3 Tips for the Best UVA Graduation Pictures
February 13, 2020
Everyone wants to look great in photos. And when taking your UVA graduation pictures, it’s especially important to look (and feel) your best! That’s why — ahead of this year’s graduation photoshoot season — we’re giving away a few of our favorite tips to help you take the best grad photos possible!
1. Schedule Your UVA Graduation Pictures Early in the Morning
We know it may sound crazy to tell college students to be awake, dressed, hair and makeup done, and on the Lawn by 7:00 am on a Friday. But trust us: it’s WORTH IT! For starters, as natural light photographers, we’re obsessed with capturing our subjects in the best light possible. And nothing will make your UVA graduation pictures more high-end and beautiful than the dreamy light just after the sun has risen over the Rotunda.
Secondly, if you’ve ever hung out on the Lawn in the early evening in the Spring, you know that it can be PACKED. When you look back at your UVA graduation pictures in years to come, we’re guessing you don’t want to see people throwing the frisbee in the background. Especially when our grads schedule their sessions earlier in the year (like March or early April), we often have the Lawn to ourselves! That’s why we offer a 15% discount to grads who schedule their sessions earlier in the year (more on that here).
2. Bring Props
When we say props, we hope you don’t cringe and flashback to your highschool senior photoshoot, with your trombone or your skateboard in-hand. UVA graduation pictures tend to be filled with much cooler props 😎. The most common prop that our grads bring (by far) is champagne! Whether popping it, spraying it, or taking a group swig before that 10:00 am exam 😂, you can’t go wrong with a few bottles of Andre.
But of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative. We’ve captured UVA graduation pictures with decorated caps, UVA basketball gear, grad school sweatshirts, and much more. Confetti is also a popular choice, especially since our grads can add gold-foil biodegradable confetti to their session with just a couple clicks! We’ll supply each person with several handfuls, and even teach you how to throw it for photos 🎉.
3. Plan Your Outfit in Advance
It’s no secret that everyone wants to look great in their UVA graduation pictures. For ladies, a cute dress cropped just above the knee has always been a favorite 👗. However, rompers and even floor-length jumpsuits are also a great look too! We recommend either white or a soft pastel, and avoiding darker colors. But of course, let your personality shine!
If your photoshoot will be a group session, we recommend coordinating outfits days (or weeks) in advance. This will give everyone time to buy a new dress if they need one! All-white is a classic, and you simply can’t go wrong. Especially when everyone’s dresses feature different materials and cuts, you still get plenty of variety! Coordinating within a color-scheme can also look incredible. Think pastel blues mixed with white and the occasional pop of sage or lavender!
For guys, slim-fitting pants, a dress shirt, and a blazer look best. If you like a more formal look, a full suit and tie never hurt! But a lot of our guys opt for a more casual feel, going with dress pants and a blazer that compliment each other, rather than match perfectly. Remember, you can always dress down a blazer by taking it off for a few shots, but you can’t dress up a shirt without a blazer! And of course, no matter who you are, don’t forget your cap and gown 🎓
4. Bonus Tip! Book Your UVA Graduation Pictures with UVA’s #1 Graduation Photographer!
We admit that claiming to be the #1 of anything is a seriously bold claim. But we have the numbers to back it up! Since 2016, we’ve captured UVA graduation pictures of more than 400 grads. Of those grads, more than 90% told us in a follow-up survey that they’d hire us again!