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Capturing Success: How to Book Graduation Ceremony Photography Jobs Like a Pro

Capturing Success: How to Book Graduation Ceremony Photography Jobs Like a Pro

Graduation ceremonies are a golden opportunity for photographers. With proud parents, beaming graduates, and memories to last a lifetime, these events are the perfect stage for capturing unforgettable moments. But how do you land these lucrative gigs? In this blog post, we'll share insider tips on how to book graduation ceremony photography jobs and create lasting success. And with NowCandid by your side, you'll have the support and tools you need to shine in the academic spotlight.

  1. Build a Stellar Portfolio:
    First things first, you need to showcase your skills as a graduation photographer. Create a specialized portfolio featuring your best work from past graduation ceremonies. If you're just starting out, consider offering your services for free or at a discounted rate to build your experience and gain valuable client testimonials. Or, try starting out with some smaller graduation ceremonies that are not as contested by competing photographers!
  2. Network with Schools and Universities:
    Build relationships with school administrators, counselors, and event coordinators. Attend school events, join local education associations, and engage in conversations on social media platforms. Establishing connections in the education community will help open doors to potential photography opportunities.
  3. Leverage Social Media and Online Marketing:
    Create a strong online presence to showcase your work and attract clients. Use social media platforms, SEO, and email marketing to promote your services and drive traffic to your website. Share captivating images from past graduation ceremonies, client testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content to engage your audience and demonstrate your expertise. 
  4. Partner with Local Businesses:
    Collaborate with local businesses that cater to graduates, such as cap & gown vendors, school ring vendors, or varsity jacket vendors as a couple examples. These partnerships can lead to valuable referrals and create a network of resources that benefits all parties involved.
  5. Provide Exceptional Customer Service:
    Go above and beyond to make your clients feel special. Be responsive, professional, and attentive to their needs. Offer personalized consultations, accommodate special requests, and deliver a memorable experience that will leave them singing your praises. NowCandid's platform can help you streamline your workflow and ensure a smooth customer experience from start to finish.
  6. Ask for Referrals and Testimonials:
    Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool. Encourage satisfied clients to refer you to their friends and colleagues, and request testimonials for your website and marketing materials. A strong reputation will keep the bookings rolling in.

Booking graduation ceremony photography jobs can be both rewarding and profitable. By building a compelling portfolio, networking with schools and universities, and leveraging the power of NowCandid, you'll be well on your way to capturing success in the world of academic photography. So, put on your metaphorical cap and gown, and get ready to celebrate your achievements in the graduation photography business!

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Candy’s Weekly Recap: Group Photo Toggle, Improved Participant Counts & More! ✨

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Hello, my fabulous photographers!

Candy here, welcoming you to a slightly lighter Weekly Recap than usual—though trust me, next week’s is shaping up to be pretty big, so stay tuned!

Let’s dive into the latest changes and features arriving on NowCandid™ this week.

1. Group Photo Toggle for PartyPics™ 🏷️

We’ve extended the Group Photo toggle on the Manage Images page to include PartyPics™ events:

  • Mark as Group Image: Place that photo at the end of every participant’s personal gallery.
  • Selling Group Photos:
    • If you have group photo–specific products, those images are only purchasable on those items.
    • If not, they’re sold on your normal product lineup.
  • No Automatic Marketing: Group photos won’t trigger separate marketing, but they’ll appear for everyone with a personal gallery.

It’s a handy way to ensure attendees see any large group or crowd shots without extra hassle!

2. Improved Participant Counts 🙋

Our Participant counting system just got more accurate:

  • Combined Contacts: If a single Selfie Check-In™ has multiple Contact entries, it now counts as one "Participant", rather than one Participant for each Contact.
  • Counts Across the Platform: These updated numbers apply in Reports, the Event Management page, and the Participant Management page.
  • Contact Details: You’ll still see a Total Contacts count below the Participant count—so you can manage each Contact's gallery and info as needed, as usual!

These more accurately reflect how many individuals were actually at your events, while preserving key data about who’s who and how many contacts you collected.

3. Face Matching™ for Portraits Now 🤳

Lastly, you can now choose to run Face Matching™ in your Portraits Now events:

  • Previously Positive ID Only: Portraiture Events historically used only Positive ID, but many photographers brought up use cases for face-based workflows in certain portrait sessions!
  • Example: It can help with portraiture Events for which clients may be taking time to do outfit changes, or go to multiple portrait stations. Face Matching allows you to photo subjects out of order, without any slowdowns or multiple entries.

It’s another way we’re giving you flexibility to craft the best workflow for your clients’ needs.

That’s it for this week, folks!

Sometimes even small updates can have a big impact on your Workflow! So thanks for staying tuned.

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to reach out—and don’t forget to check back next week for some very exciting changes!

Candy 🍬

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Retail Cover Images, LiveLoop™ Ads & More! ✨
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Candy’s Weekly Recap: Retail Cover Images, LiveLoop™ Ads & More! ✨

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Hello, my fabulous photographers!

Candy here, ready to sprinkle some sparkle on your day with another Weekly Recap.

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1. Cover Images for Retail Site 🖼️

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Check out this sample Event to see the new Cover Image feature in action! https://www.quic.pics/sample-event

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Our beloved LiveLoop™ just got even better:

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Schools in particular asked for a single place where everyone can find photos from the year’s events—proms, sports, graduations, you name it—and now it’s just a single link!

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Expect more improvements next week—stay tuned!

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That’s it for this Weekly Recap!

We hope these features add some pizzazz to your events, make LiveLoop™ more engaging, and simplify your day-to-day management.

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Cheers and sparkles,


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 minutes read

We have several webinars coming up!

At NowCandid™, we’re committed to helping photographers streamline their workflow, maximize revenue, and capture unforgettable moments with ease. That’s why we’re hosting a series of exclusive webinars covering our latest tools and strategies. Whether you’re looking to boost your graduation photography business or explore the full power of NowCandid™, these sessions are for you!

🎓 GradPics Now™ – The Smart Way to Capture Graduations

Graduation photography should be seamless, profitable, and stress-free. GradPics Now™ gives you the flexibility and efficiency you need to handle ceremonies of any size—all while increasing your earnings. With our innovative Selfie Check-In™ Workflow, you can ensure every graduate gets photographed and linked effortlessly.

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🗓 Webinar Date: Click the date below to register
📅 Tuesday, February 25th @ 12 PM CST

🎉Snap to Success: Profitable Social Photography

The social photography market is great as a part-time gig to fill in those seasonal gaps in the calendar or as a full-time source of income.

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✅Current best practices that can make you even more successful

🗓Webinar Date:
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📸 NowCandid™ Overview – The Ultimate Photography Toolkit

Whether you specialize in social events, sports, graduations, or portraits, our powerful software suite is designed to help you Snap More and Stress Less. With cutting-edge features like Selfie Check-In™, Live Loop™, and Photo Booth Mode, NowCandid™ gives photographers the tools they need to automate, market, and grow their business like never before.

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🗓 Webinar Date: Click the date below to register
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📅 Let’s Connect One-on-One!

Can’t make it to a webinar or want to dive deeper into how NowCandid™ fits your business? Book a one-on-one session with our team today!

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We can’t wait to see you at the webinars and help you take your photography business to the next level! 🚀📷

Let’s get in touch

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