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Graduation day is fast approaching with its blur of hugs, happy tears and mortarboard tosses—which means the photos have to do the heavy lifting of preserving it all. Whether you’re the graduate, the proud parent or the friend drafted as the unofficial photographer, a little preparation goes a long way toward capturing images you’ll want to commemorate 2026 Commencement.

For advice, Syracuse University Today turned to renowned portrait photographer, , Distinguished Professor of Photography in the . Heisler has , shooting more than 70 cover portraits for Time alone and having his photographs and visual essays appear in Life, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times Magazine and ESPN among others.

With graduation season in full swing, Heisler, whose portrait subjects have ranged from presidents to rock stars to Olympic athletes, shares 10 tips for making the most of the moment—including the best place on campus to take a picture.

1. Use Your Phone

There’s no need for fancy equipment to capture a great picture.

“Honestly, these days we can truly take terrific portraits with our phone, plus it’s the camera we always have on hand and are most familiar with!” he says.

2. Use ‘Portrait’ Mode If You Can

Heisler recommends opting for the portrait setting on your phone’s camera if you can, which will allow you to blur the background to your taste after you take the picture.

“You can always just use the regular “PHOTO” setting if you want a really wide view (use the “0.5” lens setting) or a closeup (set it to “2x” or “5x”),” he says.

3. Change the ‘Lens’ Setting

If you’re able to adjust for portraits, Heisler says it’s worth changing the setting on your phone’s camera’s “lens” to 2x from the typical default of 1x, which tends to give more of a wide-angle. The zoomed-in setting will be worth it, he says.

“The portraits will look more natural and flattering,” he says.

4. For Group Shots, Have a Line of Sight

If you’re taking a group shot, make sure no one is obscured by someone standing in front of them.

“Tell the group, ‘If you can see me, I can see you,’” Heisler says.

5. Get a Laugh and Take a Lot of Pictures

To avoid that pained, posed group shot, Heisler recommends telling everyone you’re going to take the picture on the count of “three.”

“Then shoot on ‘TWO!’ Or even ‘ONE!’” he says. “They’ll all laugh, then quickly shoot another while they’re laughing. In fact, shoot a bunch. Digital photos are free!”

6. Avoid Shooting From Eye Level

Heisler says the most common mistake people make is to take their pictures from eye level.

Instead, he recommends “crouching slightly,” which you’ll often see professional photographers doing.

“The reason is that the busiest, most distracting part of the background is right at the horizon line—people, cars, signs, trees,” he says. “And the horizon always lines up with where you are and moves with you. If you move up, it moves up; if you go lower, it goes lower in the frame. If you shoot from eye level, the horizon is right at your subject’s eye level, so the most distracting part of the background is right behind their head.”

Crouching just a little, drops the horizon to the shoulder height or lower of your subject, so their head is now above it, freed from the visual distractions.

7. Shoot in Aperture Priority Mode

For those using a DSLR or mirrorless camera—where you can swap out the lens as opposed to a point-and-shoot or phone camera where the lens is fixed and built in—to capture the day, Heisler says it’s best to shoot your pictures in aperture priority mode (A or Av).

“This means that you choose the aperture (or ƒ/stop), so you decide how much is in focus, and the camera takes care of the rest,” he says.

8. The ‘Iconic View’ on Campus: The Hall of Languages

Heisler recommends opting for the “iconic view” of the Syracuse campus for your pictures: looking up at the Hall of Languages, which was the first building constructed on campus, dedicated in 1873.

The photographer says there are many “excellent vantage points” for your photos starting from the bottom of the hill at Waverly Avenue, where you can also capture the “Syracuse University” sign spelled out.

“Virtually anywhere up from there will work well, all the way up to the steps of the building, even off to one side or the other to see the trees,” Heisler says. “Your subjects can stand, you can arrange them on the steps or they can find a quiet spot to sit off to one side in the grass.”

Another good thing of taking pictures at the Hall of Languages: it faces north, so your subject will too. The sun stays behind them, and no one has to squint.

Editor’s note: The Remembrance Wall, which is on the slope in front of the Hall of Languages, is an active memorial and people should not sit or stand on top of it for photos.

9. The Light Will Get Better As the Day Goes On

“The light just gets prettier later in the day toward sunset as the sun moves lower in the sky and to the west,” Heisler says.

That would be to the photographer’s right, looking uphill.

And if rain or clouds are in the forecast, Heisler says to bring a waterproof camera.

Though, he adds, most phones are pretty water-resistant.

If it’s really raining, he recommends leaning into the weather by bringing an umbrella to use as a prop. You’ll be able to shoot wherever you want and also give your subject something to play around with, while providing some shelter from the storm.

“This may sound strange, but placing your person a foot or two inside an open doorway looking out at you could be the way to go for a single portrait,” Heisler says. “While you’ll be out in the rain (with your now-available umbrella), your model will be bathed in beautiful light. This can be equally useful on a clear day; skillful fashion photographers employ it as their go-to solution to escape harsh midday sun.”

Using the “portrait” setting on the phone with that posing will once again do wonders to take the distracting background and save the focus for family and friends.

“If you have a fancy camera, try a zoom setting longer than 100mm for a flattering perspective, and leave your aperture wide open for shallowest focus – on most lenses ƒ/2 to ƒ/4 will blur the background beautifully,” Heisler says.

10. Have Fun

Heisler’s final piece of advice is to have fun while you’re taking pictures of the day.

“Shoot fast to catch great expressions while people are fresh,” he says.