Curry College Graduation Portraits

I am an independent photographer based in Rockland, MA, about twenty-five minutes from the Curry College campus in Milton — not an official Curry photographer, and not affiliated with the college in any way. What I offer graduates is something commencement day cannot: a real session, on your schedule, at a location that actually photographs well, with time built in for your family to be in the frame too.

Curry is a distinctive school to graduate from — a private college on a wooded, unusually green campus for how close it sits to Boston, known for its learning-differences support programs, its nursing program, and its communication program. That character is worth reflecting in your portraits, even if the actual photos happen somewhere other than campus. This post covers what Curry grads specifically need to know: where to shoot, when to book, what campus access really involves, and how to get a headshot out of the same session. For the broader picture of graduation portraits across every South Shore college, start with the South Shore college graduation portraits guide.

Why Curry Grads Book Their Own Session

Commencement day photography is, at best, a consolation prize. The ceremony itself is crowded — you are one of hundreds of graduates moving through a tight schedule, and the professional photo booth setup (if there is one) is built for volume, not for you. The light is whatever it happens to be that morning, good or bad, and there is no waiting around for it to improve. The official photo line moves fast because it has to, which means you get one frame, one expression, one angle, and then you are moved along.

And critically, almost none of that captures your family. Parents, grandparents, siblings who drove in for the day, maybe a partner — commencement day photography is built around the graduate alone, not the people who spent four years supporting them to that stage. A private session solves all of this at once: proper time, good light, an actual location, and space to include the people you want in the picture.

Campus Portraits vs. Off-Campus: What to Know Before You Book

Graduates often assume campus portraits are the default choice, but it is worth being honest about what that actually involves. Most colleges — Curry included — require permission or a permit for a commercial photo session on campus grounds. Policies differ from school to school and change over time, and as an independent photographer with no official relationship with Curry College, I cannot get that access for you or promise that any particular spot on campus is available. If campus portraits matter to you, the right first step is checking directly with the school about their current photography policy, well ahead of your planned date.

Timing on campus also works against you. Commencement weekend itself is the most crowded the campus will be all year — every other graduating family has the same idea, walkways are busy, and it is hard to get a clean frame without strangers in the background. If campus portraits are approved and important to you, a session a week or two before commencement is almost always calmer, and your gown will still be freshly pressed rather than travel-worn from ceremony day.

The other option, and the one I lead with, is skipping the permission question altogether and shooting off-campus. Milton sits right next to the Blue Hills Reservation, which is genuinely one of the strongest outdoor portrait settings anywhere on the South Shore — wooded trails, open ledge views, and a scale that feels a world away from a parking lot or quad. It is a natural complement to Curry's own wooded, green campus feel, without any permit conversation required. Milton itself has a strong local portrait tradition too — see how it plays out for Milton High School senior portraits for a sense of what the area offers.

South Shore Locations Worth the Drive

On-location work across the South Shore is the core of what I offer, and for Curry grads it opens up a much wider set of options than campus alone ever could. A handful of locations consistently deliver the best results for cap-and-gown sessions.

World's End, Hingham. Rolling drumlin hills, big sky, and water views out over Hingham Harbor make this one of the most photogenic pieces of land on the entire South Shore. It reads as elegant and a little dramatic without trying — ideal for a graduate who wants portraits that feel bigger than a typical yearbook shot.

Nantasket Beach, Hull. A wide, open beach with the Boston skyline visible in the distance on a clear day. Graduation portraits here have real energy, especially with a breeze catching the gown. It is also a natural spot to bring the whole family for a relaxed, beach-walk feel after the formal frames are done.

Scituate Lighthouse and Harbor. Classic New England coastal character — a working lighthouse, a working harbor, boats in the background. This location tends to photograph as more editorial and composed, which suits graduates heading into fields like nursing or communication who want a portrait with a bit more polish.

Duxbury Beach. Long, open, and quieter than Nantasket most days, Duxbury Beach gives you dune grass, soft sand, and open water without the crowds. It is a strong choice for graduates who want a calmer, more contemplative set of images.

The North River marshes. For something less obviously coastal, the marshland along the North River offers golden grasses, still water, and a soft, painterly quality in the right light — particularly striking in early summer. For more on how to pick between coastal and marsh settings, see the guide to the best beach photography locations on the South Shore.

The Rockland studio, about twenty-five minutes from Curry, is available as a backup if weather turns on session day — it is not the point of the session, just insurance against a rained-out plan.

Timing Your Session: April Through Early June

The window that works best for Curry graduation portraits runs from mid-April, once caps and gowns are typically available, through early June, before the season shifts toward the heavier heat and haze of midsummer. Spring light on the South Shore is generally soft and flattering, the landscape at spots like World's End and the Blue Hills is green and fresh rather than parched, and the beaches are open without the crowds that arrive by July.

