Robin's Graduation Photos
Robin contacted me from New York and asked if I could shoot some grad photos for her and her family. Well... of course! She was in town for her sister's graduation and wanted her photos redone because she wasn't too happy with the ones she had gotten initially. It was up to me to save the day! We met up at Mrak Hall on the UC Davis campus and began our session. Mrak Hall is a great location to shoot some photos because the main building is a great college backdrop and the path leading up to the building is nice and long - which creates a great depth to the photos we can take.
Robin graduated from St. George University in New Year and has aspirations to become a doctor. And I know she is well on her way in fulfilling her dreams! She brought her cap and gown all the way to California to commemorate this particular moment in her life. The gown that she brought had green trim and highlights, which I think went well with the scenic trees around us. It may not be very New York-ey in appearance, but I think it makes for a beautiful photo.
Robin's sister graduated from UC Davis and she brought the familiar blue and gold that is familiar to the University of California system. Besides the Mrak Hall and the walkway leading up to it, there are a number of trees that make for great places to pose. I particularly like this shot because the leaves of the trees could be used as a foreground object that adds some dimension to the picture. The strong pop of pink from the flowers also gives this image some flare.
As per usual, I was using my Sony a9 for this shoot. It helped me get the shot above as I had the sisters walk and talk together. The a9 is awesome at keeping the subjects in focus even when moving, and the insane number of frames it captures every second allows me to really get the exact moment I want. This photo is nice as it shows the sisters in their dresses and includes their graduation gowns and caps as well.
Putting context to the photos is a key in every photoshoot, and anytime a client can bring in a piece of regalia that helps this is awesome. Graduations are easy because they can always bring in an item such as a commencement program or graduation certificate to show off in the photos. Even just one piece of regalia is helpful in a photoshoot, so next time you are getting pictures, think of something you can bring to add that special something to the photos.
Mom was also there that day hanging out with the sisters. I took quite a few shots with her as well as she loves to get photos taken. I can tell how much Robin and her sister love her as they made sure she was comfortable throughout our photo session. And I could tell how proud she was of her daughters - they have achieved a lot! Best wishes go out to this entire family as they continue on to a bright future!