Public relations (PR) photographs are candid, fun, memorable pictures taken before, during, and after a commencement ceremony. Photographers have more flexibility and artistic discretion when taking PR images than they do taking ceremony images, such as handshake photographs. They enjoy exploring the creative side of their job to help capture the true spirit and emotion of graduation.

When graduates are individually recognized on stage, we are able to determine precisely who each person is by virtue of the fact that names are announced. However, it is not easy to individually identify public relations (PR) images of graduates taken before or after the ceremony. This is because photographers capture PR images "in the moment," and cannot always document each person's name before moving on to the next opportunity. The result is that these images are put into a large "gallery" with hundreds of other PR images, and graduates often need to browse through them all in order to find their own.

With most schools now back in session after the summer break, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the commencement season that is now behind us, and look ahead to the 2019-2020 academic year. It was an exciting summer at GradImages, and we are very grateful for the event coordinators at our client schools who made everything happen. What we do would not be possible without your hard work!

The majority of commencements across North America have graduates crossing the stage in only one direction, either right-to-left or left-to-right.  When commencement professionals talk about a ceremony having two lines, they are referring to a process by which graduates approach and cross the stage from two different directions simultaneously.  (The word "simultaneously" is important.)

In the context of commencement ceremonies, the terms "graduates" and "participants" are often used interchangeably, but can have different meanings. And in discussions with your vendors and providers, clarifying which term is being used is key.

Green screen technology is ideally suited for a studio environment, where the photographer has precise control over the individual(s) being photographed and their clothing, and where there are no constraints on the amount of time it takes to capture each image.

There are essentially four different photo finishes used in photograph printing today: