A couple of weeks ago, I had a session with Yani who booked me as her University of San Diego graduation photographer. This was my first time visiting the campus and I was amazed by how beautiful it is! There were gorgeous photo spots everywhere so it was really fun exploring. I loved the beautiful architecture of the buildings and there were flowers and greenery seemingly everywhere.

Yani started off the shoot in a white lace dress which is so perfect for portraits. I always recommend wearing white or a neutral color because it photographs really well, goes with most backgrounds, and doesn't distract from the client who should be the focus. Also, it's a classic choice that will never go out of style.

Next, I had Yani put on her gown and sash which we photographed in front of the chapel (pictured first) and in front of the school of business since that's her major. We saved the cap for last since the cap definitely needs to be pinned into place. For these shots, we headed to the garden that overlooks the bay which is so gorgeous at sunset. I loved our golden hour shots in the garden.

Once the sunset occurred, I had Yani face the sunset since it provided a soft, flattering light on her face. Of course having the sunset in the background would be beautiful but it's quite tough to achieve a vibrant shot with the client properly exposed. So I always make sure to have my client face the sunset and I take advantage of the beautiful light it provides. Once the sunset is over, there's still about 15 minutes in which you can get good twilight shots. These are the final shots in front of the garden. Overall, we had a successful graduation shoot at USD! You can view the full session here :)