At a December graduation, family photographs need to fit around the ceremony and a short afternoon of daylight. You may want pictures with parents who have travelled to see you, friends who shared your degree and a few portraits in your gown. I would agree a meeting point and photo window before the day, particularly if relatives are travelling a long way.
Loughborough University lists its winter 2026 ceremonies for Thursday 17 and Friday 18 December. The university has an official photography service, and you can also arrange an independent family session. Check the ceremony timetable and campus access before choosing portrait locations.
Ceremony dates: 17 and 18 December 2026
Loughborough University lists Thursday 17 and Friday 18 December 2026 for winter ceremonies on the Loughborough campus. Confirm your school's ceremony time through the university before booking a family photo slot. A previous year's timetable may have different arrangements.
The university publishes ceremony details and booking information through its graduation pages and student communications. Use your invitation, personalised portal information and later updates to plan the day. Revisit the official Loughborough graduation ceremony dates as the event approaches.
Earlier 2026 guidance describes ceremonies lasting about 60 to 90 minutes. Treat that as a planning estimate and check the final December programme. Allow time to register, collect academic dress, reach the hall and find seats, then meet relatives and return the gown afterwards.
I would book portraits in a clear window after the ceremony, or beforehand if there is enough time to register and get dressed. A family of six needs more coordination than a graduate spending twenty minutes with one parent. Choose a slot that leaves you comfortable getting to the official events.
Relatives may be travelling from Nigeria, Ghana, London, Birmingham or Leicester. Send everyone the same meeting point. If a grandparent or younger sibling needs a slower pace, choose a nearby accessible backdrop and allow time to reach it.
I would keep portraits clear of the stage appearance, official university photography and any family reception. Those commitments should guide the session time, even when the best light falls elsewhere in the schedule.
Official Tempest photographs and independent family portraits
Loughborough names Tempest Photography as its official graduation photographer. Tempest records the stage moment and runs portrait studios in The Treehouse, Students' Union Building. The university's guidance says advance bookings are not required for these official photo sessions.
Tempest's studio service is separate from a Cameraboss portrait booking. The official stage service covers the ceremony moment. An independent booking does not establish permission to enter or photograph the ceremony, so I would plan it around family and location portraits.
An independent session can include parents, siblings and friends, an individual portrait in gown and hood, and photographs around the place you studied. For a twenty-minute session with two people, I would keep the route short. A larger family needs a group list, a weather alternative and someone to gather relatives.
The university says official studio proofs can be viewed immediately and photographs are available online around seven working days after the ceremony. University photographers may also take publicity images during the event. Check the gallery arrangements separately for any independent session you book.
The published official studio hours are 8.30am to 6pm. Confirm those hours and the ceremony-day locations against the final December programme before deciding when to visit.
Read the university's graduation photography page and see the Cameraboss graduation photography packages. We can discuss a family session that fits around the official service.
Planning a December graduation session
Tell Cameraboss your ceremony day, expected finishing time and the number of relatives coming. I can suggest a short portrait route and a winter-weather alternative.
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Four backdrops on campus and in Loughborough town centre
The university's history page identifies Hazlerigg Hall as a campus landmark, officially opened in 1938. The fountain in front was a gift from the College Students' Union. With access agreed, the hall and fountain can provide a recognisable Loughborough setting for graduation portraits.
The same history page identifies the Bastard Gates near Rutland Hall, associated with a 1932 gift to the College, and the Walled Garden as a remnant of the Burleigh Estate. The gates offer an architectural background; the garden provides a planted setting. Check that your chosen space is available during graduation and suitable for any lighting equipment.
The Students' Union and official photo service can be convenient for meeting relatives. I would choose a portrait spot clear of queues and pedestrian routes. Confirm university permission for any commissioned setup beyond ordinary personal visitor photographs.
For a separate session away from campus, Queen's Park is a town-centre option. The Carillon Tower & War Memorial Museum is in the park near Granby Street, among lawns, paths, flowers and water features. The museum's access guidance identifies a pay-and-display car park on Granby Street beside the park.
