Graduate-friend photographs after the ceremony

Friends are part of the story of a degree or a course, and the end of the ceremony is often the last time a whole group is together. A friends session is a way to record that. It also needs a little organising, because graduates scatter to families, queues and meals. This page helps you plan it. It belongs to our graduation and convocation photography cluster.

Who is the booker?

A friends session may be requested by one graduate for a group, by a group sharing a booking, or as an addition to a family commission. Each is different.

Arrangement	What it means
One person books, the group is included	One person pays and receives the gallery, then shares it
Cost shared by the group	Everyone agrees the scope and each contributes
An addition to a family booking	Friends join the family session for a short time

Decide which applies before asking for a quotation. If several people are making decisions together, our guide to agreeing photography priorities with several decision-makers can help you reach one brief.

Who is actually in the group?

Do not assume everyone has agreed. Ask each person in advance, and write down the names. It is easy to say "we will all take a photograph" and find on the day that two people are with families and one dislikes being photographed.

Our guide to camera-shy adults at a photographed event explains how to include people gently. A person who prefers not to join should not feel pressure, and a group photograph can still go ahead without them.

When and where?

The time after the ceremony is often best, because friends are present, dressed and in good spirits. It is also the most crowded, as many other graduates have the same idea.

• Meeting point. Choose a place that is easy to find and quieter than the main photo areas.
• Timing. Agree a time with a margin, and a message group for updates.
• Alternative. Have a place nearby for rain, crowds or heat. See crowded post-ceremony areas and rain changing outdoor plans.

An example scenario

Imagine six friends from the same course, each with a family, who want a session of about fifteen minutes after a morning ceremony. One friend books and shares the cost with the others. The group decides on a full group photograph, three smaller combinations and a relaxed walking frame.

They agree to meet at a shaded spot at 12.30pm, after families have had a first round of photographs. One friend says she prefers not to appear in published images, so the booker agrees the gallery will not be posted online. This is a hypothetical example, and the real arrangements are yours to decide.

Planning combinations

A group of six can produce many combinations: all together, pairs, trios, the course group, the group with a lecturer. Each takes a minute or two. Pick the ones that matter and put them in order. Our group photograph planner helps you estimate how many fit in the time.

If a lecturer or teacher is to join, see photographs with supervisors or teachers.

Sharing and privacy

Friends often want to post photographs. Agree in advance what is acceptable. Some people are happy to see images online, and some are not. Our photo sharing and privacy plan helps you set simple rules the group can follow.

What to tell the photographer

• Who books and pays, and who receives the gallery.
• The names of the friends joining.
• The meeting place and time.
• The combinations you want, in priority order.
• Anyone who prefers not to be photographed or shared.

Your quotation sets out the coverage and deliverables in writing. For a group sharing a commission, read shared photography bookings by graduating friends.