Where should you take engagement photos at Clemson?
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I shoot a lot at Clemson. It makes sense, considering I graduated from there and my husband and I had our proposal, engagement session, and wedding there! I’ve shot there in every season and can tell you what trees to look for in January, April, and November. Want pictures inside Death Valley? I know when it’s open to the public. If you want a ring shot in purple and orange flowers, I know where and when to do that. If there’s a building on campus that’s special to you, there’s a good chance I’ve taken pictures of someone there before. While I have a general outline that I follow with all the essentials—Tillman, Sikes, Reflection Pond, Carillon Bell, and outside of Death Valley—every session is unique and there are different parts of campus that mean something to different people. Here are some of my favorite places on campus that you might not have thought about.
Daniel Hall
I spent so much time in this building as an undergrad and considered it one of the ugliest buildings on campus. I had no desire to have my graduation pictures there. At some point, though, I realized how much I love the ivy and the lattice outside one of the entrances.
Downtown Clemson
The place where you probably hung out on Friday nights and watched a lot of away games together on Saturdays.
Botanical Gardens
This one gets its own post so you can see all the beautiful places in it and how it looks at different seasons! One thing I love about Clemson is how well you can see the hard work of the staff and students who study plants. I always find something new when I visit the Botanical Gardens! I was born in Arizona and I have a soft spot for cacti and succulents, so we’re lucky to have a spot with them here in South Carolina. Also, how gorgeous is this pier?
President’s Park
This one may seem obvious because of the legend behind it, but do you know what else makes this the perfect place for a proposal? Since it’s one of the only places on campus with an outdoor covered area, you can still plan to be there whether or not it’s raining. Here are some pictures from proposals I shot on a sunny and an on-and-off rainy day. Also, the bushes bloom so beautifully there in April!
Places Outside Death Valley
As much as I love the days when the stadium is open to the public, it’s only at certain times, so I have to get creative with what to do at the other times. The porch of Stadium Suites gives you the whole stadium in the background and I love the view you can get from outside some of the gates!
Lake Hartwell
Since Lake Hartwell is not part of the main campus, it’s easy to forget about. If it’s cold outside, nobody will be at the lake, making for a more intimate and peaceful session. The reason I love the rowing center is because of the paw on the docks, but the lake is accessible from some of the off-campus apartment complexes as well.
Lee Hall
I was surprised nobody had ever asked me for a session here because I think this building is so cool! I thought it’d be even cooler if we went after the sun went down and creatively used some flashes.
Sunflowers
I haven’t seen this in a long time and I’m not sure if they even have it here still, but the Student Organic Farm had a few rows of sunflowers that are nice and tall. You can even color coordinate with them like Tori and Michael did!
Sikes Hall
It’s not exactly overlooked, but it’s one of my favorite places on campus to take pictures. Not only do I love the steps and pillars here, it becomes one of my favorite backgrounds when it gets cold. When the tree in front of Tillman loses its leaves, you get Sikes and Tillman in the same picture.
Ready for your Clemson engagement photos?
I’m Christine (Scott) Gow. I graduated from Clemson in 2015, where I was active in the photography club. I met my husband for the first time in Schilletter Dining Hall and he proposed to me on top of Clemson House. We were married at the Madren Center in 2017 with plenty of purple and orange to go around!
Taking photos for Clemson couples has a special place in my heart, but I also love showing other people around this special place. I love the Clemson family, the school’s commitment to sustainability, and how much the horticulture and architecture shine across campus.
I’d love to be part of your story at Clemson!
