Graduation is an exciting milestone marking an important transition in life. It’s a special time filled with celebration, reflection and looking ahead to new beginnings. Capturing high-quality photos helps preserve precious memories of the big day. Traditionally, graduates and their families hire professional photographers to get those perfect shots.
However, with some preparation and technique, you can actually achieve great graduation photos on your own without the need to hire a pro. Taking your own photos allows you to relax and be more fully present to enjoy every moment – a welcome break after the hard work of earning your degree, ahead of the graduate job search. Here are a few tips to ensure the snaps you get on the day perfectly capture the celebration.
Invest in Proper Equipment
Having the right photography equipment goes a long way in achieving professional-looking graduation photos. While you can get decent shots with just your smartphone, consider investing in a higher-quality camera.
More advanced point-and-shoot or DSLR cameras have better lenses, sensors and settings to control exposure. However, there are ways to get quality equipment without breaking the bank. Look into buying used models, enabling you to get better equipment at a fraction of the cost, or borrow from photography-loving friends or family members, who likely have a high-quality camera that will deliver great shots on the day.
A tripod is also essential for eliminating blur from camera shake – use a tripod for shooting group shots for a more professional result. Having spare batteries and memory cards also ensures you don’t miss any moments throughout the day. While professional-level gear certainly isn’t mandatory, having the right fundamentals will give you great results.
Find Optimal Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important factors in achieving quality photographs. For graduation photos, outdoor lighting often provides the best results. Positioning graduates in open shade, meaning out of direct sunlight, provides soft, even, diffused lighting that’s flattering for everyone and captures details more smoothly. Direct sunlight overhead or from the side can create harsh shadows and cause squinting or blinking in bright light.
If taking photos indoors, natural lighting from windows works best. Turn the graduate toward large windows, positioning them so window light illuminates their face. However, avoid using a flash indoors as this can cast strange shadows over the subject and ruin your shots. Pay attention to the direction, colours in the frame, and the hardness or softness of light. Optimal lighting reduces shadows, evens out facial features and results in clear, visible expressions for professional-looking graduation photos.
Pose Intentionally
Posing is key to taking dynamic, polished graduation photos. Take the time to capture some full-body shots of the graduate posing alone, as well as closer portraits of the details such as the outfit they’ve chosen for the day. These are details that they’ll want to remember in years to come but can easily be overlooked.
Don’t forget to also catch poses with family, friends or partners too. Variety is great – do some standing and seated poses and some motion shots of people laughing or walking towards the camera. Shoot a few with everyone looking at the camera and the classic photos of the grad tossing their cap in the air.
When posing groups, form triangular arrangements rather than straight lines, and remember to turn people at angles rather than straight at the camera for added dimension. Having some intentional, thought-out poses makes photos look professional. But also let some candid moments happen in between. Finding that balance will give you fantastic graduation shots that really capture all the different emotions of the day.
Take Candid Shots
Posed photos are great for achieving a professional album of photos for your graduation day. But be sure to take lots of candid shots as well. Candid photos capture those unscripted moments, genuine emotions and fleeting expressions that will ultimately sum up your graduation experience. They show the personality of you as a student and the relationships you’ve built between people.
Look for those special moments, like hugs and laughter with friends, proud smiles from parents, enthusiastic cap tosses and the graduate walking across the stage during the ceremony. It’s important to snap those unplanned interactions and reactions when people are immersed in the excitement of the day. To get great candid shots, use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion and facial expressions, and shoot in burst mode to capture sequences of movement.
Unposed shots make fantastic supplements to the formal and structured photos. They add a sense of narrative, documenting the day as it unfolds. The combination of posed and informal photos will give you a well-rounded collection of memories to cherish.
Choose Significant Locations
When selecting backgrounds and settings for your graduation photos, look for recognisable spots around your university campus that hold meaning for you. Capture shots in front of iconic buildings, statues, fountains or other landmarks around campus that you’ve spent the last few years studying by. The quad, student union, library steps or parts of your dorm are great backdrops filled with memories. Using familiar campus sights helps tell the story of your university experience that has led to this special day.
You should also photograph the actual graduation ceremony venue and setup. Get shots of the stage, lectern with signage and decorated walkways. If your department hosts its own special l graduation ceremony, incorporate department-specific symbols and details – settings that tie to your degree make for meaningful photos.
Capturing memorable graduation photos is important, but hiring a professional photographer can be expensive and isn’t always possible for everyone. With creativity and some basic techniques, you can actually achieve fantastic photos on your own. The photos you take on the day will become treasured keepsakes allowing you to reminisce about your university experience and momentous graduation day for years to come. With thoughtful effort and preparation, you have all the tools needed to do your graduation photo memories justice.
Featured image by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels
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