About Portraits

Each year, the Commodore includes portraits of students from all undergraduate classes. Portraits are taken on campus, free of charge, by Student Media photographers. Students are notified about the opportunities to sit for portraits.

The only way a student can be included in the Portraits section of the yearbook is to have sat for an official yearbook portrait during the 2010-11 academic year. ID photos taken for the Commodore Card are not used for yearbook portraits.

Senior portraits taken during sittings include a variety of poses with students in their own attire and in caps and gowns, which are provided by the yearbook portrait staff. Portraits published in the yearbook feature students in their own attire.

In addition to having a portrait included in Vanderbilt's oldest commemorative student record, proofs will be mailed with an option to purchase portrait sets in a variety of sizes. This is a valuable opportunity to take professional portraits with no sitting fee that may be used for Commencement mailings, activities related to employment search, or simply to commemorate this special moment in life.

Questions about portraits and ordering portrait prints? Please email portraits@vanderbiltcommodore.com.

Attire

There are no restrictions on dress for yearbook portraits. However, as portraits will be displayed as part of a commemorative university record, professional attire is suggested.

Men traditionally wear a suit or sport coat and tie; women typically wear an attractive solid or multicolored blouse. Keep in mind that portraits capture the head and upper body only, and as such it is not uncommon to see students arrive in shorts or jeans if they are so inclined. Hats and sunglasses are strongly discouraged because they create shadows across the face.

Helpful tips: Students should make sure their hair is neatly groomed. Flyaway hair, unmanageable ends, and wisps cannot be retouched. We suggest men shave just before their sitting since we cannot remove five o’clock shadow.