Cap and Gown Sessions in Worcester, MA
Cap and gown sessions are a great way to celebrate graduation. I am a graduation photographer based in Worcester, MA who offers cap and gown sessions all around Worcester county.
Cap and gown sessions are popular here in Worcester and the reason why is pretty obvious. In addition to high schools, Worcester is home to Clark University, WPI, Worcester State University, Assumption University, the College of the Holy Cross, Quinsigamond Community College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and several nearby colleges like Anna Maria. Boy, was that a keyword drop or what? Point is there are an above average number of people graduating in the Worcester area and cap and gown sessions are one way to celebrate and remember this event.
These sessions are pretty laid-back and are as simple or as collaborative as you want. Some people want to use props and be really involved in the process while others just want a few photos in their cap and gown. I can accomodate both. I also do a lot of cap and gown sessions with friend groups which are always a blast.
Another thing that the Worcester area has a lot of are beautiful parks and college campuses. From Elm Park and Institute Park to Moore State Park (I know, that’s technically Paxton) there are plenty of places to pick from no matter what vibe you are going for.
Check out some of my favorite cap and gown sessions below and reach out if you’re interested. Sessions start at $300. Email me at tomgodfreyphoto@gmail.com or use the form below. You can also find more info by visiting my dedicated cap and gown page.
Cap and Gown Photography in Worcester, MA
Cap and gown sessions are a great way to celebrate graduation. I am a graduation photographer based in Worcester, MA who offers cap and gown sessions all around Worcester county.
Cap and gown photography has always been around. It is a great way to celebrate a graduation - whether that’s a high school graduation or college graduation. It became more meaningful during the pandemic when graduation ceremonies full of family and friends stopped being a thing. The photos from these sessions became more important because they were how friends and family experienced some bit of our academic accomplishment - especially if they didn’t watch your ceremony on a grainy livestream. My first cap and gown session took place in Shrewsbury in 2020 and since then have become an in-demand service that I offer all around the Worcester area.
I approach cap and gown sessions like every other session - stress free. I keep my posing pretty natural and the mood light. Most sessions usually last 45mins to an hour or so but there is no real time limit - though I do offer a short and sweet mini-session for these. We usually do a mix of portraits in your robe and in normal clothing in a few different spots as the setting allows. You are more than welcome to invite some of your immediate family along for some group photos but I suggest you keep this group pretty tight - most people feel a little weird with a ton of people staring at them getting photos taken.
Cap and gown sessions with friends is also popular - especially to celebrate high school graduations. This makes sense, right? I mean, high school is just as much about social connections as it is about academics. These sessions are a mix of mini individual portraits and fun group shots that will 100 percent involve at least one cap throwing.
Check out some photos from recent cap and gown sessions below and head to my dedicated page for pricing and booking info- with college graduation around the corner the coming weekends will book quickly!
Learn more by visiting my cap and gown page. Sessions start at $300.
2020: A Year in Photographic Review
2020 was a strange year but I took a lot of photos because life goes on. Check out my favorite photo from every session that I shot last year. From family sessions to a bride and groom jumping into the pool in full dress. It’s all here.
I always try to keep things pretty optimistic and cheerful on my site so forgive me when I say that 2020 was a big pile of garbage. I think that sentiment is pretty universal. It was a struggle to just stay afloat for a lot of us who were forced to close up shop for long periods of time. Businesses that were run by people smarter than me didn’t make it through because of things that were beyond their control. Lacking a ton of overhead and being married to my second photographer, I was able to survive by curling up into a fetal position with my camera popping up as regulations allowed. The efforts to support small businesses like mine were huge.
A few days ago I started going through all of my sessions during 2020 and I was reminded of why I do this. Life goes on. There was the pandemic, yes, but there were also marriages, adoptions, trips to the park, and engagements. Silver linings in the cloud are what you live for during hard times, right?
Very often my favorite photo from a session will not be the one that gets printed and framed. It will be a moment of tenderness when nobody knows that the camera is on them or it will be some hilarious moment when a kid crosses a line and is just done with the session. Photos without a story can be pretty but that’s not what I am into. If people wanted that anymore then we would still be loading into the car and going to Sears.
Below are my favorite photos from every session from the last year that was not a studio headshot or real estate shoot. I have a lot to be thankful for even during a year that went so so wrong for everyone. Thank you to all of my 2020 clients!
Class of 2020: Talk about a Rip-off
The Class of 2020 learned a rough lesson about how fast things can change. They were robbed of important moments that most of us take for granted. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of tagging along as this group of friends celebrated their graduation in their own way at the Foundation Field in Shrewsbury, MA.
I really feel for the class of 2020. They got royally ripped off. Missing out on graduation and other events they’ve been looking forward to for years is a brutal lesson in having to go with the flow. My heart goes out to all of the seniors that I took portraits of over the last year or so who had to take a hit due to the pandemic.
A few weeks ago I was asked about taking some photos of a group of friends at the Foundation in Shrewsbury, MA. They were planning on doing the photos themselves but one of the moms thought it would be fun for me to hop in. It was. It was a lot of fun to see these graduating (now graduated) seniors interact and have a little fun. They were totally ready to collaborate and willing to play along.
They were also patient. The wind that day was intense and really came out of nowhere. The caps were in frame during the “toss your cap in the air” shots for about .5 seconds. I think this session is a good reminder of how strong young people can be. Here they are- robbed of a formal graduation, prom, everything else (senior skip day being a huge exception) but they were still super optimistic and excited.
Congrats to all seniors- especially these girls.
If you’re a member of the Class of 2020 and want to have some fun with your friends and throw your cap into the air a bunch of times then shoot me a message!
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Pictures are worth a thousand words but check out what goes on behind the scenes during my sessions.