Yesterday, I got a last minute phone call to do a surprise graduation photoshoot. This was really out of nowhere as I was expected to do the shoot within a few hours of the inquiry. This isn't exactly ideal but I felt that it was better to do the shoot on the day of the graduation, rather than another day as it would be a hassle for the graduate to get dressed, have makeup redid and everything that associates with getting ready for graduation day.

Sony a7R II Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera, Body Only (Black) (ILCE7RM2/B)

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Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens

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For this shoot, I decided to rely on my Sony A7Rii and the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM. The shoot was to be taken at the University of Washington, Tacoma campus. Interestingly enough, I've lived around the area for a good portion of my life and pass by the campus all the time but have never actually stepped foot on it.

UWT is an interesting campus. It is very much so a part of the city and not just because it is located in arguably the busiest part of downtown Tacoma, but because some of the classrooms/campus is literally a floor above various stores and businesses. If I'm not mistaken, the UWT school gym is actually the Tacoma YMCA.

Needless to say, certain aspects of the campus is very cramped and there isn't much room to move around for photos. Considering that the campus is small, there weren't that many distinctive features that I could've used as a backdrop or to add to the photos. With all of this in mind, I felt that a 24-70mm lens would be best because this would allow me to go from wide to medium telephoto.

If you've ever seen a UW alum's graduation photo, you would know that it's kind of a tradition to take a photo with the giant W on campus. To keep up with tradition, we decided to make the W the first location for the shoot.

On this campus, the W just happens to be right next to an active city street, literally a few feet away. The 24-70mm was definitely the right choice because I wanted to make sure that I got a picture with the entire W in frame.

Next, was to get some detail shots. I personally feel that detail shots have a place in any photoshoot. There is always something that you can get close up shots of and sometimes this can be very rewarding.

We of course can't forget about photo's of the graduate! As you can see, the photos consist of headshots and group portraits. The graduate's family is most likely going to be there so why not include them in the shoot? This kills some time and gets everyone involved. I feel that this helps to justify your rate for the shoot because they are getting more out of it.