The Cait Kramer Photography
Grad Experience
I am so, so excited to officially have you as a part of the CKP Grad family! I have been photographing grads for over a decade, and I love how each session is so unique and individualized for the grad I have in front of my camera. Photographing each of my grads is such a huge honor, and I can’t wait to have a blast together
while creating some beautiful images to commemorate such a special season!
My goal with this Grad Style Guide is to help you prepare for your shoot and get the MOST out of your experience. Your grad session is SUCH an exciting memory, not to mention an investment…so it’s my job to be sure you are fully prepared! In this guide you will find everything from suggestions for outfits, hair and makeup, prepping your cap and gown, ways to customize your experience, what to expect the day of your session, how your final gallery will work and everything in between! Please take the time to read it thoroughly to ensure you have all of the information you need to make your session the absolute best it can be!
My promise as your photographer is that I will make you look and FEEL like the best version of YOU! I want your session and your images to reflect exactly who you are, and I’m here to help ensure we make that happen. Use the content in this guide as suggestions, but feel free to reach out to me at any point in the planning process to chat about how we can make it personal to YOU and create images that you will look back on and love for years to come.
Can’t wait to see you!
I'M CAIT!
Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's dive into the good stuff!
This is one of the most EXCITING seasons of your life...but also so overwhelming with so many big changes at once! I'm here to make one portion of the process a little easier and a little more fun!
The year before I graduated high school is the year that I found my love for photography... I spent the next couple of years photographing grads on my alma mater's campus all while balancing schoolwork, a part time job teaching group fitness, student orgs, and more! It was a crazy roller coaster, but it was such a special time in my life and business....and it's why I'm SO passionate about photographing grads.
I now live in Baltimore, MD with my little family of house plants and rescue pup where I am a full time wedding and portrait photographer and part time barre teacher!
in case we haven't met...
What to expect
Now that you are booked and things are officially official - let’s talk through the entire grad experience, step-by-step! Your grad experience starts NOW, and I want you to know what’s around every corner as you begin to prep for your shoot day!
01
Prior to making things official, you completed your pre-session questionnaire! (So you are already one step ahead of the game!) This questionnaire helps me to get to know you, your style and your preferences so that I can create the best possible grad experience for you! Since we're officially official, it's tie to start planning... starting with your styling and planning guide! Be sure to read through this guide as it is full of lots of helpful information! If you have any questions, I'm just an email away. (Caity@caitkramer.com)
Pre-Booking & Planning
02
the week before
As we get closer to the day of your session, you can expect to hear from me with our meeting time, location and final check-in! I photograph grad portraits at “golden hour” - either 2 hours before sunset or in the 2 hours after sunrise. We have likely already decided which time of day we will have your session based on location! These times of day have the most amazing, glow-y light, cooler temperatures, and less crowds at popular locations.
Now is also a great time to set your cap and gown out to wrinkle release. Chances are good, your cap and gown will come folded in a bag, and you'll need to take some time to ensure it'll be wrinkle free for your session. Steaming works wonders— I recommend avoiding irons. More on this soon!
03
Session day!
This section of the style guide could be its own book in itself! SO many fun things to talk about on the day of your shoot! During your session, we will have lots of fun visiting the iconic locations that tell the story of your graduation. Let’s dive into what to expect during your grad session:
The importance of being on time
Being on time for your session is VITAL. And I don’t just say that because of my time… I say that because we are on the SUN’S time. Since we plan your session around the ideal time for golden lighting… being late means that you lose that time off of your session. Even being 15 minutes late means that we’ve lost 15 minutes of light. Once the sun goes down…we can’t shoot anymore! So, try to plan to be 10-15 minutes early for your session. That way, even if you hit traffic or a delay…it doesn’t eat into your session time! If you are more than 30 minutes late for your session, we will have to reschedule for my soonest available date (which is typically 2-3 months out).
the first 15 minutes
When you arrive at your session, the first thing we are going to do is look through your outfits together while strategizing a plan at our location(s)! Often, this time of your session is used to discuss how you feel about your cap and gown while combing through any additional outfits or accessories you brought with you. I always love to know exactly what you have with you and how you feel about your cap and gown— I find everyone is different!! We'll review what you want to highlight, and anything you would like me to look out for. I'll teach you everything you need to know about posing throughout your session, so don't panic— no professional model experience is needed! (I got you!) The first 15 minutes may feel new and a little awkward if you haven't had your photo taken recently, but know that is totally normal! The nerves will fade, and you'll leave your session a posing pro!
