UNCC Graduation Photos | Ashley's UNC Charlotte Graduation Session

When Ashley and I started planning her UNC Charlotte graduation session, she already knew she wanted to wait until after graduation. Not because she didn't want graduation photos, but because she didn't want an audience while she was taking them.

A lot of graduates take their cap and gown photos before graduation so they have images for announcements, parties, social media, and all of the other things that come along with senior year. Ashley wanted a quieter experience. She knew she'd be more comfortable on a campus that wasn't packed with students, families, and photographers.

As it turns out, it was a great decision.

The campus was calm, we had room to move around, and we weren't fighting crowds at any of the locations she wanted to visit. A few days before the session, Ashley reached out and asked if we could also include family photos and some portraits with her partner. On graduation day, they quickly discovered what a lot of families do: once the ceremony is over, everything moves fast. Before they knew it, everyone was being directed out of the graduation area and they never got some of the photos they had hoped to take together.

Of course, I was happy to include them.

We started in the Susie Harwood Garden, one of the prettiest spots on UNC Charlotte's campus. It was hot, humid, and felt every bit like a North Carolina summer afternoon, but the overcast skies gave us beautiful soft light. We spent time around the Moon Arch, took family photos, and captured plenty of cap and gown portraits before making our way across campus.

From there we headed to the front campus sign before walking toward the Student Union and Bell Tower area.

Ashley's partner joined us for photos there, and we spent some time capturing both the traditional graduation portraits and some more relaxed moments. Some of my favorite images from the day were the ones of Ashley dancing and celebrating in front of the Bell Tower. After years of classes, exams, projects, and deadlines, there is something really fun about watching someone finally take a breath and enjoy the fact that they're done.

As we continued around campus, we stopped at several of the buildings where Ashley had spent most of her time as a student. Those locations probably don't mean much to anyone else walking across campus, but they were part of her everyday life for years. I always think those photos become more important with time because they're tied to real memories instead of just a pretty backdrop.

Before we finished, we also took some professional headshots for Ashley's new job. Since she had never had professional photos taken before, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make the most of the session. She was already dressed, already on camera, and already celebrating a major accomplishment. By the end of the afternoon, we had graduation photos, family photos, portraits with her partner, professional headshots, and a gallery that documented much more than a degree.

It was a long session, but it was absolutely worth it.

Ashley, congratulations on your graduation from UNC Charlotte. Thank you for trusting me to help celebrate such an exciting accomplishment. It was a pleasure spending the afternoon exploring campus with you, and I can't wait to see where this next chapter takes you.