or stoles

Diploma cover if you have one

A change of clothes if you want non-gown photos

Water, especially in May when it’s already warm

Comfortable walking shoes

At least one family member or friend willing to hold a spot in line

That last one matters more than the rest. A graduation session moves much faster with a designated line-holder. Two is even better.

WHAT THIS SESSION INCLUDES

A 90 minute ASU graduation session at the Tempe campus runs $450.

That covers about 90 minutes of shooting time, all the locations above if we plan the route, professional editing, and a private online gallery with 50+ high resolution edited images delivered within three weeks.

If you want extra time built in, additional half hours can be added at $100 each.

A NOTE ABOUT KARIM’S SESSION

Karim was great to work with. Respectful, kind, brought a whole group who clearly cared about him. His parents and his fiancée were there. The session worked because everyone was willing to split up, hold lines, and trust the process.

Most of these sessions are like that. Graduation isn’t just the grad’s moment. It’s a milestone for the people who got you here too. The folks who come with you want to be in some of the photos and they also want you to have your solo moments. A good session plans for both.

Whether you’re booking this for yourself or your son or daughter is booking it, that’s worth knowing going in. You’re not just hiring someone to take pictures. You’re hiring someone to help mark this transition before everything changes.

BOOKING AN ASU GRADUATION SESSION

If you’re finishing up at ASU this spring or planning ahead for fall or next May, I’d be glad to talk through a session.

Sessions book up fast in the two weeks before and after commencement weekends. The earlier you reach out, the more flexibility there is on time of day and weekend slots.