Changing Outfits + Locations
I frequently get asked where my grads will change outfits on their session day… and the answer is almost always in your car or in a bathroom on campus depending on availability and access. I have found that we usually get pretty lucky on college campuses in the evening, but sometimes early morning sessions on campus or at the Lincoln are hit or miss, so I always like to give you a heads up that bathroom access isn't guaranteed. If you will be wearing a cap and gown, we will add this on top of your attire, so do ensure that you like your cap and gown with the outfit
you are wearing. This will only be a consideration for grads wearing two outfits.
Posing + Photography
The BIGGEST and most important thing that I want you to know about your session day is this: I am going to tell you (and/or your group!) what to do the ENTIRE time! You do NOT need to have any posing or modeling experience. I’ve actually never photographed a real model in my entire 10+ years of being a photographer! Part of your investment in your grad portraits is my experience and ability to pose you and make you look (and feel!) your absolute best. So, there’s no reason to be nervous at all! I will guide you through every single pose and I promise the BIGGEST compliment I get from grads is that I make it so easy. It’s going to be a blast!
Who to bring with you
Your grad session is a time to relax and celebrate all that you have accomplished! We'll take some photos to announce your graduation in your cap and gown and will also be sure to capture a few headshots as we go to help set you up for professional success down the road! Because we'll be pretty busy, I usually recommend that we start grad sessions as just the two of us— that gives us plenty of time to work through posing while you warm up in front of the camera.
If you would like photos with your family, a best friend, significant other, mentor or someone else, I recommend that they come for the final 15-20 minutes of your session. This ensures that we're able to grab beautiful photos of you AND also have time to work in those you would like to incorporate without requiring them to sit around and wait during your individual photos.
Be sure to let me know that they will be joining us so I can plan your session accordingly.
Another frequently asked question is “who do I bring with me!?” There are two parts to this, depending on the type of session you have booked... so let's dive in!
If you have booked a group session for two or more people, I ask that we keep your session to just your group. This ensures that we are able to get plenty of variety of individual images of each grad plus plenty of fun group photos!
Individual Sessions
Group Sessions
LET's talk locations...
are they a big deal?
Aside from choosing your outfit(s) (which we are diving into next, don’t worry!) - choosing your LOCATIONS is a huge part of what will determine the overall style and aesthetic of your images. It also takes a little bit of logistical planning to map out where we will shoot and the travel time between locations. Overall, there are a few things to keep in mind when picking where to shoot:
It’s actually not the location that matters most…it’s the LIGHT!
This is hard to understand if you aren’t a photographer but hear me out: if you have the most beautiful garden location in mind with tons of fluffy flowers and manicured walkways… but it’s in the DIRECT sunlight all day long…it’s actually not an ideal place to shoot. It would be better to have the session in a random path tucked behind your freshman year dorm with back-light coming through the trees…because the LIGHT is what makes the biggest difference in the whole world! Trust me on this one!!
While the location of your shoot totally matters…it may not matter quite as much as you think. My portrait photography style is driven by light over location which means that the quality of light we are working with matters MORE than the location. (Which comes back to why session timing is key!)
Yes, we'll visit many of the iconic spots on campus or the National Mall that you expect to see in your final gallery, but while we do, I'll be evaluating the light to ensure that it is both flattering and gorgeous. This may mean that we are utilizing locations in a ways you may not expect, but I promise... you will thank me later!
I have one request: please TRUST me on this part!
