What does graduation photography cost?
Graduation photography is a session around your diploma ceremony, the diploma-uitreiking, or on a separate day near your university: portraits with your diploma, photos with family and friends, and the buildings you studied in. Sessions start from €150 for one hour; the final quote varies with duration, group size, ceremony coverage and date.
Dutch graduations are low-key compared with many countries. There is often no single graduation day for the whole university: faculties and programmes hold their own diploma ceremonies throughout the year, frequently in small groups, sometimes with a personal word from each supervisor. Gowns and caps are not standard for bachelor's and master's degrees. The ceremony itself can be over in an hour, and families who flew in from abroad are left with a few phone pictures in a dim hall.
A graduation photoshoot fixes that: an hour or two before or after the ceremony, around the historic university buildings and the town, with and without your family.
University towns and where people take photos
Each university town has its own backdrop. Ceremony venues vary by faculty, so check yours; these are places graduates commonly photograph:
- Leiden: the Academiegebouw on the Rapenburg, the Hortus botanicus next door, and the canal bridges along the Rapenburg. The Zweetkamertje inside the Academiegebouw is where PhD graduates traditionally sign the wall. See Leiden.
- Utrecht: the Academiegebouw on the Domplein, the Pandhof garden of the Dom and the Oudegracht wharves a few minutes away. See Utrecht and Utrecht photoshoot locations.
- Delft: the TU Delft campus with its modern and brutalist architecture, including the Aula and the library's grass roof, then the old centre around the Markt and Oude Delft for contrast. See Delft.
- Groningen: the Academiegebouw on the Broerstraat and the Martinitoren and Prinsenhoftuin nearby. See Groningen.
- Amsterdam: the University of Amsterdam's ceremonies often take place in the Aula, the former Lutheran church on the Singel; the canal belt is on the doorstep. VU Amsterdam graduates often combine campus shots with the Amsterdamse Bos or the Zuidas. See Amsterdam.
Rotterdam (Erasmus), Eindhoven (TU/e), Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Enschede are covered too.
International students and visiting families
A large share of master's students in the Netherlands come from abroad, and for many families the diploma ceremony is their first trip to the country. That shapes the session:
- Timing: families often arrive a day before. A session on the day before or the morning after is calmer than squeezing it around the ceremony.
- Group photos: parents, grandparents, siblings, the friends who became family. Tell the photographer how many people to plan for.
- Caps and gowns: you can bring your own or hire one for photos if your family expects it; Dutch universities generally do not provide them for bachelor's and master's ceremonies. Throwing a cap by a Leiden canal is not a Dutch tradition, but nobody will stop you.
- The city as the souvenir: after years in Groningen or Delft, many graduates want photos at their places: the faculty, a favourite bar, their student house, the bike they rode for five years.
Photographing the ceremony itself
Whether a photographer can work inside the ceremony depends on the faculty and venue. Some allow guests to photograph freely, some have an official photographer, and some ask for no photography during speeches. Check with your programme's organisers before booking ceremony coverage.
If photos inside are not possible, the best moments are usually just outside: coming out of the doors with the diploma, the first hug, the reception drinks.
Ceremonies are also often scheduled back to back, with one group leaving as the next arrives. The steps outside the venue can be busy for a few minutes, so the photographer will usually take the first emotional frames there and then move the family to a quieter spot around the corner for group photos.
Secondary school graduation: the flag and the school bag
Dutch secondary school leavers have their own tradition. When the exam results come out, families hang the Dutch flag with the student's school bag tied to it from the window or balcony, to show someone in the house has passed. It photographs beautifully and only lasts a day or two. A short session at home with the flag, the diploma and the family is a charming way to mark it.
Planning checklist
- Confirm your ceremony date and time with your faculty.
- Decide: before, after, or a separate day.
- Count your group and note anyone with limited mobility (cobbles and bridges matter).
- Choose two or three places that mean something to you.
- Have a rain plan: covered arcades, a faculty lobby, or a café. Ceremonies happen whatever the weather.
What’s included
- Matching with a photographer who knows your university town
- Portraits with and without your diploma
- Group photos with family and friends
- Photos at two or three places that matter to you
- Editing of every delivered image
- Private online gallery your family can download from
Optional extras
Ceremony exit and reception
Coverage of coming out of the ceremony and drinks, where the venue allows it.
Extra family members
Larger groups need more time for arrangements.
Second location
Campus plus old town, such as TU Delft and the Markt.
Prints for grandparents
A set of prints delivered or sent abroad.
Durations and what you receive
| Session | Edited photos |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | 30–45 edited photos |
| 1.5 hours | 45–65 edited photos |
| 2 hours with ceremony exit | 60–90 edited photos |
Starting prices are indicative. Your final quote depends on the photographer, duration, location, number of people, date and specific requirements.
Who books this
- International master’s and PhD graduates with family visiting
- Graduates of Leiden, Utrecht, Delft, Groningen and Amsterdam universities
- Families wanting group photos on ceremony day
- Secondary school leavers celebrating with the flag and school bag
Graduation Photography by city
Graduation Photography: questions
Do Dutch universities have graduation gowns?
Generally not for bachelor’s and master’s ceremonies; academic dress is mostly worn by professors and at PhD defences. You can bring or hire a gown and cap for photos if you want the look.
Can the photographer come into the ceremony?
It depends on your faculty and the venue. Check with the organisers first; many graduates book the session around the ceremony instead.
Is it better to do the photos on ceremony day?
It is the most emotional day, but also the busiest. A session the day before or after is calmer, and families visiting from abroad often prefer it.
Can my friends join?
Yes. Mention the group size in your request so the photographer plans enough time.
Do you cover PhD defences?
Many photographers can photograph around a promotie. Photography rules inside the defence vary by university, so confirm with your graduate school.
Which cities do you cover?
All the main university towns, including Leiden, Utrecht, Delft, Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Enschede.
