Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 

I remember those long hours in the library while in my undergraduate and graduate school years in college. You've worked hard, are still finishing exams and papers and final classes and it is time to celebrate YOU! I love doing graduation sessions with KU students and wanted to share with you some of my favorite locations. I salute your hard work ethic in completing your degree! We want your graduation session to be memorable and most certainly ALL YOU! Here's some examples of some favorite and iconic locations on KU's Lawrence campus. Variety is the spice of life, so we want you to pick your favorite spots, even spots that we haven't yet photographed! The sky's the limit! 

In April and May 2026 we are offering KU students a heavily discounted session. We do this to celebrate you and to say thank you for being great neighbors--I live down in the Oread Neighborhood and love being around students and watching them grow up and launch their careers. Each session I'm offering now is $250 for a 60 minute session with 10-12 edited images. Add on extra edits or time for $100 for every extra 30 minutes and 12 more edits! 

How to prep for your session: First, you want to buy your regalia and check it for any manufacturing defects (sometimes they come with seams not quite perfect, we want you to inspect your garment to make sure everything is PERFECT!) Then you'll want to steam you garment, try hanging it near your shower while you take the world's longest and hottest shower! Next, decide if you want to buy any props for your session. Finally, decide if you want to bring anyone to your session: other friends, other graduates, your pet, your parents, your family and even your gf or bf. You'll want to pick a good outfit for under the gown, as we will be taking photos of it on and off. And we'll even throw in a free professional headshot, so you have the perfect photo for the job market and your LinkedIn profiles. 

Here's some iconic favorite locations on KU's Lawrence Campus: 

Kansas Union

Jayhawk Statues in front of the Kansas Union: Pick your favorite Jayhawk or enjoy photos with each of them! 

Kansas Union

Jayhawk Statues in front of the Kansas Union: Pick your favorite Jayhawk or enjoy photos with each of them! 

Kansas Union

Jayhawk Statues in front of the Kansas Union: Pick your favorite Jayhawk or enjoy photos with each of them! 

Kansas Union

Jayhawk Statues in front of the Kansas Union: Pick your favorite Jayhawk or enjoy photos with each of them! 

Kansas Union (Secret Spot)

This is one of our favorite secret spots on campus inside the union! 

Strong Hall

Strong Hall
Strong Hall

Strong Hall

Campanile

Campanile

Campanile

Campanile

Campanile

Fountain

Fountain

Jayhawk Blvd. 

Jayhawk Blvd. 

Jayhawk Blvd. 

Allen Fieldhouse

Allen Fieldhouse

Allen Fieldhouse

Here's some beautiful locations on KU's Lawrence Campus: 

Lippincott Hall

Most known for the building on Jayhawk Blvd with the two men statue in front! This building has beautiful columns we love to shoot classic portraits on! 

Lippincott Hall

Most known for the building on Jayhawk Blvd with the two men statue in front! This building has beautiful columns we love to shoot classic portraits on! 

Marvin Hall

Marvin is home of the KU School of Architecture and the building has a natural beauty with the tall staircase leading up to the mauve doors. 

Marvin Hall

Marvin is home of the KU School of Architecture and the building has a natural beauty with the tall staircase leading up to the mauve doors. 

Marvin Hall

Marvin is home of the KU School of Architecture and the building has a natural beauty with the tall staircase leading up to the mauve doors. 

Gray-Little Hall

Gray-Little is one of the newer buildings on campus and home to KU Department of Chemistry. We love shooting students in their labs. There's also another Jayhawk out front! 

Gray-Little Hall

Gray-Little is one of the newer buildings on campus and home to KU Department of Chemistry. We love shooting students in their labs. There's also another Jayhawk out front! 

Gray-Little Hall

Gray-Little is one of the newer buildings on campus and home to KU Department of Chemistry. We love shooting students in their labs. There's also another Jayhawk out front! 

Gray-Little Hall

Gray-Little is one of the newer buildings on campus and home to KU Department of Chemistry. We love shooting students in their labs. There's also another Jayhawk out front! 