When I tell you that some of my most AMAZING images have been created in the weirdest locations (or at the craziest time of day!)… I mean it! The photos just to the right were all taken at sunrise because the sun rises behind the building! It may mean for a SUPER early wakeup call, but it is worth it for gorgeous, even light.
I may ask you to meet at 5:45AM (or earlier!), may take you off of the beaten trail to a location you may not expect, or tuck you into a pocket of glow-y light right next to a parking lot. It may seem super crazy in the moment, but I promise... it will absolutely be worth it!
I've had clients that have experienced one (Or all!!) of the above scenarios... And they all got some of the BEST work I’ve ever created because they TRUSTED me as their photographer. I may have an idea or location suggestion that sounds crazy… but it’s because I have 10+ years of experience finding the lighting and composition that will create stellar images. (Even if it sounds insane!) So, my biggest request is that you trust me even if I sound crazy…I promise you’ll always be glad you did!!
Now for the most FUN part and hands-down the most frequently asked question: WHAT DO I WEAR!? Choosing what you will wear for your grad session is a huge decision that can make or break your portrait session! I know that sounds intense... but, if you wear something that you don’t feel confident in or that doesn’t photograph well on camera... it can ruin the experience for you! So, the Grad Style Guide to the rescue! This section will break down my best tips for what to wear and how to style your session to ensure that you love your images and feel your best in front of the camera.
WHAT TO WEAR
Comfort is Confidence
The most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: if it’s not comfortable to wear in real life, it won’t make you feel confident on camera! If you do not like fitted clothing (like super tight dresses, suit pants, or pieces that need to be tugged into place) then leave them at home! If you are most comfortable in sleeves, it may not be best to opt for something strapless. If you find yourself tugging on an outfit to feel comfortable, only like it from one angle, or cannot sit in the outfit, give it a pass. You’ll be doing lots of moving and posing, so if the outfit is super low-cut, super short, or super tight you may be uncomfortable as we work.
Comfort is confidence, friend! By feeling GOOD in your outfit(s), you'll also feel good in your photos!
Be Yourself
At risk of sounding super cheesy…staying true to yourself with your outfits is so, so important. When you look back at these images in 20+ years…you’ll want them to truly reflect YOU! If you aren’t someone who ever dresses up or enjoys being fancy… don’t feel like you need to go buy a fancy outfit just for photos. Don’t feel pressured to buy anything new or outside of your usual style just because you are getting photos taken. This entire session is meant to be about who YOU are in this exciting season of life… so don’t change a single thing about ya!
Be bold + consider using color
Use this shoot as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with your outfits + colors! When choosing outfits for your senior session, try to choose colors that POP and that compliment your hair + skin tones! If color feels like home to you, don't be shy about incorporating bright, bold colors. If you are more into neutrals, I also find that whites, creams, light grey, blush, and powder blue also make beautiful options for grad portraits! Whatever you choose, do be sure that you love your selection(s) with your cap and gown! If you have scheduled a group session, do be sure your pieces coordinate well within your group.
Outfit inspo
Looking for some outfit inspiration?! Hop on over to Pinterest to scroll through images from previous grads who NAILED it with their outfit choices + styling for their session! I hope this helps!
click to see pinterest
Prep Your Cap & Gown
If you will be incorporating your cap and gown during your session, these tips and tricks are for you! I PROMISE... prepping your cap and gown in advance makes all the difference:
1. Buy your cap and gown early
I promise... I am in no way trying to rush you towards graduation, but it is always worth it to purchase your cap and gown in advance! This gives you plenty of time to test outfits with your gown while letting the wrinkles and pleats relax and release from the material.
2. Remove your cap and gown from the bag + steam
I find that, more often than not, graduation attire arrives very wrinkled. If you arrive to your session with your gown wrinkled, unfortunately, there is not much that we can do— the wrinkles will not be able to be edited out. As soon as you get your graduation attire, I recommend hanging it on a hanger, helping some of the wrinkles naturally release. When you run through your outfit + hair and makeup test a week before your session, steam your gown. Leave it hanging + touch up any spots that may need a little extra love pre-session. Bring your gown on a hanger on the day of your session. Always read the tag in your graduation attire when it comes to applying heat to the material. I find a steamer usually works best and do not recommend using an iron on most graduation gown materials.
