15 Great Places to Take Graduation Photos on Columbia's Campuses

The blooms are blooming, the sun is shining, and graduation season is upon us. Time to strike a pose in your Columbia Blue regalia!

Every year, we love to see the creativity and verve that goes into your grad poses—from selfies to family pics, to group snaps, and everything in between.

We know everyone wants to grab an iconic photo in their cap and gown with Alma Mater, but construction for graduation starts earlier than you think. This year, the date for the construction load-in is April 13 (even earlier than usual!).

Please take your photos with Alma now, or you’ll need to wait until after the graduation week festivities end to get an unobstructed shot.

HOWEVER, Columbia has some of the most beautiful campuses in the country, and Columbia News has you covered with tons of inspiration for other iconic spots on and around Columbia's campuses to grab your grad photos. 

Check out spots below and share your graduation photos for a chance to be featured on Columbia platforms in the coming months!

1. Butler Library

Pay homage to the study rooms that got you through midterms and finals with a snapshot inside or in front of Butler Library. From group shots to solo-contemplative moments, Butler Library is the backdrop you need for some truly iconic grad shots (we couldn’t choose just one to showcase!).

2. Low Plaza (or The Sundial)

O.K., well, we know Low Plaza (or even the sundial!) in between Butler Library and Low Library isn't exactly an alternative for grad pictures, but we couldn't help ourselves—we love a good grad-cap throw there. Make sure you grab your photo before the space fills up!

3. Scholars' Lion

Roar, Lion, Roar, as our fight song goes!

4. Revson Plaza

Whether you pose with one of the many sculptures on Revson Plaza, or opt for the angle of the bustling city streets below, we can't recommend this spot enough.

5. College Walk

Hats off to you, graduates! You've got to time it right—as we know, there's always a flurry of activity on College Walk—but this photo location hints at the Columbia graduate's future: all roads lead to success.

6. The Curl

The perfect location for a powerful pose, if we do say so ourselves. 

7. Le Marteleur

For the engineering-minded, a photo with Constantin Meunier’s Le Marteleur, just might be the trick. 

8. Van Am Quad

Check out how the tiling on the ceiling of the rotunda beautifully complements the graduate's regalia. 

9. The Square on Manhattanville Campus

The edges and angles of Manhattanville campus are the perfect reason to bring a little pizzazz to your graduation poses. 

10. The Manhattanville Viaduct

The Manhattanville/Riverside Drive Viaduct has been an Uptown spectacle since 1900, and you can utilize the engineering marvel’s for a grad photo or two (just be mindful of traffic!). 

11. Barnard Greek Games 

Photo locations abound on Barnard's campus, but we admire the spirit of Barnard Greek Games statue and the torch it beckons us to carry forward.

12. Teachers College

Teachers College, pictured from the stairwell to the right of Schapiro on Columbia’s Morningside Heights campus, lends a fantastical flair to your graduation photo shoot.

13. Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons Entrance

You can't go wrong with a pose at the historic entrance of Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, located at 630 W. 168 St.

14. Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center

The George Washington Bridge is an ever-present fixture for our students at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus. Head to the Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center, 104 Haven Ave., and you can grab a photo with it. 

15. 116th Street–Columbia University Subway Station

Columbia University in the City of New York—and what could be more New York than a grad photo shoot under the 116th-Columbia University station subway tiles? Take this as your sign to catch the train all over town and grab your photos at your favorite spots across the Big Apple.