Grad sessions can be creative, fun, and formal all at the same time! When I shot Ashley’s grad photos at The University of Texas at Austin, I knew there would be a ton of great locations or backdrops to make good photos but how to use those spaces creatively was up to me.
CREATIVE
I always recommend my grad clients to bring their regalia and 1 to 2 outfits to get them in different looks. Ashley decided on her cap and gown with one nice dress. So outfits are part of the creative part of the shoot. Lighting is the second way you can make the photo shoot more creative and as you can see in these 6 photos I used lighting pretty differently giving each image a different feel. I used both ambient and studio lighting. 
FUN
Posing your client in fun and creative poses can make for fun photos. I sometimes ask my clients to spin or jump creating movement a sense of movement in your shots. You can also tilt your camera in odd positions for cool perspectives. What creates the most fun photo for a client is when you allow them to be themselves. Most people have their own silly way of being unique and when you can capture that you’ll have great pics. 
FORMAL
Grad photos can be a little serious too. These are big milestones for many people and sometimes these moments call for formal portraits. In grad photos that means full regalia or formal outfit. In these photos we shot formal pictures in both outfits. 
If you are interested in taking grad photos please fill out the form below.
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