PhD defence photography · Groningen
A day years in the making.
The arrival. The defence. The people who got you here. Photographs to remember it all.
What you get
The whole day, not just the stairs.
The arrival
The last quiet minutes, and the people who came for you.
The defence
The cortège, the questions and the moment of the conferral.
The celebration
The stairs, the reception and everyone around you.
The collections
Your day, your way.
Three ways to remember your defence.
One clear price for each.
Ceremony
€400incl. 21% VAT
From 30 minutes before the ceremony: the arrival, the entrance of the cortège, the defence, the conferral, and the photos on the stairs.
Around 120 edited photos
- Arrival & cortège
- Defence & conferral
- Photos on the stairs
Counted from the moment the balance is settled.
Ceremony & Reception
€500incl. 21% VAT
Everything above, plus full coverage of the reception.
Around 180 edited photos
- Everything in Ceremony
- Full reception coverage
- From the formal to the celebratory
Counted from the moment the balance is settled.
Ceremony, Reception & Headshot
€650incl. 21% VAT
Everything above, plus the academic headshot session and express delivery (next working day).
Around 180 edited photos plus 3 headshots
- Everything in Ceremony & Reception
- Academic headshot session
- Express delivery included
Balance due on the shoot day, in cash or by payment link. Save €70 compared with €720 separately.
For the headshot, I’ll borrow you for about 20 minutes right after the conferral, before the reception gets going.
A little extra
Make it yours.
Both extras are already included in
Ceremony, Reception & Headshot.
A portrait for your next chapter
Academic headshot
+ €125A properly lit portrait taken on the day, in or near the Academiegebouw. Useful for LinkedIn, your faculty page, grant applications and conference bios. 3 edited photos, delivered at full size.
For the headshot, I’ll borrow you for about 20 minutes right after the conferral, before the reception gets going. Available as an add-on to a photography package.
A little less waiting
Express delivery
+ €95Everything delivered the next working day instead of within 10 working days.
Because the countdown starts once the balance is settled, express delivery does require the balance to be paid on the day itself — in cash or by payment link.
The Buddy Bundle
A shared milestone.
A little saving.
€30 off per person
Two or more people booking together. Your defence dates do not have to be on the same day, but should fall within 6 months of each other, and all deposits should be paid within 30 days of the first one. If a defence is postponed for reasons outside your control, the discount stays valid.
For example: Ceremony & Reception becomes €470 each.
Recent defences
From the blog.
PhD Defence · November 2024
Stained glass and gold
Golden corridors, oak panelling and a bottle of champagne at the end of the day.
PhD Defence · October 2024
Warm wood and a blue mural
A PhD defence, from the walk down the corridor to the last photo with friends.
PhD Defence · September 2024
A burgundy room and a chandelier
Portraits on burgundy walls, a shared laugh at the table and a full hall.
From booking to gallery
The practical details.
Save your date
A €100 deposit per person secures your date and locks your price.
The deposit is only forfeited if you cancel the booking entirely. If your defence is postponed by the university, your supervisor, or any other reason outside your control, the deposit and the price move to the new date at no extra cost.
Enjoy your day
Photography begins 30 minutes before the ceremony and follows the university’s protocol on the day.
The balance can be settled in cash on the day, or by payment link afterwards, and is due within 7 days of the shoot — except with express delivery, where it needs to be settled on the day itself.
Keep the memories
Your gallery is delivered within 10 working days, counted from the moment the balance is settled. With express delivery, everything arrives the next working day.
Your gallery stays online for 3 months — please download everything and keep your own backup within that time.
A few more practical terms
Copyright & personal use
All photographs remain the copyright of Chase Wang. You receive a non-exclusive licence for personal use — social media, printing, and sharing with family and friends. Commercial use or distribution to third parties for promotional purposes requires written consent.
Your photos, your permission
I will never publish any of your photos without asking you first.
On the day
Photography during the ceremony follows the university’s protocol on the day.
Equipment & responsibility
I work with professional equipment and back up every file. In the unlikely event of technical failure or theft, my liability is limited to a full refund of everything paid for that session.
Photographic style
By booking, you confirm you are familiar with my photographic style.
Still working on the book?
I design theses too.
Cover, interior and printing, with one contact from manuscript to book.
See thesis design
Let’s make it a day to remember
When is your defence?
Send me your date, time and preferred package.
I’ll email the confirmation with the deposit link the same day.
Rates valid from 3 September 2026