Dyche Hall

Dyche Hall is next to the Kansas Union and a gorgeous piece of architecture at KU. 

Dyche Hall

Dyche Hall is next to the Kansas Union and a gorgeous piece of architecture at KU. 

Wescoe Hall

Modern design lovers will love this building. Some have called it an eyesore, but there's something about all those lines and flow of geometry that make it absolutely perfect as a photo backdrop.

Wescoe Hall

Modern design lovers will love this building. Some have called it an eyesore, but there's something about all those lines and flow of geometry that make it absolutely perfect as a photo backdrop.

Wescoe Hall

Modern design lovers will love this building. Some have called it an eyesore, but there's something about all those lines and flow of geometry that make it absolutely perfect as a photo backdrop.

Watson Library
Watson Library is another piece of gorgeous architecture at KU with some secret spots hidden around it that we'd love to show you! 

Chabad Center for Jewish Life Library
The Chabad Center opened on 19th Street in November 2025! It has a gorgeous mural outside painted by internationally-acclaimed muralist Solomon Souza. He hand painted this mural over the hottest months of summer using spraypaint cans! I was fortunate to see some behind the scenes of boxes of paint as he painted. At the entrance to the new center stands a towering menorah, capable of glowing in 15 different colors, to brighten the darkest nights.
Chabad Center for Jewish Life Library
The Chabad Center opened on 19th Street in November 2025! It has a gorgeous mural outside painted by internationally-acclaimed muralist Solomon Souza. He hand painted this mural over the hottest months of summer using spraypaint cans! I was fortunate to see some behind the scenes of boxes of paint as he painted. At the entrance to the new center stands a towering menorah, capable of glowing in 15 different colors, to brighten the darkest nights.

Chabad Center for Jewish Life Library
The Chabad Center opened on 19th Street in November 2025! It has a gorgeous mural outside painted by internationally-acclaimed muralist Solomon Souza. He hand painted this mural over the hottest months of summer using spraypaint cans! I was fortunate to see some behind the scenes of boxes of paint as he painted. At the entrance to the new center stands a towering menorah, capable of glowing in 15 different colors, to brighten the darkest nights.

Oread Hotel Roof
The Oread Hotel towers over KU's Campus offering a beautiful view of the campus from an eagle eye's view. 
Oread Hotel Roof
The Oread Hotel towers over KU's Campus offering a beautiful view of the campus from an eagle eye's view. 
Oread Hotel Roof
The Oread Hotel towers over KU's Campus offering a beautiful view of the campus from an eagle eye's view. 
Oread Hotel Roof
The Oread Hotel towers over KU's Campus offering a beautiful view of the campus from an eagle eye's view. 
Oread Hotel Roof
The Oread Hotel towers over KU's Campus offering a beautiful view of the campus from an eagle eye's view. 

Potter's Lake
Potter's Lake was recent rehabilitated and is a gorgeous natural spot to take photos on campus. 

Potter's Lake
Potter's Lake was recent rehabilitated and is a gorgeous natural spot to take photos on campus. 

Here's some beautiful locations in Lawrence near KU: 
 

Massachusetts Street
Mass Street is always a great location for lifestyle photography. 

HERE Mural
The HERE apartments mural is a classic postcard style mural for fun photos. 

(Photo coming! I have to remember which client I shot there!)

Naismith Mural
Naismith was repainted a few years back with a great Lawrence mural. 

(Photo coming! I have to remember which client I shot there!)
 

South Park
South Park is another iconic Downtown Lawrence location. 

East Lawrence Train Depot

I've always loved this cute Lawrence sign. 

Oh Snap!'s Favorite Photo Locations in Kansas City

When doing shoots in Kansas City we have so many different locations to choose from. I wanted to make a handy visual reference to help future clients pick their favorite spots. Here's a few of my favorites. I am always excited to photograph in a new location, so don't hesitate to bring up your favorite neighborhood, dive bar, or coffee shop as a backdrop for your photo session.

