Graduation is more than receiving a diploma it's the celebration of years of hard work, personal growth, and the beginning of a brand-new chapter. Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing Megan's graduation portrait session here in Austin, Texas. Although she didn't have a graduation cap or gown, she wanted her photos to celebrate this exciting milestone while also creating professional portraits she could confidently use for LinkedIn for her future career opportunities.
One of my favorite things about portrait photography is creating images that are both meaningful and practical. Instead of focusing only on traditional graduation photos, we planned a session that reflected who she is today while giving her photographs she can continue using for years to come.
A Relaxed Outdoor Graduation SessionWe chose one of Austin's beautiful natural fields during golden hour, when the evening sunlight creates soft, warm tones that flatter every skin tone. I did her makeup and I tried to keep the overall look natural and bring out her natural beauty just a bit enhanced and polished nothing more. Megan brought three outfits, each serving a different purpose throughout the session:

• A classic black dress for timeless graduation portraits.
• An olive green dress for professional headshots and LinkedIn photos.
• A soft blue dress for light, feminine portraits surrounded by wildflowers.

Changing outfits allowed us to create a gallery with a variety of looks without needing multiple locations.
More Than Graduation PhotosMany graduating seniors are preparing to enter the workforce, so having updated professional portraits can be just as valuable as traditional graduation images.
During this session, we intentionally photographed a combination of:

• Graduation portraits
• Professional headshots
• Lifestyle portraits
• Natural outdoor portraits

This variety gives clients a gallery that works for personal memories, resumes, social media, and future career opportunities.
My Photography StyleMy goal is always to create photographs that feel natural, timeless, and true to you.
Rather than heavily posed images, I focus on gentle direction that allows genuine expressions and movement to shine through. Soft golden light, natural colors, and authentic moments are what inspire my work. I want my clients to look back years from now and still feel connected to these photographs.
Congratulations, Megan!Congratulations again on your graduation! It was such a joy celebrating this exciting milestone with you, and I hope these images remind you of everything you've accomplished and all the opportunities waiting ahead. Thank you for trusting me to document this special season of your life.

When Ben's mom called me she said Ben didn't like his photos taken so he asked his friend to take his senior portrait photos. Previously I had taken Ben's sister's senior portraits so her mom asked if I could take his as well. He wanted to take his photos again the Austin City's skyline and for that we met in auditorium shore in an early morning session. 

For the first time being in front of the camera Ben did wonderful and I really like how the photos turned out, I hope I was able to change his perspective on working with photographers and I will see him next for his college graduation photos. 

These are some quick portrait shots I took of Katie at the IGAustin photography event. This was the second time I attended the event and I always enjoy that I get to meet many creatives in the city. 

This graduation photoshoot at UT Austin is by far one of my favorites, it started with a graduation photoshoot and later turned into a couple portrait and at the end we take some LinkedIn photos to use as a headshot. I really love it when the clients are flexible and open to trying different things, that's when I feel the most creative and able to move with the flow and play around with creative ideas the most.