3. Preview your entire outfit
Once you receive your cap and gown, test your entire look from head to toe. Try on your outfits + accessories with undergarments, and if you will be including your cap and gown or any other graduation accessories, be sure to try these on with your outfits as well. Check for lines that you may not like—I find the most common ones are the neckline or tie/necklace competing with graduation gowns, or a hem line “balloon- ing” the gown, making it appear larger. Your session day is not the time to find out that you are unhappy with how something looks. Make sure you are happy well in advance, so you have the time to make any necessary adjustments.
This is also a great time to determine how you feel about your cap and gown and how you like to wear it! All grads feel a little different about how they like to wear their graduation attire. Have a basic idea of how you like your gown (zipped or unzipped), where you like your cap, and if you will be wearing any stoles or cords.
Tips by the Seasons
I want you to feel READY for your session, no matter what time of year your session will be happening! Keep on reading for some of my favorite tips to help you prep for your grad session in every season!
winter
spring
summer
fall
Be prepared for your session to be chilly! Bring along some hot hands, a warm blanket/jacket, sweatpants, and warm slippers. You can thank me later! Generally, sessions are later in the morning and earlier in the evening as there are fewer daylight hours during the winter season.
Sunrise sessions are often earlier while there is a bit more variation in the timing of evening sessions. Be sure to bring along a warm jacket, just in case we have a variation in temperatures, and remain flexible. Spring can often bring rain, which we'll chat about in a moment.
While it may be warmer, summer sessions are gorgeous! Sunrise sessions are generally earlier with sunset sessions beginning closer to 6PM. Bring along some makeup touchups, blotting sheets, and maybe a towel to help with any potential ✨ glistening ✨.
If you are hoping for a sunrise session but can't stomach a 5AM start time, go for a fall session before the end of daylight savings! Sunrise sessions are generally later with sunset sessions having a bit more variation. Bring along something to keep you warm, just in case temps are cooler!
HAIR & MAKEUP
THEY ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS
When you are investing in a professional photographer, you want to make sure that the images look their absolute best. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that it photographs well. While your makeup may look AMAZING in person, it can look completely different on-camera, and these professionals are trained to know the difference! They will conceal spots you don’t like, contour your face so it looks the best at every angle, use colors that compliment your skin to make it look flawless, make your eyes POP with false lashes + shadows, manicure your eyebrows to perfection and more!
This will only apply to grads that do wear makeup! So... if you don't fall into this camp, feel free to skip this section! I highly recommend all of my grad clients invest in professional hair and makeup. If it is in your budget, hiring a professional for your hair and makeup will make a huge difference in the quality of your photos and grad portrait experience. You are already making a large investment in your portrait experience… so why not make it the best it can be?!
Let’s talk about why it can be such a big game-changer for your experience:
LESS STRESS
Preparing for your grad portrait session can be stressful in and of itself. Trying to do your hair and makeup by yourself can make things even harder. Professional camera equipment is designed to pick up every little detail in an image (even details that the eye can’t see) so hiring a professional makeup artist is the best way to go.
WHO DOESN’T LIKE BEING PAMPERED!?
I don’t ever want my grads to feel like their portrait session is just simply “taking pictures”, I want it to be an EXPERIENCE. So, if my grads arrive after an hour of being pampered + beautified, the entire experience has already started on a good note! If a grad arrives flustered or stressed after trying to get ready themselves, it can affect the entire experience, including the way you look in photographs!
my RECOMMENDATIONS
Here is a list of amazing artists that I recommend in the Baltimore/DC area (they are available for travel, too!)
luxbylily
Brushed Beauty
JKW Beauty
If this is not in your budget, that is COMPLETELY fine!
