Graduation portrait photoshoot tips

Its that time of year! Graduation season is in full effect and I wanted to share some fun posing ideas and tips to make the most of your graduation portraits. Lets get started!

Tell a story.

Graduation portraits should be fun, celebratory and tell a story. A story that shares information such as where the subject is graduating from. Make sure the school logo shows on their gown, and greek letters show on their stole. Capturing details such as their cords, medals or pins shares their personal achievements. Take pictures in front of relevant and meaningful buildings and backdrops. These are all things that the graduate wants to remember in the years to come, so show it all off!

The cap throw.

The cap thrown into the air, or at the camera is another fun, celebratory story telling portrait for graduation. Remember to set your shutter to continous shooting mode. This way you will capture the shot properly. Don’t be afraid to try it a few times to make sure its great. I tell my subjects to look at the camera in one series, and another where they look at their cap. I also like to get low when taking the picture. The more choices, the better. Remind your subject to smile while they are in the process as well. Make sure their arm is NOT blocking their face in the shot. I find if they turn to the side a little and throw with the arm that is not in front is very helpful.

College graduates throwing their caps into the air, or at the camera.

BREAK UP THE COLORS.

The gown can look heavy and overtake the subject. I think its important to take a traditional portrait of your graduate in their gown but also to play around with the look too. Showing their dress, arms, etc can help break up too much of one color and show more lines. This adds interest to the overall image. Below are examples of breaking the gown up a bit by posing with it off the shoulders, or behind the hip. Carrying it over the shoulders is also a fun option.

Make a statement.

Pictures carry power. Simple poses like these can add to the variation of graduation portraits you hand over to your client in the end. Have fun and don’t be afraid to try new things out!

Portrait of college graduates popping champagne in front of fountain.

To see more examples of graduation portraits and behind the scene glimpses from my James Madison University photoshoots, head over to my instagram and watch the reel!

New Jersey Family Photographer | Backyard Shoot

Another “at-home” family portrait session to help inspire your next photoshoot.

The premise was “Home for the Holidays.” The goal behind the pictures was to create a unique holiday card base on the “Home for the Holidays” idea but also not making the pictures feel set in holiday mode. This way we kill two birds with one stone: we get the card done but we can also display classically timeless family portraits that translate year round. Not just during the holidays. When I did this session, we were in the middle of the pandemic- it was summer 2020. So the meaning behind HOME was so much more. This was where they spent the majority of their time. When they look back on these pictures, they will see exactly where they were at that time and feel the love.

To check out their sunflower photoshoot, head over to my instagram page!

New Jersey Family Photography | Senior portrait session at the lake

Here is a little “lake life” senior portrait session idea for you. When we booked the shoot, my client said she’d love to stay close to home so the pictures reflected where her son grew up. Doing it n their backyard seemed like a no-brainer. The lake and the docks are the obvious places to use for a background- so we did. But I also wanted to have fun with the colorful kayaks that were being stored on the shoreline. When you head to your next photoshoot location, make sure you spend a few minutes walking around. See what catches your eye. You may not want to show the entire THING but little pops of color and texture can really elevate the images.

Need more ideas? Head to my instagram page!

New Jersey Family Photographer | senior portrait

I officially have a new favorite "genre" to photograph. Its called senior portraits and its way fun. I met up with Carly tonight at the arboretum for her pictures. She was such a sweet heart and so easy to work with. She was my first ever senior to photograph and I must say, she made it utterly amazing. I am beyond excited to share these selections with you. I hope you enjoy!