Professional graduation photography ensures every student has quality documentation of their milestone, regardless of whether their family could attend or afford their own photographer. These images become part of your school’s permanent archive and provide marketing content for years to come.
At the Matowa graduation, I captured award presentations, emotional embraces between elders and graduates, and families celebrating together. These authentic moments deserve professional attention.
The most critical conversation is about where your photographer should be positioned. They need to capture the handshake, the diploma presentation, and the graduate’s face without blocking guests’ views or disrupting the ceremony flow.
Communicate clearly about:
At Matowa, I positioned myself to capture certificate presentations and graduates’ expressions while staying invisible to attendees.
Let your photographer know if you want candid coverage throughout the event. Candid photos capture the real story of graduation day including nervous laughter before the ceremony, families’ proud faces, and post-ceremony celebrations.
Not every graduate has family with cameras. Candid coverage ensures every student gets professional photos of their special day. At Matowa, some of my favorite shots were the unposed moments including two graduates laughing together and a multi-generational family celebrating at their table.
If you want guaranteed family portraits, consider adding a photo booth or dedicated photo station. This requires an additional photographer, so communicate this need early in your planning.
Benefits include:
This affects staffing, equipment, setup requirements, and pricing, so discuss it upfront.
Don’t overlook whole class photos. These images become part of your school’s permanent history and are valuable for alumni connections, yearbooks, and promotional materials.
Decide when to take class photos (before or immediately after the ceremony) and what format works best for your institution. Your photographer will need time to scout the location and coordinate with your staff.
Graduation photographers can be hired by institutions or individual families, and the scope differs significantly.
When hired by schools: Comprehensive coverage ensures every student receives professional documentation and photos can be used for marketing and archives.
When hired by families: Focused coverage on one specific graduate with more personal, intimate moments.
I work with both scenarios. Schools provide equitable documentation for all students, while families get deeply personal coverage of their graduate’s journey.
Many Thunder Bay graduations, especially those serving Indigenous communities, incorporate cultural elements. Your photographer should understand and respect cultural protocols, ask permission before photographing sacred moments, and take direction from knowledge keepers and elders.
When I photograph these ceremonies, I always ask beforehand about any moments or practices that should not be photographed. Respect comes first, always.
Clarify these details when hiring:
Professional graduation photography is an investment in your students and institutional memory. These moments don’t get a second take, and every graduate deserves beautiful documentation of their achievement.