Getting Ready for Graduation? Eight Tips to Prepare for the Perfect Photo Shoot

Getting Ready for Graduation? Eight Tips to Prepare for the Perfect Photo Shoot

Graduation is one of the most momentous achievements of adult life, and should be memorialized with great professional photos. These eight tips from Airavata Studios will help you plan ahead and prepare yourself, both physically and mentally, for the ultimate graduation photo shoot. 

Choose a location.

There are likely many spots of campus that hold strong memories for you. When preparing for your graduation photo shoot, make a list of 3-5 potential locations that you want to include in your photos. Sharing this list with your photographer ahead of time will give them enough time to come up with a shoot plan that will take you to as many of these locations as time allows. 

Pick a few poses.

Knowing ahead of time what poses you want to try out in your photos is a great way to prepare for your shoot. You’ll find a variety of poses simple by searching Pinterest or Google for ‘graduation picture poses’. If you select a few poses ahead of time, you can practice in front of a mirror to make sure that you are comfortable with the way you look and feel. Your professional photographer can also offer suggestions for different poses that will make you feel like yourself during the shoot.

Choose makeup and clothing that make you feel confident.

Professional photo shoots are not the best time for trying out brand-new makeup techniques or totally reinventing your style. A lack of confidence with your makeup and clothing choices may come across in your photos. Instead, try choosing makeup and clothing that you are familiar with, and that make you feel like the star of the show.

Bring along some water (and a snack).

If you’re taking your graduation photos outdoors, it’s a great idea to bring along some water and a non-messy snack. Weather conditions can vary a lot, and you may end up walking short distances between different shoot locations. Having water and a snack on hand is a great way to stay hydrated and to refresh yourself if your energy starts to lag. 

Invite a friend.

Memories aren’t made alone. If you want, invite a friend to tag along during your photo session. They can help you with outfit changes, makeup touch-ups, and even some feedback on your poses. You may even want a close friend to be in a few of your photos. Let your friend (and the photographer) know ahead of time if this is the case so that everyone comes prepared.

Bring a memento with you.

A picture, report card, or artwork from when you first started school are all fun mementos that you can incorporate into your graduation shoot. Get a few shots of yourself holding the memento in front of you. This is a unique way to show just how far you have come, and will make your photos even more memorable. 

Try out a few action shots. 

There are certain shots that have become an iconic part of graduation photo sessions: the cap toss, a shot of the new graduate jumping for joy, a shot of the graduate walking away from campus with cap and gown slung over the shoulder. All of these can be easily accomplished during your professional photo session. Make sure that you communicate what you are looking for to your photographer so that they can help you make it happen. Also, keep in mind that all shots in fountains should always be taken last. 

Don’t forget to rep your school.

Just because you have to wear a cap and gown to graduation doesn’t mean that you can’t have some additional outfit changes for your photo shoot. We suggest that grads come with their cap and gown, a formal outfit underneath, and a more casual choice that includes a shirt, hat, or other piece of clothing with their alma mater’s logo and/or name on it. 

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