College Graduation Photoshoot

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Four years ago, Carly and Saige stood in front of my camera as high school seniors getting ready to graduate from high school. Now here we are again for their college graduation photos!

Only this time, they showed up in college caps and gowns with degrees finished and new careers beginning. Thankfully, the rain held off just long enough for us to sneak in this graduation session together, and I’m so glad it did because this one felt so special.

I photographed Carly and Saige back in 2022 when they graduated from Clifton Central High School, so getting to celebrate them again four years later was a full-circle moment. Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this job is getting to walk alongside my clients through so many seasons of life. From high school seniors to college graduates, these girls have accomplished so much, and I loved getting to document this milestone for them.

And yes, we’re absolutely doing a little throwback moment in this blog post because apparently, I never blogged their high school senior session. We’re fixing that now! Look at those beautiful high school seniors turned college graduates. (Keep reading to see more college grad photos below!)

Carly graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (I-L-L!) with a degree in teaching, and she’ll be teaching junior high math at Watseka High School this fall. Cue me feeling old because I have literally photographed this girl since she was around 10 or 11 years old. Watching her grow into such an accomplished, kind, driven young woman has been so special. And now she’s going to be teaching my youngest daughter?! Truly wild.

Also, can we talk about how perfect teaching is for Carly? She has always had the sweetest personality, and I know her future students are going to absolutely love her.

Saige graduated from Valparaiso University with a degree in nursing and will be working at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign. This girl showed up with SO many honor cords around her neck, and rightfully so. She has worked incredibly hard for this moment, and it was so fun celebrating all she’s accomplished. Nursing school is no joke, and Saige is going to be a wonderful nurse!

These two are stepping into such exciting new seasons. I already know they’re both going to make such a difference in the lives of the people they serve. Whether it’s in the classroom or at the hospital, their futures are so bright.

Carly and Saige, thank you for trusting me to document another huge milestone in your lives. Getting to photograph you both again was such a joy. I could not be prouder of the amazing women you’ve become. Cheers to this next chapter!

To see more senior photos like this college graduation photoshoot, click here.

If you are a high school senior and looking for fun, adventurous, and timeless senior photos in the Chicagoland area or Central Illinois, contact me here or email me at karen@karenshoufler.com.