Ideas for What to Include in your Graduation Photo Sessions
When it comes to booking and planning grad photography sessions, what starts off seeming extremely simple can quickly become overwhelming. Coordinating dates, deciding locations, selecting outfits, and ultimately, deciding what to feature in your session… it all adds up.
So, as a result, I seek to simplify your planning experience! Consider this a comprehensive brainstorm of what items, subject matter, people, etc. to include in your graduation photo session. These aren’t just items I’m pulling out of the depths of my cranium; these are things I have seen, photographed, and recommend implementing. Feel free to draw inspiration from them, utilize them to help shape your vision for your grad photos, and then make them your own!
Grad Regalia
Albeit basic, nothing says “grad photos” quite like your school’s designated graduation regalia. This may include the cap (complete with tassel), graduation gown, any sashes or academic achievement awards, or diploma. This isn’t something we have to spend a ton of time on, just the baseline for your graduation session. They provide a clear visual for graduation announcements or for Grandma to print out and put on her mantle. Bottom line, they scream “GRADUATION” and are an excellent starting point for any senior session.
Props- Whatever makes you… You!
This is your opportunity to, on a smaller level, really personalize your shoot. Items like FFA jackets, letterman jackets, cheer poms, soccer cleats, etc. can help highlight your scholastic experience up to the point of graduation, help showcase who you are and what you’ve achieved in your desired field. College swag like flags and pennants really help high school graduates show off where you’re headed and what the next step in your journey might be. College grads can celebrate the move into a new career or higher levels of education with lab coats, stethoscopes, welding helmets, literally anything else you can think of. Think of it as pulling a little visual representation of your school and extracurricular experience into your session!
Champagne- For my college grads of course.
Looking for a little extra flair? For my 21 and over graduates, there’s nothing quite like popping the cork on a bottle of Cooks to celebrate your hard earned degree. As a photographer, the champagne spray photos are some of my personal favorites to shoot, especially when the light wants to cooperate. They’re nothing if not entertaining and they’re almost always a whole bottle of fun to shoot. In all honesty, I prefer to drink my champagne with a healthy dose of orange juice, but I sure do love to photograph it airborne.
Champagne isn’t your style? Bring whatever beverage fits you! I’ve seen Coors, Twisted Tea, Pendleton… I understand alcohol isn’t a personality trait, but personally I went for Angry Orchard (the crisp apple one).
Your 4 legged friends, of all kinds!
Few things bring a session to life quite like incorporating the animals that mean the most to you. It’s a phenomenal way to lighten the mood and let your real, relaxed personality shine through. After all, they know who you are when the cameras aren’t around. Secondly, if they helped define your time in school, that’s worth depicting. While dogs and horses have been the most common, your cat, sheep, goat, possum, chupacapra, etc. is always welcome at my shoots!
Your vehicle of choice
If you’ve got a set of wheels you’re proud of, let’s show them off! Two wheels or four wheels, it makes no difference to me. From Volkswagen Beetles to dirtbikes, they’re all fun to incorporate and offer an excellent addition to any grad shoot. I definitely get excited to photograph anything action based, especially on the dirtbike side of things. I haven’t the slightest ounce of desire to ride one, but I followed Supercross and Motocross pretty closely for a couple of years so when things get exciting I feel like I’m trackside at Daytona.
Your Support System
This is whoever you want to bring along to your shoot. This could include your parents, significant other, best friends, siblings, second cousin twice removed… Bottom line, if they’re important to you, they’re important to me. In addition to having an extra set of hands to help with prop switches, animal handling, or outfit swaps, I’m always happy to incorporate them into your photos. They’re as much a part of your story as the other things on this list, frequently moreso.
Finally, and probably most obviously, YOU.
In actuality, your graduate shoot shouldn’t feel like a performance. We’re celebrating something you genuinely worked hard to achieve, therefore I don’t want you to feel the need to be someone else in front of the camera. YOU will do just fine.
-JKF
J.K.F. Imagery 