Graduation…it’s the day you have been waiting for for 12 years! Your son or daughter has worked hard and it’s time to celebrate! And of course, you want to take photos of the big day! So how can you make sure you get the best possible photos even though you may not be a professional photographer? Here are tips on taking better photos on graduation day.
Checklist:
Lighting
Find the light! Now you don’t have to know the ins and outs of lighting to find good light. You just need to look for even light or open shade. The best light is natural light and can be found next to a window or outside. If you go outside, look for what is known as open shade, which is a spot just out of direct sunlight. Look at your son or daughter’s face when you place them in the spot and check to make sure the light on their face is even and they are not squinting. Bad lighting can ruin a photo.
Capture All the Little Details
Make sure to capture your senior all dressed up before they put on their cap and gown so you get variety in your photos.
Tell the Story
Tell a story with the photos! Take a variety of shots with different angles to tell the story of this special day. Things such as close-ups of the cap and tassel, your senior’s hands around the diploma, smiling at the camera shots, etc. Capture candid shots throughout the entire day such as getting ready, putting on the gown, walking across the stage, etc. If you want to put these in an album it will tell a story of the entire day.
The Entourage
To continue telling the story, you need pictures of the support system that also helped make this day happen. Don’t be shy to celebrate YOU! Be sure to get in the photo with your senior. You helped get your son or daughter to this point so you should be celebrated too! Take photos of your grad with his or her friends and the people close to them. But most importantly, don’t forget to take formal photos of your grad by themselves! After all, it is their day.
Be Mindful of Your Surroundings
Try to find a spot with fewer people! This one may be difficult as graduation ceremonies are crowded, but try to find a spot with a blank background such as the building. Steer clear of the spot with the big crowd of people. If you can’t find a secluded spot, zoom in! Make sure to get some tight shots that will cut out some of the people or distractions in the background.
The Ceremony
For the ceremony photos, if you are not sitting super close (which most won’t be) don’t bother using the flash! Your senior will be too far away. It might be better to leave those to the professional who is probably close to the stage.
Don’t forget to have your child toss their hat! That always makes a great photo and captures the feeling of the day perfectly.
Professional Cap & Gown Photos
LaToya Jyadon Photography now has a Cap & Gown Mini Session. I did this because I realized that some families may not necessarily want a full session but still may want professional cap and gown images for the memories. I am here to serve you in this area.
Do you want to skip the full senior session and jump straight to a cap and gown mini-session so you’ll still have memories of this special time in your life? You can contact me here to receive more information or check out The Senior Experience page for more details.
Congratulations on a job well done!