The Carillon is a working memorial and museum. Its ground floor has step-free ramp access, but the upper tower steps are described as closed to visitors because of fire regulations. I would plan portraits along an appropriate park route and check access, with no tower balcony photographs included in the booking.
Read about the historic campus landmarks and check the Carillon and Queen's Park access guide. Choose a backdrop your family can reach comfortably within the photo window.
Parking, permissions and December daylight
The university's graduation travel guidance directs drivers to Holywell Park and Car Park 1 on the west side of campus, via the West Entrance, postcode LE11 3GR. It describes suspended graduation parking charges and a shuttle to the ceremony venue. Check the final December arrangements before travelling.
The university warns of high shuttle demand and asks guests to allow extra travel time. Blue Badge holders and guests with particular access needs should speak to parking stewards on arrival. I would arrange the portrait meeting point near your post-ceremony route.
Loughborough requires media crews filming or photographing its campuses to request advance permission from the PR team. Its page does not specify every rule for family-commissioned photography. Confirm how the university treats your chosen location and equipment before the session.
A published Loughborough sunrise-and-sunset calendar puts sunset around 3.50pm on 17 and 18 December 2026. Cloud and shade between buildings can reduce useful portrait light before 3.50pm, so I would allow an earlier photo window where possible.
I would agree lighting and a weather alternative in advance, including permission for stands or other equipment. After a late ceremony, we may need an approved sheltered location. Another option is a separate-date session with the gown, if that works for you and your family.
Check the graduation parking and shuttle guidance, university filming and photography requests and December daylight reference when choosing a location. Access and safe movement need to fit the plan.
A session plan for family and individual portraits
I would begin with parents and the other relatives who have come to celebrate, including grandparents and siblings. Friends can join the next photographs. We can then take individual portraits and a few walking or movement frames, with the family groups already covered.
For 30 minutes, I would use one accessible backdrop for family combinations and individual portraits. A 60-minute session may allow friends, another campus feature and more editorial direction, subject to permission and daylight. A group of twelve needs more time than one graduate with two parents, so book around the people attending.
Tell me which combinations matter most, particularly when relatives have travelled from overseas. A Nigerian family might request separate portraits with each parent, photographs with grandparents, a formal sibling group and an informal celebration picture. I would ask which of those photographs you want included in the group list.
Check the gown and hood are arranged properly, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a coat you can remove briefly for portraits. Umbrellas can be included in the photographs. In December, one comfortable location with good light may be more useful than three distant landmarks that leave everyone cold.
Cameraboss is a British-Nigerian photographer recognised as Creative Photographer of the Year at the Creative Industry Awards 2024. We cover university graduations, portraits and family sessions alongside documentary weddings, in Loughborough, Leicester, Nottingham and across the UK. Our graduation photography page describes the individual and family options.
Send your university, date, confirmed ceremony time and number of relatives, and tell us whether you prefer campus or town-centre photographs. You can browse Cameraboss portrait pricing and UK locations, or enquire through our contact form. We can agree the route once the official schedule and access are clear.
Frequently asked questions
When is Loughborough University winter graduation in 2026?
The university lists Thursday 17 and Friday 18 December 2026. Check the official ceremony dates page and student invitation for your specific programme and time.
Does the university already provide a graduation photographer?
Yes. Tempest Photography is the official provider for stage coverage and studio portraits. A separately booked Cameraboss session focuses on personal, family and location-led portraits.
Can an independent photographer take pictures on the Loughborough campus?
The university requires media crews to obtain advance permission. Rules for an independently commissioned family session should be confirmed with the university for the planned location and equipment.
Where can we take Loughborough graduation photos away from campus?
Queen's Park near Granby Street has paths, lawns and the Carillon Tower as a town-centre alternative. Keep to appropriate public areas and confirm permission for substantial commercial setups.
How should we plan portraits after an afternoon December ceremony?
The sun sets around 3.50pm in mid-December 2026. Prioritise daylight portraits where possible, or arrange a sheltered, permitted location or a separate-date session.
Arrange your Loughborough graduation portraits
Send Cameraboss your 17 or 18 December date, confirmed ceremony time, family size and preferred backdrop. We can discuss a portrait session around campus logistics, permissions and winter daylight, then check availability for your preferred time.
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