You can use these tips to make your makeup look camera-ready yourself:
Wear slightly heavier make-up than normal, including blush and lipstick or gloss that are at least slightly darker than your lip color. I also highly recommend false lashes. These can be purchased on Amazon or at CVS— If you don't know how to put them on, bring them to your session with eyelash glue! The former dance team girl in me is a pro at applying them.
Don't neglect the nails
In all of the chaos of session prep, don’t forget to pamper your nails! During your session, a lot of the poses we do will have your hands pinching your cap or gown, so make sure that your nails look just how you want! Try to avoid any chipped polish or crazy patterns. French manicures, light/natural colors and even nails with no color at all photograph best!! I LOVE the stick on gel stickers! They are an easy way to create a polished look. You can find these on Amazon or at Ulta.
I've got you covered!
Now, for the slightly less fun part...let's address a few quick things that could go wrong at your session. These are some frequently asked questions that I get about common problems that can pop up...and I want you to feel as prepared as possible! I've been doing this for almost a decade....so I've seen it all! And I'm confident that we will get you amazing images no matter what gets thrown our way!
frequently asked questions:
Here are some questions that I get often, and what to do if anything goes wrong leading up to your shoot date!
Click to view the answers to each FAQ.
This is by far the most asked question I get about things that could go wrong, which makes total sense...because bad weather happens all the time! If there is bad weather in the forecast for your session, rest assured that you have options and I am MORE than happy to reschedule! I typically wait until we are 48 hours out from the session to make a final decision about weather because it changes so often.
If there is a 60% chance of rain or LESS: It is TOTALLY up to you whether you want to move forward with trying to shoot, or if you'd prefer to reschedule to another date. If we shoot and it DOES rain...we will have to finish the session despite the weather (we can't do two shoots if you decide to move forward but the weather doesn't cooperate). But we can make some REALLY cute photos happen in the rain!!! However, if you have your heart set on glowing light and bright images...I'd recommend rescheduling to be safe.
If there is a 60% chance of rain or MORE: My professional recommendation in these scenarios is to reschedule. Even if it doesn't end up raining, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially if you are really excited about bright, glow-y light in your photos!
Wind: There has only been one time I've had to reschedule a session for bad wind...and it was CRAZINESS! Typically, we can shoot despite the wind if we are strategic with WHERE we shoot. But, if there are crazy gusts and you would prefer to move to a day when we know your hair won't have flyaways... we can make that happen!
Clouds: I have a lot of grads who get worried about cloudy days because they think their images won't be as bright and beautiful...but rest assured, that's not true!! Cloudy days are actually AMAZING for photographers...because it means there are no harsh shadows!! Unless it is a seriously grey day with heavy fog or severe storm clouds...cloudy days are our friend!! AND they aren't as hot!!
That is COMPLETELY okay! We will make the final call 24-48 hours before your session. Part of the reason I take a limited number of grad sessions per season is to leave TONS of room open for rescheduling if we need to for reasons outside of our control (i.e. sickness, weather, emergencies). Typically, you won't have to wait longer than a week or two if we have to move your date!*
*This does NOT include needing to reschedule because of poor planning, running late or any other reason. These reschedules are required to book for my next available designated-session date - which is typically 2-3 months out.
My skin is breaking out like crazy...HELP!
We've ALL been there! Don't worry one bit. I am happy to remove any large blemishes in Photoshop - you won't even know it happened! Promise!
Where am I going to change my clothes?
I mentioned this briefly earlier in the guide...but it's a question I get a lot! Typically, my grads choose to change their outfits in the car, but if we are on campus, we may get lucky and have access to a bathroom! While many locations we will be working at may have bathrooms, we may not have access, especially if you have a sunrise session scheduled. Organize and prepare any outfit changes and accessories in advance to ensure any session outfit changes are super easy!
GALLERY DELIVERY
YAY! It takes 3-4 weeks to edit your senior images, then you'll get an email with the link to your full gallery - AH!!! This is where you will be able to download, share and print all of your high resolution digital images. You can download individual images or the entire gallery at once. You can also individually save photos to your phone to start sharing on social media! The next few pages of the guide will walk you through how to use your gallery and the best ways to print and display your new favorite photos. Be sure to come back and reference this after your session!
