Q&A: Photographer Kevin Birch Sees Reunions Through a Lens

For nearly two decades, Kevin Birch has been capturing the magic of Reunions for PAW on camera. Joyful children dressed as tigers marching along the P-rade route, eight-time silver cane holder Joe Schein ’37 giving the crowd a thumbs-up while riding in a golf cart, and the Class of 1987 doing the hustle are among the moments Birch fondly remembers photographing over the years.

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Kevin Birch

What does it take to navigate the crowds behind the scenes as a photographer at Reunions? PAW spoke with Birch about his first time working Reunions, his approach to photographing the weekend, and his favorite photo he’s taken.

What inspired you to become a photographer?

When I was 4 or 5, I’d look at old Life magazines. On the very back page there’d be little photographs of the articles that were in the magazine. I couldn’t read it, but I would always look at them.

How did you get your start?

I picked up the camera and just started shooting. I took a photo course in high school. In college, I did work for the school paper and the art magazine. Then I worked in Boston for a while, then New York, and finally I started my own business out of Princeton.

What was your first gig at Princeton?

I worked for the Woodrow Wilson School [now the School of Public and International Affairs] around 2006, and from there I made connections with other departments. PAW eventually reached out to me, and that’s when I first started going digital [using a digital camera and delivering images on CDs]. PAW was one of my first digital clients.

Do you recall the first Reunions you worked? What was it like?

That was about 2007, and it was my first assignment for PAW. I was actually assigned to photograph classes that would be majors the next year, so I was running around trying to find people because there were not many celebrating off years there. It was chaotic, but fun.

Now that you have so many under your belt, what is your process? How do you tackle Reunions?

You have to be healthy to do the job. You have to be prepared, travel light, be well rested, have good shoes, and be hydrated. Once I have my assignment and know what classes I’m looking for, I always try to get overall shots, close-ups of people having a good time, candid shots, and I do some posed shots, especially if they’re dressed in a unique way. I make sure to get vertical and horizontal shots. Then I just float around and see what pops up. It’s fun. Everyone is having a good time. It’s a party and people are always happy to be engaged and to be photographed, which I have to say makes it an easy job.

What’s your favorite Reunions photo you’ve captured?

It was the photo a couple of years ago with four women dressed as rock stars. They had a lot of life to them, and they struck a nice pose. I was happy with that photo, and I’m happy PAW used it on the cover [for the July/August 2023 issue].

Have you had any funny moments or mishaps you can share?

Yeah. One of my early Reunions, a nasty storm came in during the P-rade and we all had to shelter in place. I went into Whig or Clio and we were packed into the stairwell, but we all had a good party in there. So that was fun.

Interview conducted and condensed by C.S.