TOP SPOTS TO TAKE A PHOTO ON YOUR CAMPUS TOUR
Visiting Valpo sometime soon? Do you (or your parents!) want to snap photos to show your friends and family which colleges you’ve been touring? Want to post pictures on your feed with cool backgrounds that make you look good? I got you covered!
Here are the top photo op spots on Valpo’s campus from a Digital Media Arts and Communications double major who loves an aesthetic photoshoot.
- The Balcony of the Christopher Center Library: The balcony of the library is one of my favorite study spots during the school year, but one of my favorite spots to get some Instagrammable photos too! Enjoy a gorgeous view of the Chapel and a birds-eye perspective of campus! The balcony is always open as long as the sun is up and the weather permits! Be sure to check out our comfy orange chairs on your way in or out of the library too. They were designed by the same architect who designed the Saint Louis Arch!
Location: Fourth floor of the Christopher Center Library (can be reached via the stairway or elevator.)
- The Center for the Sciences (CFS) Glass Installation: The CFS is an excellent place to stop by if you’re interested in STEM majors such as Bio, Chem, etc…but also if you’re looking for a fantastic backdrop for your photos. I went to the second floor to capture the glass art behind me. But, don’t forget to check out the second-floor view while you’re snapping photos! Looking out the windows of CFS provides a stunning view of campus that’s nearly panoramic. It’s a must see.
Location: Off of the East Quad, across from the Valparaiso University Center for the Arts (VUCA)
- The Student Bridge: Not only is it perfect for picture-taking, but it’s an iconic part of Valpo’s history! Legend has it, that when the bridge was still located over nearby train tracks, students would lock lips with their partner at midnight as the train passed underneath. After the train had passed, if the only thing that wasn’t covered in soot was their lips, they were meant to be! You can see the names and initials of students carved into its metal over the years. You won’t want to miss the Student Bridge!
Location: Behind the Duesenberg Welcome Center
- The Chapel of the Resurrection: The Chapel’s stained glass is gorgeous so it’s no surprise you can take excellent photos with it behind you. I went to the second floor to take this photo. You can either reach the second floor via a side staircase on either side of the building near the front of the Chapel towards the altar, or via a spiral staircase off of the lobby. Oh, did I mention it’s the largest collegiate chapel in the United States and the second largest in the world? Yeah, it’s pretty cool to say the least.
Location: Across from the Harre Union (you can’t miss it!)
- The Resurrection Labyrinth: The Resurrection Labyrinth is the best spot to get a photo of the exterior of the Chapel behind you. The Labyrinth is a spot where contemplation and reflection can take place as well. If you’d like to do so while you walk through the labyrinth, here is a link to a brochure explaining more information about the history and its meaning as part of campus: https://www.valpo.edu/chapel/files/2016/11/labyrinth_brochure.pdf
A Word of Advice for Prospective Students: If you’re anything like I was when I was a high school student visiting colleges, I would get camera shy or even embarrassed sometimes when my mom would tell me to pose for a picture on my college visits. As a current college student looking back on everything, I’m so happy that I did. I have photos of me visiting campus as a junior and senior in high school that I was able to show at my grad party, and that are still in my camera roll now. Do I get nostalgic looking back on them, seeing myself so excited to begin college, anticipating all of the cool things I’ll get to do and awesome things I’ll get to be a part of? Yes. Yes, I do.
Enjoy this throwback photo of myself on a Valpo visit all the way back from 2019.
WRITTEN BY
MAIAH DEOGRACIAS
