I love Grad Cap & Gown portraits at Bellevue Botanical Garden for a timeless and beautiful look. Graduation is an amazing milestone that deserves to be captured with intention and personality. It’s important to have fun and celebrate this exciting time, while also preserving memories in a classic way to look back on for years to come.

Grad Session Location

• Choose a location that allows for variety in backgrounds. Bellevue Botanical Garden works well with it’s many different gardens and seasonal changes.
• If you are nervous about posing: Location features like benches, large rocks, bridges, fences, stairs, and railings can help by offering you something to sit and lean on.
• It’s always fun to do a cap toss at your grad photoshoot! So choose a location with at least one open space to allow for room to toss.
• If you are nervous about crowds, ask your photographer to recommend locations that are more private. As a senior and graduation photographer, I always have plenty of amazing locations to choose from!
• Planning any outfit changes? I always have a changing tent available, but be sure to check in with your photographer. Bellevue Botanical Garden is a great option if you want a bathroom available to change in.

What to Wear at Your Grad Photoshoot

• Your Cap & Gown! Make sure you steam or iron your gown and stole. They are typically tightly folded when you pick them up, so there will be noticeable creases.
• Remember to put your tassel on your cap!
• Don’t forget to bring any honor cords you have.
• A white dress for girls is a nice option to wear under your gown. And it looks great for a few photos without the cap and gown.
• Slacks and a dress shirt or a suit look nice under your graduation gown. Consider the color of your gown when making your selection.
• If you know where you will be heading after high school, bring along something to represent your future- spirit wear, a hat, pennant, or decorated cap work well.
• Gear and uniforms for a high school sport are a nice addition to graduation sessions.
• Varsity jackets are fun to show off.

Graduation marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Capturing this moment should be a fun experience. Because it’s more than just a photoshoot! This is your chance to pause, celebrate, and preserve a moment that you have worked hard to arrive at.