For many college seniors, finishing their final semester will be the most strenuous part of graduating but for seniors at historically Black colleges and universities, it’s also about preparing for your graduation shoot. In the last three years, graduating HBCU students have raised the stakes with each passing semester. The 2021 class alone is setting a new standard – going as far as to even use snakes as props. Fashion and glamour are already cemented into HBCU culture, so it’s no surprise graduation shoots follow suit. From Florida A&M University (FAMU) to Southern University and A&M College, HBCU students go viral every graduation season.
“HBCUs set the bar for a lot of things, and being extra — in a good way — is one of them,” Ania Wilson, recent graduate of FAMU told GRAZIA. “From how we celebrate Homecoming, to the events put on throughout the semester, the graduation pictures are truly the icing on the cake. HBCUs, and FAMU in particular, possess so much talent and creativity and graduation photoshoots are one depiction of this.”
“There are some graduates that show up to their photoshoots and display extreme emotions because some of them lost parents, friends, siblings and more during their tenure as a student,” Devontae Jones, a popular Grambling State University graduation photographer told GRAZIA. “Some graduates never thought they’d see the day they walk across the stage due to life’s circumstances but they persevered. The photoshoots almost remind me of red carpet events. The excitement, the wardrobes, the celebration & happiness all play a major role in this feeling and make every single photoshoot worthwhile.”
Planning an HBCU graduation shoot can take months of shopping and concept-creating. Like any professional photoshoot, you only get a few hours to get everything right. And with multiple outfits and location changes, it’s pertinent to over-prepare. “I started planning in January and it was stressful but worth it,” recent FAMU graduate, Asiya Gilmore told GRAZIA. “It’s a flex to attend an HBCU, especially FAMU, so to graduate and be able to capture the moment is a big deal. I spent the most time finding outfits online to get here in time and also figuring out looks I was going for. I was inspired by an outfit Cardi B wore and my alter ego, Whitley Gilbert.” Gilbert is a popular fictional character from the hit show A Different World which focused on the HBCU experience.
One thing is for sure, your HBCU matriculation isn’t complete without a grand shoot to commemorate your accomplishments. GRAZIA gathered a few examples of the extraordinary moment that is HBCU graduations.
