Chatham Hall

On my recent trip to Chatham Hall to photograph graduation this year, I met up with Jolie and her beloved horse, Beau for a photo session before the graduation festivities began. – You see, Jolie was graduating from high school and her first horse Beau, was going to stay at Chatham Hall for others to learn to ride. What sweeties…both of them. I’ll have to visit Beau next year at graduation to see how his year was. – Best of luck on your new adventures, Jolie and Beau. – Best of luck to you, Jolie (and Beau) in your new…

  Enjoy the slideshow. And remember, it is a show that requires Adobe Flash, so put down your iPhone or iPad and watch it on your main computer or one that supports Adobe Flash.  http://www.lisarichmondphotography.com/SHOWITSHOWS-/2014_ChathamHall   I just finished this year’s Graduation slideshow. I never know exactly how it is going to turn out or even what music I will use, but I have found over the years that if I just surrender to the creative process and let it happen, everything seems to fall into place. I am grateful for that. This year sifting through countless images, I’m struck…

As many of you know, each year I fly back to Virgina to photograph the graduation events of my alma mater. This year I got an extra treat, and was able to go back twice. Once for the graduation and then again just two weeks later to photograph Hunter and Schay’s wedding held right there on campus. Having gone to school there myself and returning each year for the past 28 years and photographing Schay in 2006 for her graduation, it truly was special to be able to capture Hunter and Schay in the backdrop of a campus I know…

It’s hard to imagine being anywhere else that first weekend in June. This year marked my 28th Chatham Hall graduation: actually 29, if you include my own graduation back in 1984. I truly enjoy heading across country year after year and documenting this beautiful event in the rolling green hills of Chatham, Virginia. Over the years I have also been allowed the honor of photographing many of the faculty and staff as they have been celebrated for their contributions to this school. This year I photographed Dr. Black, my English teacher from junior year, for his retirement and 30 years…

I am just getting all the images together from this year’s graduation. That puts my Chatham Hall graduation count to 27, well…28 if you count my own back in 1984. This was a special year for me as my good friend Ann (Dr. Beal), who I have enjoyed visiting and staying with on campus each and every year since my graduation, and who also happened to be my English teacher MY senior year, was retiring after a long career of teaching. Congratulations to the Class of 2011 and thank you to Ann Beal for generously sharing her life’s learned wisdoms…

Twenty six years photographing graduation at Chatham Hall in Chatham, VA. I really do enjoy going back year after year and getting the opportunity to see the school grow and change while also staying the same. It’s the type of perspective you can only get when you are not there day after day. The campus, always beautiful, the staff and teachers, always friendly and hospitable and the students, always excited to be getting a year older. Hmmmm…it is strange to frequent a place where your “clients” stay the same age, while you do not. Chasing around 17 & 18 year…

This year was my 25th year photographing the graduation at Chatham Hall in Chatham, Virginia. Ironically (not really) I also graduated from Chatham Hall 25 years ago (go Class of ’84 and golds!). Graduation from Chatham Hall is filled with traditions that stretch over several days so I arrived on Thursday afternoon with my assistant Cassie, ready to shoot. Cassie had never been to Virginia before and got to experience “humidity” for the first time(someone told her that this wasn’t really humidity). We both live at 4000 feet in the mountains- the air is pretty dry here. This year, someone…

So, 25 years ago I graduated from a small boarding school in southern Virginia. Never really thought that I would be back…. I mean ever! At the time, I felt a bit overwhelmed by rules and structure basically wanting neither of the two. In the 80’s, a Grateful Dead concert was more the environment I desired! In 1985(after a year of college, a few less rules and plenty of Dead shows), I approached the headmaster at the time, Jerry Van Voorhis, with my idea to provide graduation photography for the students, families and school community. This is a multi day…