Jenn's SJSU Graduation Session — Cap Tosses, Research Posters, and a Best Friend By Her Side

Jenn came to her San Jose State session knowing exactly what she wanted — to document the whole day, not just the posed-in-front-of-a-building version of it. So that's what we did. We started out on the main walkway as the evening light filtered through the palm trees, and she threw her blue cap straight into the air with this huge, unguarded smile. That moment felt like a release of something that had been building for years.

What stood out to me right away was how intentional every detail was. Jenn wore a floral-embroidered SJSU SAACS sash layered over a flowing white midi dress, and when she turned her back to the camera in front of the glowing arched doorway of the Event Center, that combination of the warm amber light and the hand-painted florals on her sash made for one of my favorite single frames of the year. She brought so much of herself into what she wore.

Her best friend was with her for most of the session, and honestly that changed everything. There's a frame of the two of them spinning barefoot on the grass in front of Torre Hall, laughing so hard one of them is nearly doubled over — nobody was directing that. We also ducked inside for a few quieter moments: the two of them bent over an open textbook in what looked like a student office, and another shot where they're sitting on the floor of an elevator in their white dresses, backs together, completely at ease. Those indoor frames have a different energy, more intimate, and they balance the session in a way I really liked.

One of my favorite details was the research poster in the background of a candid — a SAACS-affiliated study on autophagic flux in Drosophila wing discs. Jenn and her friend were taking a selfie in front of it, totally unbothered, and I just let it happen. That poster represents real work, late nights, and a specific kind of dedication. Having it quietly in frame felt right. This wasn't just a graduation — it was the end of something serious.

By the time the light was almost gone and we wrapped up on the brick steps outside the Event Center, both of them seated side by side with their gold and blue sashes catching the last of the warm glow, the session felt complete. Jenn, congratulations — SJSU is lucky to have had you, and I'm glad I got to document the day you walked out.