A Complete Grad Photo Guide For UTD Grads
Congratulations, Comet! Graduating from The University of Texas at Dallas is a massive achievement, and your graduation portraits should do justice to the campus you called home. UTD has more photogenic corners than most people realize - from sleek modern architecture to hidden green spaces that look straight out of a magazine.
As a proud UTD alum and DFW's go-to graduation photographer (yes, I went here and yes I was even the Temoc mascot and a UTD cheerleader), I know every inch of this campus. Here are my top 10 favorite locations for graduation portraits at UTD, ranked by how consistently they deliver stunning photos.
#1 The Fountains
The reflection pools and fountains at the heart of campus are the most iconic UTD backdrop - period. The symmetry, the water, and the way the surrounding buildings frame the shot give you that polished, editorial look that prints beautifully and stops the scroll on Instagram. This is always our first stop on a UTD session, and we almost always come back to it at golden hour before we wrap.
Best time: Golden hour (last hour before sunset) for the warmest, most cinematic light on the water.
#2 The Magnolia Trees
Most UTD students walk past the magnolia trees every day without registering how beautiful they are for portraits. When they're in bloom, the large white flowers create an almost dreamlike backdrop. Even when they're not blooming, the deep green leaves and sweeping branches provide natural framing that's warm, lush, and completely different from the modern architecture elsewhere on campus.
Best time: Spring sessions catch the blooms. Morning light filters through the canopy perfectly year-round.
#3 Fondren Library
The Plinth is UTD's central outdoor gathering space — open, airy, and surrounded by the campus skyline. It's ideal for full-body portraits where you want to show off your regalia and capture the scale of the campus around you. The wide-open space also means we can use the sky as a dramatic backdrop, especially on days with interesting cloud cover.
Best time: Late afternoon when the sun is lower and the harsh midday shadows are gone.
#4 The Student Union Stairs
The broad exterior staircase of the Student Union is one of the most versatile spots on campus. Wide enough for group shots with friends, structured enough for formal solo portraits, and recognizable enough that every UTD student knows exactly where you are. The steps create natural depth and layering in a frame — whether you're sitting, standing, or mid-stride coming down — and the surrounding architecture keeps the backdrop clean and collegiate.
Best time: Morning light hits the Student Union facade from a great angle. Late afternoon works equally well for warmer tones.
#5 The Roundabout
This is the shot. The grass hill at the roundabout is one of those spots that looks almost too good — you climb up, turn around, and suddenly you've got the magnolia trees and reflection pool stretching out behind you like a painting. The elevation gives a natural sense of scale and openness that's hard to replicate anywhere else on campus. It's relaxed, it's fun, and it consistently produces some of the most joyful, candid-feeling portraits from any UTD session.
Best time: Golden hour, when the warm light hits the magnolias and pools behind you and wraps everything in a soft glow.
#6 UTD Billboard (On the ATC Building)
Bold, graphic, unmistakably UTD. The large UTD signage on the ATEC and BAHT building exterior makes for one of the most instantly recognizable campus shots you can get — especially for current students and alumni who know exactly what they're looking at. It's a great contrast shot: you in cap and gown against the sharp, modern university branding. Clean, proud, and completely unique to UTD.
Best time: Overcast days work especially well here — even light, no harsh shadows, and the sign pops cleanly.
#7 Love Jack
UTD's iconic Love Jack sculpture is one of those campus landmarks that people either walk past every day without thinking about — or immediately put on their must-shoot list the moment they see it in someone else's photos. The bold, graphic design photographs with a pop-art energy that's completely unique on campus, and it gives your gallery a UTD-specific moment that's instantly recognizable to anyone who went here. It's a natural conversation starter and one of the most shareable shots in any session.
Best time: Overcast days keep the colors vivid and even. Golden hour adds warmth without washing out the sculpture's details.
#8 Johnson Building Stairs
The stairs of the Edith O'Donnell Arts and Technology Building (commonly called the Johnson Building) offer wide, sweeping stone steps with architectural detail that photographs with a timeless, classic feel — think Ivy League energy, but in Richardson, Texas. These are great for both solo portraits and group shots with friends, and the elevated position gives a nice elevated perspective of the surrounding campus.
Best time: Late afternoon when the building's west-facing facade catches warm directional light.
#9 Chess Plaza
UTD's Chess Plaza is one of the most distinctive spots on campus — and the one that always gets the most questions when people see photos from it. The large outdoor chess set is fun, personality-filled, and a genuine conversation starter. It's particularly popular for candid, relaxed shots between more formal portrait setups, and it gives every gallery a little moment of joy that stands out. If you love chess, or just want a shot that shows off your UTD pride with a smile, this is it.
Best time: Any time — it photographs well throughout the day. Overcast light keeps the colors even.
#10 Mustangs Statue
Saving the best cap-and-gown crowd-pleaser for last: the large UTD letter installations on campus. These are the photo that every family member wants to see, and for good reason — they're bold, they're proud, and they unambiguously say you graduated from UTD. We always work this into sessions, and it's consistently one of the most-liked shots in every gallery.
Best time: Golden hour for warm, glowing light on the letters. Or early morning before foot traffic picks up.
Ready to Book Your UTD Graduation Photos?
I've been photographing UTD graduates for years, and as a Comet myself, I put extra care into every session on this campus. I know where the light hits best at every hour of the day, which spots get crowded and which stay quiet, and how to make sure you walk away with a gallery that captures exactly how hard you worked to get here.
Sessions start at $299 for a 1-hour session with 100–200 fully edited portraits delivered in your private digital gallery within 4–7 business days. All packages can be split with up to 5 friends (great for splitting the price).
→ Book Your UTD Grad Session Here
Questions? Email me at [email protected].
Eric Aaberg is a Dallas-based professional photographer specializing in college graduation portraits across the DFW metroplex through Eric Aaberg Photography. He is a UTD alum, former Temoc mascot, and has photographed hundreds of graduates from UTD, UNT, SMU, UTA, TWU, and more.
