Top 5 Spots for FSU Graduation Photos
So, the big day you’ve been waiting for is just around the corner. One more final exam, one more thesis essay, and you get to walk across the bright stage inside the Tallahassee Civic Center to get awarded your college degree finally. Congratulations, you’re almost done! Florida State University has one of the most beautiful campuses in the Southeast and has a plethora of popular photography locations in addition to hidden gems. I’ve had the opportunity to take some beautiful photographs in some of the most well-known and under-appreciated graduation photography spots at FSU. In this blog, I’ll be breaking down my top 5 places that I think you should take your college grad photos at FSU; regardless of your major.
The Westcott Fountain
Let's just get this spot out of the way. You can’t have a list of the best places to take cap and gown photos at Florida State without mentioning the gold standard of grad locations. The Westcott Fountain is situated at the top of West College Avenue right down the road from The Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and in front of the Ruby Diamond Auditorium. This fountain is surrounded by several wonderful grad photo ops besides the fountain itself! The beautiful brick entryway from College Avenue, the lush tropical greenery of the surrounding pathways, and of course the massive FSU plaque! All these combine to make the Westcott Fountain a prime location for graduation photography.
But unfortunately, its popularity is its biggest downfall. This lovely location brings with it droves of other soon-to-be college graduates to have their images made in the exact same spot. This results in long lines with wait times upwards of 1-2 hours just to get a prime spot on top of the FSU plaque. Not to mention the huge groups of grads and their parents, siblings, and photographers cluttering the background once you actually get your spot! Don’t get me wrong, I love the photos I make for clients in this location. But, knowing how busy it can get in the 1-2 weeks leading up to graduation weekend, I will often urge my clients to consider the other locations on this list. If they insist on having photos made at the Westcott Fountain or Ruby Diamond Auditorium, then the best bet to avoid massive crowds is to get photos taken the weekend after graduation or at least 3 weeks prior. This will be your best bet to get your beautiful images without the headache of photoshopping out tons of random individuals/distractions from the background!
2. Heritage Tower
If you’re even a little familiar with the graduation photos I’ve taken for other FSU clients, you know I love Heritage Tower. This low-key fountain is situated on the east side of Doak Campbell Stadium between the College of Motion Picture Arts and the FSU Flying High Circus. This makes it not only a prime location to have the iconic football stadium in the backdrop of all your photos with the added sparkle from the cascading water. This spot is especially beautiful during golden hour as the sun is setting! The golden light passes through the falling fountain water and creates a shroud of shimmery, warm light that is hard to match anywhere else on Florida State’s campus.
3. Dodd Hall/Heritage Museum
Dodd Hall is a beautiful, classy, and very low-key graduation photography location for students who want to capture some of the historic aspects of FSU’s campus in their grad images. Within Dodd Hall is the famous Heritage Museum. This Museum/study hall hosts a plethora of old photographs and memorabilia that chronicle the rich history of Florida’s oldest university. The stained glass also creates stunning light that is hard to match anywhere else on campus. Major drawbacks to this location, however, include it is open for odd hours during each semester. So if you plan to have your photos taken in this building be sure to check their hours of operation beforehand!
4. Owen F. Sellers Music Amphitheater
This open-air venue may not be at the top of a student’s mind if they weren’t a performer, but I’ve always enjoyed the look and appeal of the Owen F. Sellers Amphitheater. The leading lines and tucked away aspects of this spot mean your cap and gown photos will be both visually appealing and unique from your fellow grads. Due to it being tucked away from most major traffic areas of FSU’s campus means this spot is also generally free of major grad photo crowds. Meaning you’ll get this quaint and charming photo spot all to yourself during msot times of the day. No need to get up super early in the morning to claim your photo-op!
5. Langford Green/Unconquered Statue
Of course, similar to the Westcott Fountain, a list of the best places to have your grad photos taken wouldn’t be complete without Langford Green. Langford green is prime for getting all the classic cap and gown images you and your family could ever want, all while being wide and open to break up the groups of sorority/fraternity students having their images taken as well. Langford Green gives you easy access to the legendary Osceola Unconquered statue, gorgeous views of Doak Campbell Stadium, and a small brick courtyard overlooked by an arching Florida State University sign. The benefits of this general location comes from its wide open spaces. The flocks of graduating students are less of a problem when it comes to photoshopping them out of the background or simply avoiding them all together; even if you visit during peak hours 1-2 weeks before graduation weekend. If you want to avoid crowds but include some of the memorable FSU spaces in your grad images then Langford Green will always be my go-to recommendation.
This is a short list, but I’m always on the lookout for hidden gems of FSU’s campus. Sometimes the best photo ops are those in front of your dormitory hall or college building. While these are some suggestions, your college graduation photos are for you and you alone. Choose your locations that mean the most to you! If you or your child are looking for a college graduation photographer in the Tallahassee area reach out to me through my contact page for a price list and book your time slot!