After your session, my favorite part of the process is sharing your same-week sneak peeks! Yep, THE. SAME. WEEK. I truly get just as excited about your images as you do…and I go home straight from your shoot to edit a handful of my favorites and get them in your hands ASAP! You can expect 3-5 sneak peeks to be shared within the week of your session…and you are welcome to share them anywhere you’d like, too!
The Sneak Peeks
Editing your final gallery typically takes up to 4 weeks, and gallery delivery day is THE MOST EXCITING!!! I will send you the link to your final gallery in an email. This gallery is where you can easily download, share and print all of your high resolution digital files. Your gallery is SO easy to use, and my hope is that it makes sharing your images easy.
The Gallery Delivery
You will be prompted to log into your gallery with your name and email. This is for your safety and my records! This allows me to know who is viewing your gallery and downloading your images... and you know that random people can't get access to it without us knowing! You can favorite images and I can see them on my end... which makes it easy for me to help you order prints and products! Your print release will be forwarded to the email you use to log in, so be sure to use one you have access to.
Logging In
The top of your gallery will have a section called "Session Highlights". These images are what I think are the BEST of the best... my personal favorites from your entire session. Whether it is an epic location, the perfect gust of wind-blown hair, a beautiful pose or a shot where your eyes look AMAZING... you'll start off your gallery experience scrolling through the best of the best! From there, the rest of your gallery will be in chronological order.
"The Highlights"
There are quite a few ways to download + save your digital images! When you are looking at your full gallery, you can click this button (the down arrow) to open the download menu
DOWNLOADING YOUR IMAGES
It will open a menu where you can download a folder of ALL of your images, or just the highlights!
Lastly, you can click on an individual photo to download them one at a time!
printing your images
I truly believe so deeply in the power of printing your images and displaying them in your home. There is something so special about having a physical copy of these memories to cherish and pass down to other family someday. You took the time to invest so much money into your grad session... why not print the images and have a physical way to cherish them and share them?
As you know, I do not have any purchase minimums or requirements in terms of printing your images. They are yours to share and print from whenever you prefer! But there is the option to purchase professional-quality prints and products through your online gallery. This is the ONLY printing option that I personally and professionally recommend in terms of quality and durability. If you print somewhere else, I can NOT guarantee that the quality of the images will look the same as they do online, or that the products and prints themselves will be durable.
My honest suggestion is this: if you want to print your images larger than a 4x6…the professional printer through your online gallery is the best way to go.
In the next few scrolls, I am going to walk you through the "shop" portion of your grad gallery. This is where you can find prints, photo books, canvases, graduation cards and more directly through my professional printer!
Photo Books
Prints & Canvases
Framed Photos
accessing the shop
When you are inside your full gallery, you will see two options at the top: "GALLERY" and "SHOP". You can toggle between the two SUPER easily!
When you open up the shop, it should look like this! You will find all of the product options here. You can purchase prints, canvases, photo books, grad cards and more! I'll walk you through how to design each type of product over the next few scrolls!
When ordering prints, you will see all of the print TYPES in the middle of the screen and all of the SIZES just above. Depending on which size you select, it will likely prompt you to "adjust crop" for each image.
To edit the crop, scroll down to your selected photos, hover over the images, and press edit. It'll look a little something like the image here! I recommend centering groups of people in the photo for the best cropping.
ALBUMS + PHOTO BOOKS
One of my personal favorite ways to print grad images is in an album or photo book. They are the most customizable option - you can pick the cover material + color, plus you get to design all of the pages inside! This is such a great way to celebrate your accomplishments while preserving your memories for future generations!
These make AMAZING gifts for family members, too!
Matted Frames
Want a super beautiful way to commemorate such an amazing season?! These frames are handcrafted and custom built to beautifully display your grad images for years to come! Choose from a multitude of sizes, matte options, frame colors, and MORE! This is also a GREAT parent gift!
