I’m not even gonna lie… these are probably some of my favorite graduation photos I’ve shot this season.

Everything about this session just worked.

The soft light. The architecture around Duke Chapel. The white dress. The regalia. The little moments in between poses where Lytzy would laugh and instantly give me another perfect frame without even trying.

And honestly? The craziest part is that campus was PACKED.

Like genuinely packed.

There were graduates everywhere, families everywhere, photographers everywhere, people rushing to commencement, people waiting for photos. But somehow these photos still ended up feeling calm and effortless in the best way possible.

That’s one of the reasons I love shooting in natural light so much. Especially for sessions like this. There’s something about it that keeps portraits feeling soft and alive instead of overly polished or stiff. I wanted these Duke doctoral grad photos to feel cinematic while still letting the moment breathe naturally.

And Lytzy absolutely delivered.

She booked my Spotlight Mini Session to celebrate graduating from Duke University with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, and I really loved how personal she made everything. We incorporated her doctoral regalia throughout the session and used a Mexican flag in some of the portraits to celebrate her heritage and honestly… those ended up being some of my favorite images from the entire shoot.

they added so much personality and meaning to the session without it feeling forced.

I think that’s what made this shoot stand out to me overall. Everything felt very her. Nothing overly complicated. Nothing overly posed. Just beautiful photos celebrating a huge accomplishment.

Also shoutout to the friend she brought with her because every graduation shoot needs somebody there helping hold things, hyping you up, fixing the dress, and making the experience more fun. I feel like that energy always shows up in the final gallery whether people realize it or not.

One thing I’ve really been loving lately is how graduation sessions have started feeling less like “let me take a few cap and gown pictures” and more like actual portraits that reflect someone’s personality and story.

That’s exactly how this session felt. Clean. Timeless. Soft. Celebratory.

The kind of photos that still feel beautiful years from now.

And honestly? After earning a doctoral degree, you deserve photos that actually feel special.

Thinking About Booking Your Own Graduation Session?

Whether you’re graduating from Duke University, UNC, NC State, or anywhere in the Raleigh Durham area, I’d love to help you create photos that actually feel like you. Let’s chat!