50th Birthday Party & Graduation Celebration from itake photos est. 1985 on Vimeo.

Emma Adjetey - Doku celebrates her 50th Birthday and graduation party with family and friends in Woodbridge Virginia. Saturday September 15th, 2012. Photography by Emmanuel A. Gamor

The people who knew you when you were young, probably know you best. Covering this event for Aunty Emma Adjetey-Doku was doubly exciting because I was reminded that you could party with a lady in the prime of her life and with old friends from ICCM (my first church in VA) too. Azonto moves apparently have no age limit! Congrats to Aunty Emma on the milestone (the big 50!) and congrats on being a recent graduate as well! More vim!

When I came to the United States I was taken back two class grades in High School. I watched as my peers, the class of 2007, graduate from college as I waded through my last two years of undergrad with a mission: to proudly walk down the stage in the presence of my family and peers during commencement.

Photo credit: Edson Andre

Graduation for me was an incredibly emotional experience. My mother and I cried together as we were reminded of the trials and tribulations that got me, the first boy among 3 girls, through college. My journey from Ghana, West Africa, through Alexandria, Virginia and finally on the University of Florida stage as a Gator graduate was tumultuous. I literally felt a huge weight of responsibility being lifted off my shoulders as I strolled past Bernie Machen as my name was called at the O'dome.

What I remember from commencement 2009 is that regardless of the challenges behind me, I believed I could strive and succeed with the help of God and my family. And regardless of the challenges ahead, be it a challenging economy, I took that same resilience to propel me forward through my endeavors over the past 3 years. To the class of 2012, don't shy away from the challenge. The world is ever-evolving and the lessons from undergrad should come in handy. Stay the course, pursue your dreams and passions with hard work and consistency. Congrats to the class of 2012. To many more successes in every one of your endeavors.
- itp85.

Originally uploaded by itakephotos1985

I actually graduated with Pascalie from UF's Poli Sci department, I think we sat together during commencement. You can imagine my elation when she asked me to photograph her [again]; this time as she's earned her Masters from American University.

I'm still on a Grad Photo Tour (edited most of the pictures from Gainesville) heading through DC & Maryland next...

I (we) have come a long way. And for those who've supported itp' 85 since day one, including you Pascalie, this post is to express how I really appreciate you.

I really like the 'M' word: matriculation. To me, it gives the impression one has accomplished more than just the required courses and a piece of paper with the college dean's signature. Matriculation is Major lol, at least in my head it is...and thinking back to my own college graduation last year, it is indeed a momentous occasion. Especially for us (say I) first generation folks. So witnessing my friends graduate was equally fantastic and looking back I can appreciate and understand the elation they and their family shared!

In the first picture, Cathy....aka Be Chillin' is a wonderful young lady and my memories of her are quite fond, as she's always been kind to share encouraging words regardless of what I set my mind too. The others in the picture Sherine, Christine & Franny (in the 4th) are just as fabulous!

Phil's in the next picture and we shared many a day on the basketball courts at SouthWest Rec, he more often than I, and in my opinion could have been a walk-on for Billy Donovan's team now.

Christina (3rd picture) was my muse early junior year lol. She started Poets Inc. with another good friend Ashley, and together they constantly remind me to never lose sight of the power of words and expression.

Whew, this post is a little longer than usual, but I'd wanted to take a minute and congratulate the class of 2010. To quote my mentor and role model Nelson Mandiba Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
Go change the world!

A great excuse to go back to Gainesville, Florida...one of my favorite places in the States.
Doesn't hurt to put in a shameless plug either: If you know of anyone graduating this Spring who wants to get their Cap and Gown photos taken, send them my way. Thank you very kindly!

The stats on black males matriculating from high school are disappointing, and from college even stark. It is monumental to see any group of young men graduate and it is a privilege to celebrate my line brothers. This is to all educated black males- and not just my class of '09.

Jared and I spent an entire summer and some on Preview staff together. We were part of a team that was responsible in getting freshman psyched for UF and already registered for classes by their first day. The preview experience was bitter sweet, I sacrificed quite a bit but learnt a great deal from it. I dare say I have lifelong friends because of Preview and Jared is one of them. He's engaged to his high school sweetheart, Michelle and I'm incredibly proud of them both. "Jared, my man." (In a Denzel in American Gangster voice)

Peter's one of the first people I took class with at UF, I know my clients all seem to be indelibly tied in with my experiences at the University ('it be like that sometimes'). I forget what honors class we had together but Peter's always been brilliant and we shared the same interest in Political Science. What is even more outstanding is the fact that his step grandmother is Ghanaian! So technically he's family, and we had a chance to bond like relatives during the photo shoot. I did mention somewhere in this blog a picture's meaning can express ten thousand words? Yes I did, its the title.

I have been on the grind with photo shoots this week & Nabbie and I actually lived in the same dorm freshman year. This shoot was especially memorable as we both shared memories way back when my gator 1 ID still looked nice and crisp. I think our friendship translated to her comfort level in front of the lens and even though her shoot took a tad longer than planned it was still a pleasure to catch up with an old friend.

Taking grad photo shoots is a bitter-sweet reminder that my 4 year tenure at UF is about to be over. I actually enjoyed spending the hour or so with Shari-Ann partly because she has a priceless smile and it was great recounting some of our favorite memories of being a Gator. She did ask a pertinent question though, who is going to take my (the photographer's) graduation pictures?