Trang's Doctoral Graduation Session at Sather Gate and Doe Library

Trang showed up to her session with her doctoral regalia, a white dress, block heels — and a Bernese Mountain Dog. That last detail set the tone for the whole morning.

We met at Sather Gate on an overcast day, which honestly couldn't have been better. That soft, even Bay Area cloud cover acts like a giant diffuser over the whole campus — no harsh shadows, no squinting, just clean light that lets the deep navy of a doctoral gown really breathe. The gold chevrons on Trang's sleeves and the teal-and-gold hood read beautifully from every angle we tried. If you're weighing morning versus midday for a Berkeley session, my guide to UC Berkeley grad photos gets into exactly why overcast mornings tend to win.

Sather Gate is the anchor of any session here. The patinated green ironwork arches over the brick plaza in a way that frames exactly one person perfectly — and Trang in her regalia is a lot to frame. We did the classic over-the-shoulder look, a cap-raised walking shot, and a few where she just stood in the center of the arch and let the whole thing settle around her. Each one felt a little different. The gate's color, that aged verdigris, picks up a surprising amount of warmth next to the navy gown and pulls the whole palette together.

From there we moved to Doe Library. The stone balustrade out front, the tall Corinthian columns, the bronze doors — it's a backdrop that does a lot of heavy lifting. Trang perched on the railing with her cap raised and just lit up. We also worked the steps near the Mining and Metallurgy doors, which have a slightly warmer, more intimate feel than the wide open plaza. The bronze bears with Sather Tower framed perfectly between them: that's the shot a lot of people come specifically for, and for good reason. The tower anchors the background with real presence without competing.

The Bernese Mountain Dog made his appearance mid-session near Doe Library. He sat on the stone bench, tongue out, completely composed — the kind of dog who has clearly been in many photos before and knows what he's doing. Trang crouched beside him, still in full regalia, and that ended up being one of the most joyful frames of the day. Her family came through for a few group shots too, all of them easy and relaxed under the gate and in front of the library. No stiffness, just people who were genuinely happy to be there.

If you're planning your own session at these spots, the best campus spots for grad photos page has notes on timing and flow that are worth a read before you book. Sather Gate and the Doe Library steps are both a short walk from each other, which means you can cover a lot of ground — different backdrops, different moods — without losing an hour to logistics.

Trang earned every frame from this morning. It was a good one.