Booking ahead of commencement weekend matters more than most graduates expect. That stretch of the calendar is when demand across every South Shore college peaks at once, and the best golden-hour evening slots at the most popular locations go first. If you know your commencement date, work backward from it and try to lock in a session at least a few weeks earlier — both for calendar availability and so your gown is still fresh rather than wrinkled from the ceremony itself.

What to Wear: Regalia, Layers, and a Second Outfit

Regalia photographs better with a small amount of preparation. Hang your gown as soon as it arrives and, if it is wrinkled, have it steamed or lightly pressed a day or two before your session — wrinkles show up clearly in photos in a way they do not always register in person. Set the mortarboard slightly forward and level rather than tilted back on the crown of your head; a level cap reads as more intentional and confident in portraits.

If you are graduating with a graduate degree, your hood is part of the story — make sure it is settled evenly across your shoulders before we start shooting, since it tends to shift as you move between poses. Honor cords and stoles should be untangled and centered; if you are wearing more than one, we will take a minute before the first frames to arrange them so they layer cleanly rather than overlapping in a way that reads as cluttered.

Underneath the gown, keep it simple — a collared shirt or blouse gives you a clean line at the neckline for close-up frames, and dark, comfortable shoes are fine since they rarely show. I also recommend bringing a second outfit. Once we have the traditional cap-and-gown portraits, changing into something you would actually wear to an interview or a first day of work opens up a completely different set of images — which brings us to the headshot. For a deeper breakdown of gown care, cording, and posing with regalia, see the full cap and gown portrait guide.

Book the Headshot While You're Already Dressed Up

Here is the practical truth most graduates do not think about until it is too late: within a few months of walking, you will need a professional headshot far more often than you will need another cap-and-gown photo. LinkedIn, a resume, a new employer's staff page, a nursing or communication program application — a clean, professional headshot is one of the most useful assets you can walk away from graduation season with, and you are already camera-ready. Adding it to the same session, in your second outfit, takes a short block of extra time and saves you from booking and paying for a separate session later. Full details are on the headshot services page.

It is also worth setting aside twenty minutes for family portraits while everyone is already in town for the occasion. Parents who drove up, grandparents, siblings — graduation is one of the few times a family is guaranteed to be together and dressed up, and a short set of family frames at the same location costs very little extra time but produces images you will not get another chance at for years. More on how those sessions work is on the family portrait services page.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I book my Curry College graduation portrait session?

Book as early as you can once your cap and gown arrive, ideally four to six weeks before commencement. The window between late April and early June fills quickly, and the days immediately around commencement weekend go first. Booking early also gives you first pick of locations and light, rather than whatever slot is left over.

Can I take graduation photos on the Curry College campus?

Possibly, but check with the school first. Most colleges, including Curry, require permission or a permit for a commercial photo session on campus, and policies vary and change. I am an independent photographer with no official affiliation with Curry College, so I cannot authorize campus access on your behalf. Many graduates find it is simpler to shoot off-campus at a South Shore location instead, which avoids the permission question entirely and is usually calmer than a crowded campus during commencement week.

Should we shoot before or after the commencement ceremony?

Before, if possible, and ideally a week or two ahead of commencement day itself. Your gown will be freshly pressed, the light and your schedule are easier to control, and you avoid the crowds and long lines that build up on and around campus during commencement weekend. Some families still want a same-day frame with the whole group in cap and gown, which works too, but plan for a tighter, more improvised session on the day itself.

Can I get a headshot during the same session as my graduation portraits?

Yes, and I recommend it. You are already dressed sharp and camera-ready, which makes it an efficient time to knock out a professional headshot for LinkedIn, your resume, or a new employer alongside your cap-and-gown portraits. It typically adds only a short block of time to the session since we are already on location.

What does a Curry College graduation portrait session cost?

It depends on session length, how many locations you want, and whether you add a headshot or family portraits to the visit. Shorter, single-location sessions cost less than longer sessions that cover multiple South Shore spots plus a headshot. For current package details and exact pricing, the senior and graduation portrait services page is the best starting point, or reach out directly and I can put together options for your plans.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris McCarthy

Chris McCarthy is a portrait photographer based in Rockland, MA who has been photographing the South Shore full-time since opening his studio in 2014 — more than a decade of outdoor and lifestyle portrait work across the region. He specializes in headshots, senior portraits, branding, family, and maternity photography — shooting at his studio at 83 E Water Street and on-location throughout southeastern Massachusetts at places like World's End, Scituate Harbor, Duxbury Beach, and the North River conservation land in Norwell.

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