TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOUR PHOTOS STAND OUT!
What to Wear
What to Bring
Locations & Weather
The Important Little Details
How to Pay for your Session
Plan to Have Fun!
Gather your cap, gown, medals, honors cords, stoles, or anything awarded to you during your time in college that you'd like to show off in your photos! Choose to wear something under your gown that you feel confident in-we will shoot some pictures with your graduation gown off and unzipped.
Girls planning to wear heels, consider brining a pair of flip flops to wear to walk in between shooting locations.
IMPORTANT TIP - iron your gown and clothes the night before your shoot and hang or lay them in a clean dry space. Please know wrinkles will not be edited out of photos.
Aside from your cap and gown, if you played a sport during your time in college, bring your ball, bat, stick, shoes, etc. If you were an avid studier, bring that big stack of books that you used to ace your tests. Excited to be done, I totally feel you; bring a bottle of cheap champagne to pop, a confetti cannon, or a bunch of balloons. Your shoot should be unique to you -- there's not much that is off-limits when it comes to a grad session with me.
You know your college campus best! Come with suggestions and ideas on where you want to shoot on your campus. From your campus's most iconic building to your favorite study spot to the athletics field you played on, your photos will be more meaningful when you shoot in spots that have meaning.
Please know I am reviewing the weather often so please don't stress too soon about rain. Sometimes "rain" is really just a quick shower passing through the area for a brief time.
I typically wait until the night before to determine if rescheduling due to rain is necessary unless it is obvious the day is going to be a washout.
If canceling in necessary I will work with you to reschedule your session for a day and time that is convenient for you.
Little details are important to me and are one of the things that I feel make my work special. Making sure your tassel isn't twisted, your academic hood is on correctly, and your hair is lying right are all things I will do my best to notice and adjust during the shoot. Before your shoot, here are some details you can address, make sure your nails don't have chipped polish, leave your Apple Watch at home (trust me, they don't look good in photos), and again make sure your clothes are ironed.
EXTRA TIP - don't stress about a breakout that happened the day before your shoot or a small stain you got on your shirt on the car ride to campus - these little flaws will be photoshopped out! PS - please do your best to be on time. Oftentimes, I have shoots scheduled back to back, so I cannot always extend shooting time - I don't want your time to have to be cut short.
At the conclusion of your session please plan to pay your full session fee. Payment options include:
Venmo - EmilyRowan94
Cash
Check to Emily Rowan
Reminder about session costs:
Solo Session: $175
Small Group: $75 per person
Large Group: $60 per person
Yes, I know for most people, photoshoots can be kind of intimidating. Getting in front of a camera isn't easy, but don't worry, I will help you with various poses so you feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or make suggestions! I encourage you to "pin" some poses you really like and show them to me at the start of your session.
Bring your personality and confidence. The more excited you feel, the better your photos will turn out. Just be YOU, be silly, and be prepared to have fun in front of my camera!