If you’re anything like me, you’re probably freaking out over graduation being less than a month away. As you’re preparing to walk the stage, the last thing you want to stress about is your senior photos! You might be scrambling to figure out who to book for photos, what to wear, or how to make your grad pics look like they belong on a Pinterest board.
As a photographer who’s captured tons of senior sessions here at Florida State, I’ve got you covered. Here are my nine best tips to make your grad session one you’ll actually want to frame:
- Be Picky With Your Photographer
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When picking your photographer, don’t swipe through Instagram profiles like it’s Tinder. There are a few important things to consider when choosing your photographer. Look for reviews, their interactions with past clients, and how they communicate before you even book. Are they showing interest in your vision? The best technical photographer in the world won’t capture your best photos if you feel awkward around them.
Looking at their editing style is the most important and overlooked quality of all. Every photographer has a signature look. Look at their most recent photos, as editing evolves. Be sure to also look at the prices, as some sessions cost more than others. Locations, outfit changes, or extra people or props can all play a role.
- Wear Solid Colors or Simple Patterns
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Everyone loves the classic white dress for graduation, myself included, but there’s a spectrum of colors waiting to be worn for these photos, too. When it comes to picking out your grad clothing, solid colors or simple patterns are your best friend. You should wear something that feels uniquely you, as long as the clothing doesn’t take away from the real star of the show, the graduate.
- Iron Your Stole
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There’s nothing worse than picking out your dream dress, only for it not to sit well when you add your graduation regalia on top. The stole will be front and center with you in most of your photos, so make sure that it works well with your outfit. It sounds so simple, I know, but you’d be amazed at how many sessions are derailed by a wrinkled stole straight out of the bag.
Photographers can do a lot while editing photos, but ironing out a stole in every single photo? I’m not too sure about that one. Steam or iron both your gown and stole the night before at minimum, and hang them up so they stay smooth. You’ll thank yourself later when you get your gallery back.
- Wear Heavier Makeup
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Cameras inevitably wash out your features, especially in bright outdoor light. While it might look like “too much” in your bathroom mirror, a little extra bronzer and blush will make your already beautiful features pop. Bonus points for defining your brows a little more and bringing a few touch-up items to your shoot. When you’re waiting to begin taking photos, reapply your lip gloss for that extra shine.
- Bring Comfy Shoes
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Your heels are gorgeous, but I know they’re killing your feet. When you transition between one location to another, especially if they’re close in proximity, whip out your Birkenstocks. You’ll want a shoe that’s easy to slip on and off, not tennis shoes that you’ll have to spend time tying.
- Timing Matters
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Book your shoot when the lighting is as bright as it is soft. Finding that perfect balance of a warm glow that still illuminates your photo is important! Booking a shoot at 5 p.m. is always a go-to time in the fall, thanks to golden hour. Your photographer can play with sun placement in a way that flatters you.
Plan to arrive at your shoot at least 15 minutes early. Golden hour isn’t just perfect for your shoot, it’s perfect for everyone’s, so the closer you get to graduation the longer the lines become. If you want to avoid the lines and you’re okay with getting up early, a sunrise shoot around 6:45 a.m is always a favorite option, too.
- Prepare Ideas and Supplies
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If you don’t have pose ideas, that’s okay! Your photographer will have plenty in their back pocket; but if you’ve been planning these photos on Pinterest since day one, share those ideas.
Coming with ideas is the perfect way to curate your session, but so is having all necessary items, like bobby pins, safety pins, a mini fan, and water. A good grad photographer isn’t just there to click a button and move on, the session is supposed to be fun. If your photographer has the tools and energy to offer, lean into it.
- Have Fun With Poses and Props
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Take the timeless portraits that your parents will want to frame, take the fun candid photos and take advantage of the time you have with your photographer. They’re here to do more than just pose you and move on. Bring fun jackets, meaningful items, and flowers. All these details help make your photos uniquely yours.
When it comes to posing, take a deep breath, pull your shoulders up and back, and laugh with your biggest, cheesiest yearbook smile. Pose naturally with confidence. You earned a whole degree, and that’s a lot harder.
- Close With the Perfect Champagne Pop
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A champagne pop is the best way to close out your session, and for good reason: you’re the entirety of the splash zone. If you’re worried about getting the perfect champagne photo, trust that your photographer will do their job while you do yours: smile and have fun.
My top tips for the big closer are to angle the bottle away from you (and me), and don’t shake the bottle before opening. We’ll gently pop the cork together. From there, cover it slightly with your thumbs and shake it! Don’t look afraid of the champagne. You’re going to get soaked, it’s okay.
Smile big, look at the bottle or at the camera, and take a sip afterwards. For double the fun, bring a either a bottle of Sprite or a second champagne bottle for more photo opportunities.
At the end of the day, the shoot is entirely about you. A great photographer will do more than just pose you and edit the photos of your dreams. They’ll help you show up like yourself, keep the energy up, and capture all the joy you’ve held these past few years at college.
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