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Gia Chong Photography

Gia Chong Photography

Graduation, Photo Shoot Tips, Senior Portraits
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How to Prep for Your Graduation Photo Session | University of the Pacific | Stockton, California

Senior girl standing with cap pose idea

What’s the Vibe of Your Graduation Photo Session?

“What vibe are you going for?”  This is one of the first questions I ask moms and graduates when they book a graduation photo session with me.  Depending on the vibe, I then recommend a matching location.  I had one grad who liked the outdoors and wanted a nature feel for his grad session.  So we did Lodi Lake Park for his graduation photo shoot.  I had another graduate wanting an artsy vibe since she was a singer and artist.  We then shot at a local coffee shop.  For Sami, she wanted a classic and college feel.  The University of the Pacific ,with its brick buildings and expansive grounds, was the perfect backdrop for her graduation photo shoot.

Senior girl sitting pose idea

Senior girl walking pose idea

Senior girl standing pose idea

Cap and Gown Photos

For most graduates I’ve worked with, photos with their cap and gown are a must.  However, the issue that we run into is the availability of the cap and gown.  Sometimes, these are available just a few weeks before graduation. This makes it difficult to have a graduation photo shoot 6 weeks from graduation. Six weeks is a good time frame because it can take your photographer 1-2 weeks to edit and deliver your photos, then another 1-2 weeks if you are printing graduation announcements or grad party invites, and another 1-2 weeks for these grad announcements and invitations to get to your loved ones via mail.

What have been our solutions?  Borrowing a cap and gown from a recent grad is one of the easiest ways to solve this problem. Buying a cap and gown on Amazon is another great solution.  In Sami’s case, she did both.  Her gown is her younger brothers 8th grade graduation gown from Presentation School.  It worked out that their school colors are the same! Her mom bought a green cap with the tassel from Amazon.  These were enough to stand in for her high school cap and gown during our graduation photo session.

Senior girl standing with cap and gownpose idea

Senior girl walking pose idea

Senior girl holding her cap standing pose idea

Have Fun with Outfit Changes

You can have outfit changes when you do a graduation photo shoot with me!  You can start with dressy clothes and then change to a more casual look like jeans.  During Sami’s photo session, we had 2 outfit changes.  She wanted to show off which university she was going to for college.  We had fun section of the shoot with her Loyola Marymount University sweater.  We closed out her graduation photo session with her casual outfit of jeans, a pretty top and heels.

Senior girl standing pose idea

Senior girl seated pose idea

 

Senior girl standing pose idea

Senior girl walking pose idea

Senior girl standing pose idea

Senior girl standing pose idea

Can I do My Graduation Photo Shoot with Friends and Family?

Yes! For my college graduates, they typically want photos with their besties from college.  This creates a fun shoot and helps them if they are shy in front of the camera.  It also makes the session more affordable since they can split the session fee among them! For high school seniors, I get requests if they can have photos with a parent or the family.  If you give me enough heads up, I will set aside time for parent photos.  I am glad we got to do photos with Sami and her mom.  A mom and child photo, especially during a milestone like graduation, always gets me!

Mom and daughter walking posing idea

Mom and daughter posing idea

Mom and daughter posing idea

I hope you found this blog helpful! If you want to see more of my work, head on to Gia Chong Photography. Fill out the Contact form if you are ready to book a graduation or family session with me! If you want to read more blogs like this one, click over to Gia Chong Photography – Blog.

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1 Comment
  • Eli Richardson

    It’s great that you explained your graduation timeline and when’s the right moment for a photo session. I heard that my cousin is graduating soon, so her mom’s looking for graduation attire before booking a photo shoot session, and I think your article will definitely help them. Thanks for the information about checking your graduation attire’s availability for your photo shoot.

