Since moving to Seattle, exploring the University of Washington has been high on my to-do list. So when the opportunity came up to do an on-campus graduation photoshoot I was happy to drive up from Mercer Island to UW and meet up with Alex for an hour long session.
The campus did not disappoint. It’s all towering greenery and old buildings, PNW scenery that seamlessly blends with classically collegiate architecture. And being after graduation, the campus was remarkably quiet for a sunny weekday evening.
Judging from the other photographers lined up, we started the shoot at the most popular spot, the large W statue on the campus, I’m assuming a classic UW graduation shot.
After that we moved on to the some of the more prominent buildings on campus, including the Paccar Building (Business School), and the Suzzalo Library.
Portrait shoots, particularly with non-models, are always a delicate balance. Most people aren’t comfortable on camera, which I get, I too hate getting my picture taken.
So as a photographer getting the subject comfortable is more important than knowing how to properly set your exposure.
So, as often seems to happen with portrait shoots, the last setup was my favorite. By then the subject was comfortable, the light had softened, and we found a perfect spot on the steps.
