Post graduation blues

Photographing any school graduation is not high on the favorites list for most photographers. In fact, it's doubtful that even most families enjoy suffering through endless hours of speeches (where's the restroom?) that few will remember past lunch time (did I lock the door to the house?), much less recall who said what next year (when is Rover's rabies shot due?).

I wonder how many graduates would prefer not going through all the pomp and circumstance and would rather just have the diploma mailed to them?

As I waited for something to happen at the York College graduation Wednesday (by the way, this isn't anything against YCP--all graduations would bore the daylights out of even a caffeine-crazed father), I was talking with the studio photographer from South Jersey who was prepping to shoot all the grads shaking hands with whoever they shake hands with. She was explaining her job, how digital is making life so much easier, that there will always be graduations and she'll always have a job.

Thank you for doing your job well, I said, and I meant it because I don't think I could handle her work. Now, Melissa Dernetz might not appreciate the photograph with her tongue sticking out today. But think about it-- years after your wedding, do you remember the hazy cliche photos of two hands and rings, or the one where you smooshed his/her face with wedding cake? 

My bet is that Melissa won't remember who she shook hands with in the studio photo, but she'll remember who she was giving a 'thumbs up' to.