Graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only celebrate what you have achieved but also to meet your friends and classmates for what might be the very last time. It seems only appropriate that you lock in those memories with a graduation photoshoot at beautiful locations and enchanting sceneries.
You don’t graduate high school or college every day. So it is important that you know what to do before, during, and after a photo shoot to make sure the memories that you make, print out, and post on social media turn out to be the best versions ever. Here are some tips:
-
The motivation for getting professional graduation pictures
Graduation is when you and your classmates will all look your best, all smiles, happy yet nostalgic, and excited for the future. These feelings are best captured by a professional lens since usual selfies will not do them justice. Photos can be a good way of preserving memories, and you can even use them on your CVs, resumes, or LinkedIn.
-
Choose friendly weather and time for the best photos
When hiring a photographer, make sure to schedule photoshoot with your photographer months before the actual event, to be sure your photographer can get you on their calendar. Keep in mind, that weather could be a factor, so you and your photographer should keep an eye on the weather a week before the photo shoot so that if the time or location need to be changed, there is ample time to do so.
-
Find a suitable location to bring your photos to life
Location is everything when it comes to bringing pictures to life. Your photographer should have some great ideas for a location. You may also have a favorite location in mind, from on-campus sites, parks, buildings, an outdoorsy setting, a café, to a bar. As long as it fits your graduation aesthetics and tells a story, it should be the prime location for your shoot.
-
Pick out your attire for the big day
Yes, the graduation gown covers one outfit, but why not have a couple of other outfits as well? Make sure that the outfit you wear under your gown complements the hues in your graduation cap and gown. Then, dress according to your style, be it casual, formal, or comfy, or you can even match your dress with your bestie, for a more fun concept. You may want to have an outfit that looks more professional so that you can use some of the photos for your professional photo for resumes, Linkedin, and your website.
-
Bring your closest friends and family to the shoot
You never graduate alone, so it’s a great idea to bring your closest friends and family to the shoot, and get some pictures with them, since they helped you achieve your degree as well. An idea of who to invite would be your closest family, parents, siblings, best friends, or any teachers who you admire and look up to.
-
Research the best graduation photo poses
We all know the dilemma of what poses to make while getting photos taken. Start researching on Instagram reels and posts, for picture poses you can do and practice for your big photoshoot day. Just remember to be calm and confident in your poses, and all will go well!
Grad Season Photoshoots
The best memories are made when you know what to do before, during, and after a photo shoot. Keep these tips in mind:
- Motivation: Identify the reason behind getting graduation pictures – to make long-lasting memories.
- Choose appropriate time of day: Your photographer will tell you the best time of day for your photo shoot.
- Find an appropriate location: Graduation pictures need to be memorable, so choose a destination that can channel that feeling.
- What to wear: The graduation gown may hide 50% of the clothes, but they still need to be a color and style matching well to the theme. Have a couple of additional outfits to wear as well.
- Who to bring: Only invite your closest friends and family for the photoshoot, to make it more notable.
- How to pose: A professional photographer will know the best poses to create to make you look your best .
Look no further if you’re looking for professional photographers you can hire for your graduation shoot. Jan Pelton Photography has a stunning portfolio that speaks for itself. Let us handle your next shoot so you can sit back and relax!
