Jonelle Joseph was damp from the rain when she took her graduation photos.
The gloomy weather matched her disappointment when she found out she had to take photos in front of a green screen.
“The pictures looked hilariously photoshopped,” she said.
First, the 21-year-old UF sociology graduate didn’t get to walk across the stage at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, which was canceled because of nearby lightning.
Two weeks later, Joseph received her graduation photo proofs. However, not all the photos were of her, she said. Through social media Joseph discovered at least three other graduates were emailed her photos.
Incorrect photo proofs were sent to the graduates who were not recognized on the stage, because the company had to rely on facial recognition software, wrote Jamie Parker, owner of University Photography, in an email to the graduates that was obtained by The Alligator. Between 200 to 300 graduates were not recognized on stage.
The bad weather was to blame for the photo mix-ups, Parker wrote in the email.
The photography company split the graduates’ photos into three categories in response to the confusion that followed the CLAS ceremony, Parker wrote in the email. The categories were those who had walked across the stage, those who had taken a photo in front of the green screen preceding the stage and those who had a picture with the CLAS dean David Richardson.
University Photography had no way of identifying those students without resorting to facial recognition technology because the graduates’ names were not announced, Parker wrote in the email.
University Photography attended the make-up ceremony at 9 a.m. Saturday in the O’Connell Center, Parker wrote in the email.
Parker apologized for this issue in the email sent to all of the graduates. The email made it accessible to view all of the proofs.
University Photography has been taking UF graduation photos for over 30 years and makes its income solely on photo sales from students, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email.
The photographers are reaching out to the students who did not cross the stage in order to ensure that each student receives the right proofs, Orlando said.
Annie Deaderick, a 21-year-old UF entomology and nematology graduate, also received incorrect photos.
She received more than 20 different faces when she was emailed her proofs. Thirteen out of the 52 photos she was sent were actually of her, she said.
“I don’t think they are great pictures, but I’m not sure there’s a great way to do [green screen pictures] anyway,” Deaderick said.
For Joseph, these photos are just a reminder of a bad day. She has decided to not order any of the photos, she said.
“I decided against ordering any, because I didn't want a memory of the most disappointing day of my undergrad career,” Joseph said.
Emefa Amoah (pictured) received Jonelle Joseph's proofs after the College of Liberal Arts and Science commencement ceremony on May 5. The photographs were sent to both of the graduates due to an inaccuracy in the facial recognition software that University Photography used.
Emefa Amoah received Joelle Joseph's (pictured) proofs after the College of Liberal Arts and Science commencement ceremony on May 5. The photographs were sent to both of the graduates due to an inaccuracy in the facial recognition software that University Photography used.
