Lets face it, most alma maters (the songs) are usually pretty boring. They usually start something like “Hail to – insert name of school/college here -, then maybe something about its ivied halls then blah, blah, blah, then we’ll remember you forever and true, etc., all put to a stately and equally stuffy melody. Not [...]
Strong winds push graduate Rafal Kepa’s tassel into is face during graduation ceremonies at Manteca High School in Manteca (Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 70-200mm @ 200mm. Exposure: 1/400th sec. @ f/4. ISO: 200). Shooting outdoor graduations has its advantages, the main one being good light. You don’t have to worry about not having enough. [...]
Junior flower girls wait for the processional at the 2009 graduation ceremonies at the Grape Bowl in Lodi. (Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm @ 17mm. Exposure: 1/500th sec. @ f/8. ISO: 200) Since the 1920s The flower girl procession has been a graduation tradition at Lodi High. Junior girls carrying bouquets of flowers and [...]
When I assigned to covered Michelle Obama’s keynote speech at the inaugural commencement at UC Merced last Saturday, the forecast for Merced called for temperatures of about 95 degrees, so I figured I could use a hat to help keep cool. (Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 70-200mm @ 98mm. Exposure: 1/500th sec. @ f/8. ISO: [...]
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 300mm. Exposure: 1/500th sec. @ f/8. ISO:200) At least one student at the UC Merced commencement was kickin’ it old school. He had glued a 45 rpm record to the top of his cap and turned the mortar board into a representation of a old-style turntable. It looks like he [...]
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 300mm. Exposure: 1/500th sec. @ f/8. ISO:200) At almost every graduation, I’ve covered at larger schools there’s a phenomenon I call “where’re you at?” As they march in during the processional to when they’re seated, students scan the audience for family and friends. Reactions differ when they spot them. (Camera: [...]
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 300mm. Exposure: 1/500th sec. @ f/8. ISO: 200) Michelle Obama’s keynote speech at UC Merced’s inaugural commencement was eloquent and inspiring. In it she talked about hope and giving back in service to one’s country. But I don’t remember much of the details because all I could think about was [...]
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 70-200mm @ 200mm. Exposure: 1/250th sec. @ f/4.5. ISO: 200) At the Calaveras High School graduation ceremonies in San Andreas, Kayla Porath took off her brightly striped shoes while sitting with her fellow graduates on the school’s football field. I’m guessing the festive shoes, which were adorned with a red [...]
“If you tell a joke in the forest, but nobody laughs, was it a joke?” - Stephen Wright (Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 70-200mm @ 200mm. Exposure: 1/250th sec. @ f/4.5. ISO: 200) When Calaveras High School co-valedictorian (there were eight of them) Sarah Pesout spoke at the graduation ceremonies in San Andreas, her opening [...]
As the graduation season winds down, it’s got me thinking back to June of 1985. I shot the Manteca High graduation when the power went out right at the beginning of the ceremonies. Undaunted school officials had the Manteca Police drive a patrol car to the front and used it’s public address system as a [...]