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Doing a happy dance!  I am officially SOLD OUT for Holiday Mini Sessions for 2022! I am looking forward to serving the 40 families who signed up with me for Oct and Nov. mini sessions.  To my returning and new clients - thank you, thank you, thank you!  This season is going to be EPIC! ⁠
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Doing a happy dance! I am officially SOLD OUT for Holiday Mini Sessions for 2022! I am looking forward to serving the 40 families who signed up with me for Oct and Nov. mini sessions. To my returning and new clients - thank you, thank you, thank you! This season is going to be EPIC! ⁠ ⁠ As always, much thanks to the lovely @morganpotterphoto for my Yay headshot 😊⁠ ⁠ #minisessions #soldout #holidayminisessions #redtruckminisession #grateful #yay #stocktonminisessionphotographer #lodiminisessionphotographer #stocktonphotographer #lodiphotographer #giachongphotography
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Dina @rodijuha08_doky and her family are avid #HarryPotter fans!  So I was not surprised when they asked if a portion of their #FamilySession be Potter themed!  If the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music stood as Marshall College for Indiana Jones, I then thought the campus would also be a great stand in for #Hogwarts! Check out this #reel to see all the magical fun we had 😃⁠
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#magic #wizards #familysession #themedfamilysession #ravenclaw #gryffindor #stocktonphotographer #stocktonfamilyphotographer #lodiphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #familyphotoshoot #giachongphotography #UOPacific⁠
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Dina @rodijuha08_doky and her family are avid #HarryPotter fans! So I was not surprised when they asked if a portion of their #FamilySession be Potter themed! If the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music stood as Marshall College for Indiana Jones, I then thought the campus would also be a great stand in for #Hogwarts! Check out this #reel to see all the magical fun we had 😃⁠ ⁠ #magic #wizards #familysession #themedfamilysession #ravenclaw #gryffindor #stocktonphotographer #stocktonfamilyphotographer #lodiphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #familyphotoshoot #giachongphotography #UOPacific⁠ ⁠ ⁠
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I feel like I won the lottery!  I have 11 people and 3 out of 4 dogs looking at the camera!  Sioxson Family for the win! 😁 ⁠
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It's been a pleasure to work with Jenn @sunandski and her family for the past 2 years/4 shoots 😊 Last Sunday's session was special because all her kids and significant others were in town. We also had 4 fur babies join us.  They set the bar high for large family sessions!⁠
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I feel like I won the lottery! I have 11 people and 3 out of 4 dogs looking at the camera! Sioxson Family for the win! 😁 ⁠ ⁠ It's been a pleasure to work with Jenn @sunandski and her family for the past 2 years/4 shoots 😊 Last Sunday's session was special because all her kids and significant others were in town. We also had 4 fur babies join us. They set the bar high for large family sessions!⁠ ⁠ #extendedfamilysession #familysession #familysessionwithdogs #familyphotographer #UOPacific #stocktonfamilyphotographer #stocktonphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #lodiphotographer #furbabies #giachongphotography #sneakpeek
4 months ago
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Looking forward to photographing Dina @rodijuha08_doky and her family again!  Tomorrow's session would be their 4th family shoot with me since they moved to California.  We'll be shooting at UOP, one of my favorite locations and we'll get to play with some themed ideas.  SUPER EXCITED!! Hope your weekend plans are as exciting as mine!⁠
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#familysession #familyphotoshoot #familyphotographer #stocktonfamilyphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #kidphotographer #stocktonphotographer #lodiphotographer #giachongphotography
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Looking forward to photographing Dina @rodijuha08_doky and her family again! Tomorrow's session would be their 4th family shoot with me since they moved to California. We'll be shooting at UOP, one of my favorite locations and we'll get to play with some themed ideas. SUPER EXCITED!! Hope your weekend plans are as exciting as mine!⁠ ⁠ #familysession #familyphotoshoot #familyphotographer #stocktonfamilyphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #kidphotographer #stocktonphotographer #lodiphotographer #giachongphotography
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Happy National Coffee Day! Make sure you grab a hot or cold one today!  With all my @Starbucks cups, can you guess if I like hot or iced coffee? 😅⁠ Swipe left to see my go to drink. 
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Happy National Coffee Day! Make sure you grab a hot or cold one today!  With all my @Starbucks cups, can you guess if I like hot or iced coffee? 😅⁠ Swipe left to see my go to drink. 
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#NationalCoffeeDay #Coffee #Icedshakenespresso #Starbucks #StarbucksCups #IcedCoffee #Headshot #Brandphotographer #Brandphotography #GiaChongPhotography
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Happy National Coffee Day! Make sure you grab a hot or cold one today! With all my @Starbucks cups, can you guess if I like hot or iced coffee? 😅⁠ Swipe left to see my go to drink. ⁠ #NationalCoffeeDay #Coffee #Icedshakenespresso #Starbucks #StarbucksCups #IcedCoffee #Headshot #Brandphotographer #Brandphotography #GiaChongPhotography
4 months ago
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Happy National Sons Day Adrian @emperorchong982! ⁠
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Thank you for always humoring me when I tell you that you will be in a photo shoot (even when you don't want to 😅). You are always ready with a smile when I ask (like here with your Godmother Joy and Ate JD). I thank God for you and how you have enriched your parents' lives. ⁠
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Good luck on race day today at Lodi Lake Park 😀⁠
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Happy National Sons Day Adrian @emperorchong982! ⁠ ⁠ Thank you for always humoring me when I tell you that you will be in a photo shoot (even when you don't want to 😅). You are always ready with a smile when I ask (like here with your Godmother Joy and Ate JD). I thank God for you and how you have enriched your parents' lives. ⁠ ⁠ Good luck on race day today at Lodi Lake Park 😀⁠ ⁠ #boymom #nationalsonsday #mom #son #portraitphotographer #lodifamilyphotographer #stocktonfamilyphotographer #stocktonphotographer #lodiphotographer #giachongphotography
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