Cap and Gown Chronicles: Master the Art of Graduation Photography with These Expert Tips
By
Jack C.
on
April 11, 2023
|
4
minute read
Graduation day is a momentous occasion, marking the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and the occasional all-nighter (we're looking at you, college students). As a photographer, you have the unique opportunity to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments, and we're here to help you make the most of it. From technical know-how to creative flair, we've got you covered with expert tips for optimal graduation photography. And with NowCandid's Grad Pics Now program at your side, you'll be snapping insta-worthy shots in no time. So, ready your camera and let's get started!
Scout the Location: Before the big day, visit the graduation venue to familiarize yourself with the layout and lighting conditions. Identify the best spots for group shots, candid moments, and the all-important diploma handoff. This prep work will ensure that you're in the right place at the right time to capture those precious memories.
Use the Right Gear: Bring a telephoto lens for close-ups of the stage, a wide-angle lens for group shots, and a fast prime lens for low-light conditions. A monopod or tripod can also help steady your shots and reduce camera shake during those crucial moments and pre- or post-stage cross portraits.
Find the Perfect Angle: Get creative with your angles to add depth and interest to your shots. But importantly, always find the right shot in order to get the graduate’s face in the photo! When using NowCandid’s face matching workflows, that’s a very important piece of the puzzle! When you can’t get a good angle, consider asking the school ahead of time to make sure the “handshaker” will always turn towards the camera and smile, prompting the graduates to do the same!
Tell the Story: Graduation day is a rollercoaster of emotions, from anticipation to elation. Document the day's events, capturing candid moments and reactions that tell a compelling story. With NowCandid's Grad Pics Now program, you can easily organize and share these images in a personalized gallery, allowing graduates and their families to relive the day for years to come.
Get Creative with Portraits: Graduation portraits don't have to be stiff and formal. Encourage the graduates to express themselves, whether it's a celebratory jump or a quirky pose with their diploma. These fun shots will stand out and make lasting memories.
With these expert tips and NowCandid's Grad Pics Now program in your toolkit, you'll be well-equipped to master the art of graduation photography. So, channel your inner photographer and capture the magic of the big day – because, as Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." And no one wants to miss a moment as special as graduation day. Happy snapping!
Candy here, bringing you the first edition of our Recap series! 🌟
This blog post will cover alllllll of September's new features and changes worth mentioning! But going forward, we will be doing Weekly Recaps to keep you in the loop even faster.
We've been busy bees these past few weeks, and I can't wait to share all the fantastic new features and improvements we've made to help you shine even brighter. ✨
Psst... since this is our inaugural recap, we're covering updates from all of September, so grab a comfy seat—it's a bit longer than usual! Going forward, these recaps will be weekly and shorter, but just as sweet. 😉
We're thrilled to announce that manual gallery assignment and participant creation are now live! This means you can:
○ Assign images to someone's personal gallery manually—perfect for those shots where the subject wasn't facing the camera, and face recognition didn't pick them up.
○ Create participants manually, either one at a time or by uploading a spreadsheet.
○ Instantly trigger marketing campaigns to individuals when you assign images to them, ensuring they receive their photos promptly.
We believe this will greatly enhance your workflow and support needs. Let us know how it helps you during your next event!
2. Tweaks to the Retail Site for a Smoother Experience 🛍️
We've made several improvements to our retail site to enhance the shopping experience for your clients:
○ "Tap image to get started" text now shimmers on the initial gallery screen to guide users who aren't sure what to do next.
○ Package creation improvements make it more intuitive for customers to customize their packages and select photos.
○ Product renders in the cart: The view cart screen now displays product images next to every item, including items within multi-item packages, for increased clarity.
○ Updated header and footer: Clear guidance on when to contact our retail support or reach out to you, the photographer, for assistance.
These tweaks aim to make the purchasing process as seamless and enjoyable as possible for your clients!
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3. Default Price Levels Are Back! 💰
Great news! The Default Price Levels from our previous NowCandid system are back and better than ever.
While you can still create custom offers, these ready-made Price Levels are optimized to help you maximize sales in various situations.
○ Optimized for success: Designed to boost your sales potential.
○ Versatile options: Suitable for a wide range of events and client needs.
○ Easy to access: Gives you good Offer options in a pinch or when entering a new market.
4. New Image Notifications for Previous Purchasers 🛎️
We've improved our marketing system to better serve your clients and help keep those sales up:
○ If someone purchases on Day 1 and is photographed again on Day 2, they will now receive a notification about the new images added to their gallery.
Tailor the gallery experience to suit any event's needs!
10. Simplified Selfie Check-In 📲
We've made the Selfie Check-In process even more user-friendly:
○ Only requires a cell number OR email address.
○ Encourages participation: Even though neither field says "optional," most people still provide both.
○ Addresses Fringe Issues: Every now and then, someone doesn't have (or refuses to provide) a cell or email address. This change will account for those individuals!
Enhances guest engagement and reduces fringe support issues, with no changes on your part!
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11. New Unsubscribe Keyword: "NOPE"! 🚫
We've introduced a new, fun way for clients to manage their marketing preferences:
"NOPE": Clients can reply with this word to opt out of marketing for a specific event.
Future communications: They will still receive messages for future events unless they opt out again.
Accidental "STOP" replies: If someone replies "STOP" though, they'll need to send "START" to our marketing number to resume receiving texts.
This gives your clients more control while still keeping communication lines open for future events.
