Graduation Portrait Session with Jaya at San Diego State University
Bottoms up graduates!
I had the pleasure of photographing Jaya's graduation portraits at the picturesque San Diego State University campus. Jaya's infectious energy, fun-loving spirit, and incredible photogenic nature made this session an absolute blast from start to finish.
If you’re in San Diego, you know how cloudy the month of May was but on this afternoon, the sun decided to finally make an appearance! We explored the area around Hepner Hall and took advantage of the picturesque courtyards. When location scouting, I pay attention to backdrops, lighting, and framing features. We began in the Mediterranean Garden with the gorgeous foliage and soft lighting. Jaya didn’t even need to warm up - girl knows her angles! We got some stunning portraits featuring the killer outfit with her well-earned stole and chords to boot.
We transitioned to the Campanile Quad behind Hepner Hall and utilized it’s grassy area, terracotta roofs, and magnificent archways. This quad is one of my favorite spots on campus largely because of the backdrop options and symmetrical architecture - I am a sucker for symmetry. On a partly cloudy day, it is much easier to find soft, even lighting; however, when the sun is a bit harsher, the long hallway at the quad is a perfect space for a balanced composition and shade with open lighting. Jaya traded her blazer for a comfy SDSU sweatshirt and whipped out the bottle of Class Azul tequila her dad gifted to her.
For the finale, we headed to the front of Hepner Hall, an SDSU landmark. This is the go-to spot on campus for graduation photos so unless you’re shooting at sunrise, other people will be there. Thank goodness for Photoshop amirite?! One last outfit change, a bottle of champagne, and that’s a wrap! Congratulations Jaya on your degree and thank you so much for trusting me to be your photographer on this very special occasion.
Let’s chat about your own portrait shoot whether you are graduating or just for shits and giggles! Let’s get creative, shall we?