Classic / Timeline Locations

Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts: the architecture at this iconic KC location is perfect for formal portraits, the more dressed up your outfits, the better. I really love using it for couple's portraits and wedding party portraits on the wedding day. This would be a great spot for an extended family portrait session, especially if everyone is dressed up. 

Liberty Memorial: I love to photograph Liberty Memorial at sunset and into dusk. It's also the best place to catch a full sunset in the sky. It's also an easy go-to spot to capture the Kansas City skyline in photos. One downside to this location is that there are always a lot of people around and it requires a 5-10 minute walk from where you can park to where we will want to shoot. Liberty is a great place for wedding day photos as well as for engagement portraits. 

Nelson-Atkins Museum: the exterior of the Nelson-Atkins is a great place to do photography. It does require that I register the day of to photograph there. So we need to account for an extra 15-20 minutes to get that approval, unless we go on a Sunday when they are closed! This is a great location for wedding day portraits as well as for engagement portraits. The iconic shuttlecocks are also a great feature to use, as well as the gardens and the architecture.

Union Station: to shoot inside Union Station requires a photo permit of $25 for groups less than 10 and $75 for groups larger than 10 people. But this is a great spot for indoor portraits, so I keep it in mind for rain days. It is rather dark inside, so I will need to bring in a bunch of lighting for larger groups. Here's a few samples:

The Plaza: The Plaza area is always full of people, but the tiles and fountain are a great spot for engagement portraits! 

 
 

 
The Scout: The Scout is unique location because it gives us a great view of the city's skyline from further away. It can feel a little sketchy at night, as it's a hot spot for night drinking.

Urban Locations 
 

Crossroads District: The Crossroads District provides a great view of the Kansas City that so many of us love. From street art to interesting architecture and just an overall more urban look, I love to use the Crossroads District for anything from wedding party portraits to senior portraits to artist and musician promo shots. 

The West Bottoms: I have loved shooting in the West Bottoms since the early 2000's when the neighborhood was mostly empty. Now it's a bustling hot spot for photographers; it's a great place for bright color doors, bridges, and urban architecture as backdrop. It's my favorite spot for senior portraits, family portraits, and artist/musician promo shots. 

Other neighborhoods I'd like to shoot more in: Power & Light District, Westport, any neighborhood YOU love.

Parks

Loose Park: Loose Park is a classic KC location for portraits. From the gardens, to the terraces, and fountain and pond with bridges, the whole thing is a great photo location. Great for weddings and engagement and family portraits. 

Out of the Box Locations

The Colonnade: This is a favorite location of mine because of the architecture and because it is so rarely used by other photographers. It's great for the mix of nature and classic architecture. 

This is nearby at the Kansas City Museum:

Town Topic: I am in love with their retro sign. I think it's just the best as a casual shout out to KC! 

Murals

Kansas City has the best murals and they are everywhere! 

The Kansas Side

Prairie Fire Museum: This location is beautiful because of the gorgeous rainbow tiles of the building. Great for headshots and wedding party portraits.

Ernie Miller Nature Park: This is a great raw natural location for beautiful portraits. My favorite spot for JOCO area family portraits. 

Hello dear readers,

I've missed you! I'm super excited to announce that I'm fully vaccinated and back in business! This week is my first week back to a full-time shooting and administrative schedule. I'm enjoying the week with graduation portraits on Monday, professional headshots on Tuesday, wedding consultation on Wednesday, a day off on Thursday, maternity portraits on Friday morning in Topeka, engagement portraits in Lawrence Friday evening, a wedding in Lee's Summit, MO on Saturday, and family portraits in South Park on Sunday. It's so great to be doing what I love again. Please get in touch to plan your future event or portrait session! 

Here's some personal photos from the last year, while I took time off to stay safe in my covid pod. I can't wait to start sharing some of my professional photos with you again. Stay tuned! 

xoxo,

-ailecia