When is the Best Time to Take Grad Photos?

Calling all my graduates – listen up for some considerations on when is the best time to take grad photos!

NOT GRADUATION DAY!!

I know, graduation day seems like the perfect time for a graduation photoshoot. You’re all dressed up, classes are done, and your family and friends are in town and you’re in a celebratory mood.

INCORRECT!

Graduation day is actually not the best time to take grad photos in this professional photographer’s experience!

It is a very busy day, emotions are riding high, and adding a photoshoot to the already packed schedule can be pretty stressful!

There are a ton of people on campus and all milling around and trying to take photos. The lines to take photos at popular locations can be long, and there can be a lot of people in the background of your images.

There’s also a ton of traffic – it’s hard to get to different parts of town, and hard to stay on schedule.

The time that you have available for photos on graduation day is often not the time with flattering light. I promise, 11:15 AM because that’s when it works before you have to line up for commencement is NOT going to provide the most attractive skin tones.

The Best Time to Take Grad Photos

Here’s ACTUALLY the best time to take graduation photos: a few days to a few weeks before your graduation date. Why?

You don’t have a very busy schedule to try to shoehorn a photoshoot into. Your photos will be better when you’re not stressed during your photoshoot thinking about where you need to head next. Your photos will also be better because we will plan which locations to go to by when the light is most flattering.

There’s time to reschedule if the weather isn’t cooperating or you get sick.

You will actually have professional photos back in time for graduation day. All grad photoshoots get sneak peeks within 48 hours of their session. Full galleries are complete no later than 3 weeks after your photoshoot date and if I am done polishing your images sooner, I will contact you sooner.

You will have time to get your graduation card orders in and get your printed cards back. I work with a very fast professional print lab and you can expect your cards in your hands no more than three business days after ordering!

Campus *isn’t* crawling with people from out of town, which means no people in the background of your photos, no (or less) waiting in line at popular photo locations, and if you need to drive to additional locations…you actually can. And find a parking spot.

But what if I don’t have my cap and gown in time?

Every school I’ve worked with has the caps and gowns delivered at least a week (and often more) before the commencement date. So you have at least a week window of opportunity for your photoshoot before graduation.

In many cases you can buy your cap and gown 2-3 months early from your school’s regalia provider (often Josten’s). This provides many more opportunities to take your photos without trying to squish it in to your commencement day.

When Is the best time to book your graduation photographer?

The best time to BOOK your graduation photographer and start the discussion of when to have your photoshoot is ideally a minimum of 6 weeks or before your desired photoshoot date in order to have time to acquire photo permits, plan the photoshoot, and acquire your outfits.

I find that the most invested clients tend to inquire 6-8 months in advance in order to get their pick of dates.

Clients that inquire two months ahead of the desired photoshoot date or less may run into lack of availability on popular weeks (ie, last week of March over Spring Break, last week of April/first week of May for peak flowers).

Kristen Hazelton is a multi award-winning Chicago, IL and San Francisco Bay Area high school senior, university graduate, and family photographer. She also photographs in San Diego, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, Monterey, CA, and Seattle, WA. She is a firm believer in human rights and welcomes LGBTQ+ and nonbinary clients. You can inquire about your own photoshoot here!