As sad as it is, it’s that time of the year — graduation season. With only about one month left of school before we part ways with UF, you need to make sure your photos are going to be something you want to cherish forever.
In addition to the locations, part of what makes graduation pictures so fun and memorable is choosing the right photographer. You want to feel comfortable and good in front of the camera. It’s the photographer’s job to tell you what looks cute and what doesn’t, tell you to fix your hair or smile bigger. It’s all a part of the experience. This day is all about you and all your accomplishments, and having the support of your friends, family or significant other makes the pictures that much more special.
Color Scheme
So, you already have the photographer and your friends and family on board, now it’s time to pick a color scheme. The graduate (you) typically wears a white dress for graduation pictures; it allows you to stand out from everyone else. Another common aspect is to collaborate on what colors your friends and family wear for the pictures. It allows the photos to look more cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. Common colors for people to pick are shades of blue, shades of orange or black.
Locations
You’re finally ready to start taking your photos. The only thing left to figure out is where!
The Stadium
This might seem like an obvious choice, but there are actually so many angles and places to go within the stadium that completely transform your photos. One of my favorites is on the actual field with you in the center of the goal post. Another great place is to sit on the ledge of the orange wall in front of where it says, “This is Gator Country.” The best time for lighting in the stadium is in the early morning, around 8 a.m., before shadows cover your body or face.
Gator Walk
Gator Walk is the brick walkway leading up to the stadium. It is surrounded by palm trees and has great lighting. Going here is a great place if you’re looking for a building that says “The University of Florida” on it as well (perfect if you throw your cap in the air). In addition to that, here is a good place to get pictures of you and your friends and family in a line because the walkway is so wide, and pictures of you popping a champagne bottle because it is all bricks paved into the ground and not grass.
Bull Gator
The Bull Gator is located in front of the stadium on the opposite side of Gator Walk. I would not recommend this for group photos because the gator is lying down and it’s a small area. However, for individual photos, it’s perfect to sit on or on the side of it and do the Gator Chomp.
In Front of your College
I know not all colleges really have an aesthetically pleasing sign, but for example, the business school’s Heavener Hall has a beautiful archway for photos. Again, this would most likely be for individual photos as you attended the college, but it’s a great reminder of where you spent your time receiving your education.
The Walkway next to Library West and Plaza of the Americas
Even though this walkway and Gator Walk are both brick, this one is more shaded with trees, and there’s no building behind it. The best way to describe this is that it reminds me of fall. You don’t have to worry about the sun being in your eyes, and it’s perfectly wide enough for group photos. Here and maybe by your college are going to be the photos that look drastically different than the ones outside and inside of the stadium. If you’re looking for a complete change of scenery, this walkway is perfect.
Weather and Times
As I mentioned earlier, the best time to get pictures are going to be in the early morning and at 5 p.m. around sunset. It does take a few hours for pictures with transportation time in between locations and depending on how many people are with you, so you want to make sure the lighting stays good the whole time. Next, the weather, you want to make sure it is not windy at the time you go take photos! The photographer can edit out flyaways, but you want to make sure your hair stays where it is, and your stole isn’t flying in the pictures. This is something not always thought about, but it is incredibly annoying.
The day you take your graduation pictures is supposed to be your day. It is so exciting, and it’s when it starts to kick in that your college years are almost over. These are pictures you’re going to show your kids one day; you want to make sure they’re perfect!