Pomp, pageantry, and photojournalism - photographing high school graduations

PSA Journal, May, 1997 by Thomas J. Moorhead

I have been assigned to cover specific graduations, but I try to cover as many as the schedule permits, since often several schools hold their graduations at conflicting times. I have gone to part of one and part of another, depending on their starting times. Since I carry an official "news media" card, I am almost never challenged at the door, and since the public schools are financed largely by tax dollars, they usually want press coverage of their official events and most of the people in charge know who I am. I have never been denied access.

I try to keep a distance from the proceedings, with the use of a long lens, generally the 300mm, sometimes an 80-200mm zoom, depending on what is happening. Fast lenses, wide open, or set at f5.6 or so, usually isolate the subject from possible distracting backgrounds. The film is usually pushed to 1600, to allow for fast shutter speeds when the light starts to fade. Outdoor graduations usually begin from 6 to 7 p.m.

Most schools have an area which allows media or others with cameras to roam along the sidelines to obtain better camera positions without interfering in the action. After the event grads usually embrace friends and family members. Shorter lenses (24-35mm) can come in handy.

A significant number of high school grads have been killed in DWI-related car crashes, usually within hours after their commencement. In answer, alcohol-free "Project Graduations" have been held in recent years in almost every school district to combat this carnage. Financed by fund-raisers and planned by parents' groups, a reception at a local restaurant follows the event. Then there is a trip back to the school for an all-night dance. If this is the case, the grads will leave the field after a short interval to change and board busses for transportation to the dinner. Trying to photograph them before they leave often brings interesting results.

During most commencements, teacher-monitors will, to the best of their ability, try to keep the kids in line, but their efforts often fail. After all, what can they do?-particularly after a grad has gotten his or her diploma. During the awarding of diplomas, the kids often begin to act up, responding to cheers of friends, sometimes making various gestures to one another. Some may accept their diploma wearing "bee" antennae or carrying cameras. For many years, grads have tossed beach balls during the ceremony even though the balls are quickly grabbed by the monitors. Such antics usually crack up some in the audience, not to mention the graduates themselves. Antics such as these are usually confined to the larger schools, though it depends on the attitude of the graduates as well as the school administration.

Some commencements go off without the cutups, others do not. One 1987 graduation featured, among other things, an inflated condom floating above the heads of the participants ("Commencement U.F.O." on this month's back cover).

Most students are serious, at least until the awarding of diplomas. Catching youths being themselves, finding humor and emotion during what is generally a serious event, often provides the ready photographer with interesting shots, even an occasional award-winner.