12. Seasonal Retail Themes: Apple Crumble & Candy Corn 🍂🎃
Get into the festive spirit with our new retail site themes:
Apple Crumble:
Autumn colors: Warm and inviting hues.
Falling leaves: Adorable "leaves falling" animation upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout.
Candy Corn:
Halloween vibes: Shades of black and bright orange.
Candy corn confetti: Fun "candy corn toss" animation to celebrate the spooky season upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout.
Haunted Retail Site: A few ghosts frequently fly across your customer's screens as they shop!
Delight your clients with these charming themes!
Note: the Leaves & Candy Corn only fall across the screen upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout - these GIFs are simply showing it in a loop :)
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We hope these updates make your experience with NowCandid even more enjoyable and efficient.
Your success is our top priority, and we're always here to support you. 💖
As always, if you have any questions or feedback, don't hesitate to reach out. We're all ears! 👂
Until next week, keep capturing those amazing moments!
We've got an exciting success story that combines the thrill of NFL action with the power of NowCandid's innovative software. 📷✨
Touchdown for Jowdy Photography and NowCandid!
Jowdy Photography, the Official Photographers of the Dallas Cowboys, recently took their game day photography to the next level by integrating NowCandid into their operations.
The result? An astounding 103% increase in sales per image at their very first game day event using our platform! 🏆
"We saw a huge increase in sales per image at our first game with NowCandid, and we're planning to continue using it for every game moving forward," said Jeff Jowdy, Founder of Jowdy Photography. "The software has completely changed our approach to game day photography."
Game-Changing Technology
By leveraging NowCandid's cutting-edge features, Jowdy Photography streamlined their workflow and delivered a seamless experience for fans.
Our platform's real-time image delivery and flexible workflows gave fans instant access to their photos through private, user-friendly galleries.
Not only did this enhance the fan experience, but it also significantly reduced post-event labor costs. Talk about a win-win! 🎉
Unlocking New Opportunities
With NowCandid, Jowdy Photography has opened doors to new ventures that were previously off the table. "There were business opportunities that we didn’t pursue before because they weren’t profitable or photographable," Jeff explained. "Now, with NowCandid's tools and workflows, those ventures have become entirely possible."
From high school graduations to corporate events, our flexible and intuitive platform allows photographers to handle events of all sizes and types. This versatility is what drew Jowdy Photography to integrate NowCandid into more aspects of their business.
Looking Ahead
We're thrilled to see Jowdy Photography's continued success as they capture unforgettable moments at game days and beyond. Their partnership with NowCandid highlights the power of innovative photography solutions in revolutionizing the fan experience while driving business growth. 🚀
Join the Winning Team!
Are you ready to elevate your photography business like Jowdy Photography did?
Discover how NowCandid can transform your workflow, boost your sales, and delight your clients.
Founded in 1987, Jowdy Photography has become a leader in digital photography for corporations, associations, special events, and large venues.
Their extensive knowledge of photography, coupled with their utilization of the latest technology, enables them to deliver a unique blend of quality, creativity, and personalization to their customers' finished products.
Stay tuned for more success stories and tips on how NowCandid can help you capture life's best moments while growing your business.
Candy here, and I’m super excited to share a brand-new feature designed to make your SportsPics Events even easier to manage—introducing GroupTags! 🎉⚽🏀⚾
So, what exactly are GroupTags? 🤔
GroupTags is a feature made specifically for our SportsPics Program!
When you’re managing a big sports shoot with group photos, GroupTags helps you stay organized and deliver a smoother experience for your clients.
Here’s how it works:
1. Before your Event
You can set up as many GroupTags as you need within an Event. These GroupTags could be team names, league divisions, or even different sports if you're covering all of one school's teams over the same weekend. 🏆
2. Once you’ve started photographing
Anytime you mark a photo as a Group Photo (either on the Capture & Upload App, or on the Web Dashboard), you’ll have the option to assign a GroupTag to it. 📸
3. Once They Visit the Retail Site
Your subjects will be able to choose from the GroupTags you set up, and easily find their group shots!
As soon as they arrive to the retail site via their person gallery link, they'll be prompted to choose a GroupTag.
4. Mission Accomplished!
And once they select a GroupTag, they'll see their personal images, in addition to their Group Photos!
How does this help your clients?
To recap:
When your customers open the link to their personal gallery, they’ll be prompted to select their GroupTag—whether that’s a team name, division, or whatever you’ve set up for the Event.
With their GroupTag selected, their Group Photos will show up right alongside their individual images, making it super easy for them to see everything at once! 🖼️
Plus! GroupTags automatically fill in the GroupTag Name on products like Memory Mates, Bag Tags, and more when ordering. How cool is that? ✨
Need to make changes? No problem!
GroupTags are easy to edit after the Event if you need to fix a mistake or assign a Group Photo to multiple GroupTags. And don’t worry—if there’s ever a typo or minor error, your customers can still browse and shop while you fix it in the background! 🛍️
Works with all Workflows!
Whether you’re using Face Matching or Positive ID Workflows, GroupTags are a fantastic way to organize your Group Photos for large sports leagues or any big SportsPics Event. ⚡
Quick Recap:
As a reminder, marking a photo as a Group Photo will only allow it to be purchased on Group Photo Products, allowing you to sell them on different prints at different prices, prevent the sale of digital downloads for Group Photos, and allow them to be selected on multi-image products like Memory Mates.
We hope GroupTags makes your next SportsPics Event even smoother!
As always, feel free to reach out with any questions. 💌
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