Hey friends! I have such a fun and informational post for you today. With my Spring 2025 Graduation session dates going live next Wednesday, October 30th (but on Sunday, October 15th for my email list – you can still join the list here!), many of you may be wondering when exactly is the BEST time to book your spring graduation portraits. While we all have a general idea of what campus looks like throughout the spring, you may not have been paying close enough attention throughout the last three springs to know when your perfect session date for graduation portraits is.

Having spent the past eight (!) springs shooting graduation photos on campus, I have lots of content to show campus throughout the months of spring, and am happy to share my wisdom with you! My spring grad season typically begins the week following Spring Break and goes through the last week of April. Stopping my sessions a week or two before graduation gives me plenty of availability for any rain reschedules we may have to deal with throughout the semester.

Now, let’s look at some beautiful Spring graduation portraits!

Week of March 16th:

Gracie’s portraits were shot on March 20th- my very first week of shooting graduation photos for Spring 2024! As you can see, the trees were beginning to bloom around the President’s Mansion and the Stadium, but they weren’t quite full of life and green just yet. The tulips were in bloom at the President’s Mansion, which added a beautiful pop of color to her portraits. Campus is much quieter in March, due to it being earlier in the grad-photo-season. If having a background free of other photographers and grads is your priority, I’d suggest booking a session during this week!

Week of March 23rd:

The photos above were taken one week later, on March 27th. Look at the difference in the leaves at the President’s Mansion! The azaleas in front of the President’s Mansion had begun to open up more, giving us even more color there for Callie’s portrait session.

Week of March 30th:

Saman’s portrait session was held on April 3rd – this is my favorite time to capture graduation portraits on campus! The weather is beautiful and the campus is fully alive. While it is busier with other grads and their photographers, booking a session with an earlier start time can help you to avoid the crowds.

Week of April 6th:

The first two weeks of April are my busiest time of year – and like I mentioned above – my favorite time to shoot on campus! From April on, you won’t see much of a difference in the blooms and greens throughout campus, but you will see an influx of other grads and their photographers out and about. If you need a session date later in April, I highly suggest booking one of the sessions with an earlier start time to avoid the crowds! This session was held on April 12th – you can begin to see how we can’t quite duck huge crowds as shown in the shot at BDS.

Week of April 13th:

By mid-April, we really have to get a bit more creative with the angles we shoot on campus. This tends to be the busiest time of year on campus. Other grads and their photographers will form lines to shoot, and well-meaning parents/guests will find their way into the background of my usual spots.

Week of April 20th:

My last full week of grad sessions will be the week of April 20th! I reserve dates during dead week and finals week for rain reschedules.

Other Tips and Tricks:

Post-graduation Portraits:

While posting your graduation portraits on Instagram during commencement weekend is tempting, consider scheduling your session the week after graduation for a more relaxed experience. With most students heading home, campus is much quieter, giving you a calm and crowd-free backdrop for your photos. Plus, you’ll be done with finals and all the hectic last-minute to-dos, so why not keep the celebration going? Many seniors even use this time to capture a few special shots with family while they’re still in town. It’s a perfect way to honor the people who supported you throughout your journey and make your graduation portraits even more meaningful!

Early Session = Earlier Gallery Delivery:

All sessions are guaranteed to be delivered within 3-weeks of your session date. Do you want to send out invitations or announcements? Have to have a graduation portrait submitted to one of your organizations by a certain deadline? Keep these things in mind when choosing your graduation portrait date!

If scheduling your portrait session early is not an option, the option for expedited editing can be added onto your gallery at the time of booking. Expedited editing will have your full gallery edited and delivered within 3-business days of your session.

Let’s book your session!

The University of Alabama’s campus is so beautiful that you can’t go wrong shooting any time in the spring. However, if you asked me, I would suggest booking your session on one of my open dates in early April. I love all the colors and flowers that are blooming at that time, and if you love my work, I know you love them too!

If you aren’t already on my email list, be sure to join here so you can have early access to Spring 2025 graduation session dates on October 27th!