Cap and gown portraits at Arizona State: where to take them and when to lock in your session

ASU graduation dates in Tempe and when to have your session

Dates come from ASU's ceremony schedule (opens in a new tab) and its future dates page (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026. ASU notes they can change.

Graduating this December with no session yet? A late-November session can make it in time with 48-hour rush delivery ($100); usual delivery is 2 weeks from your photo selection.

Old Main, Palm Walk and Gammage: campus spots for your ASU graduation photos

These are the spots graduates ask for most, with what to know about each.

Old Main, the historic 1898 building

Old Main was dedicated on February 4, 1898, before Arizona became a state, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985 (Old Main, ASU (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). Its front is the classic backdrop for a cap and gown photo.

ASU announced giant "2026" letters in front of Old Main starting November 9, 2026, plus photo days with its official photographer at the same spot on November 14 and 15 (ASU, photos and gifts (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). Expect crowds those days.

Palm Walk, the palm-lined path

Palm Walk is a long walkway lined with Mexican fan palms, running from the Student Recreation Complex north almost to University Drive; the first palms went in in 1916 (ASU News (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). The rows of palms frame a full-length shot on their own. On weekdays during class hours, lots of students walk through.

ASU Gammage, the Frank Lloyd Wright theater

ASU Gammage is the campus performing arts venue, one of Frank Lloyd Wright's final designs, built in 1964 (ASU Tours (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). Its round shape is instantly recognizable. It also hosts graduation celebrations, so expect people around it during ceremony season.

The "A" on Hayden Butte, better as a backdrop

The 60-foot "A" sits in Hayden Butte Preserve, a City of Tempe park, not an ASU one. It has Hohokam petroglyphs and is sacred to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community; the city asks visitors to stay on the trail and not mark anything (City of Tempe (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). That page says nothing about photo sessions; if you want to hike up, ask the city first. The simpler option is to use it as a backdrop from below.

What ASU says about photo sessions on campus

ASU requires advance approval for filming on any of its campuses, and people with no ASU affiliation apply at least 15 business days ahead (ASU, commercial filming and photography (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). The same page allows recording for personal, noncommercial use without permission, except in some locations or at some events.

That page doesn't say whether a graduation portrait session with a hired photographer needs the application. We couldn't confirm it, so before your session, ask ASU through that same page and keep their answer in writing. If ASU asks for an application or a fee, we'll talk it through before you book.

As with any session, entrance, permit and parking costs are the family's. ASU has daily and hourly parking on campus (ASU Parking and Transportation (opens in a new tab), checked November 7, 2026). The session is separate from the ceremony: it doesn't include photos inside the arena or the stadium.

When to book your ASU graduation session

Work backward from your ceremony date:

1. Write down your ceremony date from the table above.
2. If you're mailing printed announcements, leave time to print and send them. Deluxe Graduation Photos includes 25.
3. Count the turnaround: usually 2 weeks from your photo selection, or 48 hours with the $100 rush option.
4. Count the permit time, if ASU requires one: 15 business days before the session.
5. Hold your date with $150, and pay the balance 48 hours before the session.

For May, that usually means booking in February and having the session in March or April.

Time of day and weather for photos on campus

The most flattering light for cap and gown photos is the last hour before sunset. In December the sun sets early, so the session starts mid-afternoon; by April and May the heat is real, and early morning or late afternoon works better. Our guide to the right time for a photo session in Arizona has start times month by month. Bring water and comfortable shoes; rescheduling for weather is free.