Graduation photo poses for the cap, the gown and the diploma

Which graduation poses should I try first?

Begin with one formal shot you can send to relatives. Stand with feet slightly apart and weight on the back leg, hold the diploma low with both hands or in one hand at your side, and look at the lens. Then relax into poses with movement: a slow walk toward the camera, a seat on the steps, or a turn over the shoulder.

Posepass is a general pose guide and has no graduation set, so you will not see a Cap toss pose. A few of its drawn poses suit a gown well, though, such as Classic stance, Outfit walk, Side profile, Sit on the steps and Beach jump. Use them as a base and add the cap and diploma yourself.

How should the photographer hold the phone?

Low and level. A gown is long, and a phone held at eye level cuts the hem and shortens the legs. The full-length poses in Posepass start with a low phone, often kneeling, and a 1x lens. Classic stance, for example, asks the photographer to kneel on one knee, put feet on the bottom line and head just under the top line.

Keep the horizon level and leave a little space above the cap. A cap tassel and a mortarboard add height, so the photographer should check that the top of the cap does not touch the frame edge.

1. Kneel on one knee and hold the phone at about knee to waist height.
2. Use the 1x lens and step back until feet and cap both fit with space to spare.
3. Turn on the level and wait for it to be straight.
4. Take five frames in a burst and look at the first one before taking more.

What should I do with the diploma and cap?

Give your hands a job. Hold the diploma with both hands low in front, or in one hand pointing down along your leg. Avoid holding it up in front of your chest, because it hides the gown. If you hold the cap, keep it away from your face.

Hands are the usual worry in graduation photos. See what to do with your hands in photos for a longer list.

How do I take a cap toss photo?

Plan it as a burst. Several people throw at the same time, the photographer counts down from three out loud, and the shutter is tapped five times around the throw. Use the 0.5x lens from a low phone height so the caps clear the top of the frame and the sky shows. The Beach jump and Jump together poses in Posepass use the same recipe: a low phone, 0.5x, a countdown and a burst.

Expect to do it three times. The first throw is always early.

What about a gown that looks wrinkled or shapeless?

Light and angle do more than ironing. Open shade keeps fabric smooth. Standing at a slight angle to the camera shows the shape of the gown better than facing it flat. A tilt of the shoulders and weight on the back leg add some shape. Move slowly, because the fabric catches wind and can cover your face.

How many poses should we plan?

Four is a good number: formal, walking, seated, fun. After that attention fades, and graduation days are tiring. Build a short list on your phone, or use a six pose shot list such as Outfit post as a template. Send the first pose to your photographer before the ceremony.

How do I pose with family on graduation day?

Use simple group layouts. Two rows with the graduate in the middle, or three people on a bench. See family photo poses and group photo poses for arrangements. Put the graduate in the center or on a third line, and keep the diploma visible in one hand.

A short graduation checklist

Charge the phone, wipe the lens and agree on the order. Choose a spot with shade. Kneel for the full-length shots, count down for the jump, and keep the horizon level. Check the first frame, then continue. The shot check reviews feet, head, horizon, joints and light in a few seconds.

How do I look natural in a formal shot?

Formal does not need to mean frozen. Shift your weight to the back leg, drop your shoulders and breathe out right before the photographer taps the shutter. Look past the lens for the first frame, then at it for the second. Posepass cues in the outfit situation include weight on the back leg, chin forward and a little down, and soft hands, no fists.

Smile with your eyes by thinking of something real. A graduation day has plenty of material.

What can friends do for the person graduating?

Take turns. The graduate is usually busy with family, so the friend with the phone should find the best light and a clean background in advance. Standing by a plain wall in open shade beats a busy lawn in strong sun. Ask the graduate to turn so the light falls across the face.

Send the friend a pose before the ceremony with Send to my photographer, so they know the phone height and lens in advance.

What are some creative graduation poses?

Add a prop or a place with meaning: hold the diploma against a campus sign, sit on the library steps, wave from a doorway, or look up at a tall building with the 0.5x lens held low. These need only a phone and a camera angle, and the Look up pose in the Posepass city set works the same way.

What if it rains or the light is flat?

Flat light is fine for faces. Stand under a porch or an arch with the open sky in front of you, and the face will be soft and even. Rain adds mood if you carry an umbrella and the photographer keeps the lens dry. Wipe the lens with a clean cloth before each burst.