Pendleton, SC Proposal | Maggie and Spencer

Spencer and Maggie began dating when they were seniors in high school.  When Spencer went to Clemson, he had a pretty busy baseball schedule, so it was easier for Maggie to visit him. They loved getting brunch together at the Village Café in downtown Pendleton. 

Maggie and Spencer came to Clemson for baseball opening weekend. Spencer told Maggie that they would be meeting friends for brunch in Pendleton before they left on Sunday, so she would have to wear something nice. They parked their car and walked across the green in front of the 1826 Bistro, right across from the Village Café. Spencer got down on one knee, and of course Maggie said yes! Luckily, I didn’t look too suspicious sitting on the bench right in front of the green, and I got photos of the whole thing!

When I talked to Spencer beforehand, he said that he and Maggie knew they wanted to get married, but that she didn’t know anything about his plan to propose, so she was totally surprised when he did. He said Maggie hadn’t told him what she wanted in an engagement ring, but he knew what she would like. He was right because Maggie said the ring was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen! 

I asked them if they wanted to take a few other photos somewhere else in the area and suggested the South Carolina Botanical Gardens. We get some blooming trees in late February, so I figured something had to be in bloom in the gardens. Maggie said they used to take walks through there when she would come visit. The first bit of color we found was a tree with pink buds on it. I suggested taking a photo of Maggie’s ring on one of the buds, and she liked the idea because pink is her favorite color. We walked a little further and found a tree with some white blossoms too. 

Check out a few of my favorites from Maggie and Spencer’s engagement! 

If you’re looking for a photographer in the Clemson area, read more about my elopement experience and engagement experience!

Photo by Shehzad Ziaee

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Planning Resources

Clemson Bridal Portraits in South Carolina Botanical Gardens | Brittany

Brittany and I met at a wedding expo in February of 2020.  It was only a few weeks after she got engaged, and a few weeks before the world turned upside-down, which made it hard to set dates for anything in stone. We eventually scheduled her bridal portraits a week after her Clemson graduation portraits.  She totally lucked out on the weather—about 70 degrees and partly cloudy both days!

We started Brittany’s bridal portraits at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, which is technically part of Clemson’s campus.  I love doing sessions here because it’s such a rabbit hole—there are obvious places that are pretty, but there are little pockets of hidden gems everywhere.  Since Clemson has so many different majors involving plants and wildlife, it’s no surprise that there’s so much diversity in the garden and it changes so much throughout the year.  On this beautiful day in May, the gardens didn’t have the pink and white blooms that it had when I did a session here in March, but there were some colorful flowers that weren’t there before, and a lot more green overall.  The garden was so quiet and peaceful, with the occasional splash in the pond or rustle through the bushes.  We caught the scents of different blossoms as we walked down the trail, including something that smelled like bubblegum! 

I loved that Brittany’s veil complemented her ruffly dress so well, and bridal headbands are some of my favorite accessories!  She found her dress at The Castle in Spartanburg.  She said she loved having another opportunity to wear everything—she loved feeling like a bride and she could know a few weeks before the wedding day how her whole ensemble felt. She was so smiley the whole session!

Brittany also wanted to have some of her bridal portraits at Clemson’s main campus, since it’s become such a special place to her and held a significant role in her relationship with her now-husband.  She wanted some pictures with Tillman Hall/Old Main, since she’s an education major and that’s where most of her classes are.  We spent a good amount of time at Sikes Hall, which both of us love.  I thought she looked like Cinderella in some of the photos we took on the steps at Sikes!

I’m so happy to have met Brittany and I’ve loved getting to know her at both her graduation session and her bridal portraits.  Check out a few of my favorites that I’ve been dying to share!

Are you thinking about having photos done at Clemson? Click here to check out some of my favorite galleries from Clemson, including wedding, engagement, graduation, and pageant photos! To schedule a session, fill out my contact form to tell me all about it!

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Clemson University Elopement | Katie and Matt

Clemson Engagement Photo Ideas

Miss Clemson University Portraits | Ashley

South Carolina Botanical Gardens Engagement Photos | Courtney and David

Miss Clemson University Portraits | Ashley

Ashley took home the title of Miss Clemson University 2021! She represented the Rally Cat dance team in the competition.

I was excited to take photos for the Miss Clemson University for the fifth year. This was the first year that the pageant was virtual, which made for a different atmosphere than usual. The contestants didn’t have anyone there to cheer them on, but anyone could watch from wherever. It was pre-recorded, so Ashley got to tell her family that she won before they all watched the live stream. Each contestant submitted a video of their talent, which enabled them to incorporate a few more creative factors into their talent portion. Ashley danced to Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood, and filmed the dance right in front of the Reflection Pond. She took home the talent award in addition to the crown.

Ashley’s Miss Clemson University portrait session was on a beautiful day in mid-April with her three roommates, which made for a fun time. Her red evening gown was stunning against the white blooms and the steps of Sikes Hall. Since she represented the Rally Cats in the competition, we did some pictures by the stadium in her Rally Cat uniform. I have always loved dance action shots, and Ashley had a few really fun ideas. She perfectly coordinated her jewelry with each outfit, and I especially loved her tiger earrings that she wore with her orange top and white pants!

Check out some of my favorite photos from Ashley’s session! You can also see the video of the pageant here, with Ashley’s gorgeous dance solo at the Reflection Pond.

For more information on photos for the Miss Clemson University pageant, click here. For more information about portrait sessions, click below.

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Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt

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Station Cove Falls | Lauren and Christian

Lauren and I connected through a local hiking group, where she saw pictures I took of a couple at Carrick Creek Falls. She said that she and her husband didn’t have photos taken on their wedding day and would love to have some done together. I asked her if she had anywhere in mind, and she told me the place that was at the top of my bucket list: Station Cove Falls! 

Lauren and Christian were married in front of the waterfall six months ago, with a few of their family members as witnesses. In the middle of an October with otherwise perfect fall weather, it poured the whole day.  A lot of the trail had flooded, and they had to choose a different rock to stand on for the ceremony itself.

A few days after their wedding, I took the trail for the first time and it went on my bucket list for places to take pictures. There are a few reasons why I like this trail:

1. You can safely take a lot of different pictures with the main attraction.

2. It’s an easy trail, so it’s less likely that the couple would be sweaty or exhausted in their photos—or worse, you have to turn around before you get to the good part.

3. It’s a short trail, so we could plan to be at the falls when the lighting is optimal and still be off the trail by dark.

4. It’s not too crowded, especially on weekdays.

5. There’s enough of a variety of pictures we could take here—it’s not just three hours of hiking with one spot that’s pretty.

Eventually, we decided to move their session from the evening to the morning because there was a high chance of thunderstorms in the evening. It was so quiet, aside from some running water and birds singing. A dog ran up to us at the waterfall, shook water all over us, and dropped a giant piece of wood at our feet and waited for us to throw it. 

One thing I love about sessions with waterfalls is how loud the water is once we’re right up in front of it. We end up shouting to each other and making gestures, and it always makes us all laugh. We found the spot where Lauren and Christian stood where they said their vows, but we also made sure to get pictures at the spot they wanted to say their vows before they knew how much water would cover it. 

Enjoy the photos from Lauren and Christian’s session!

Ready for the best day ever?

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. We love being outside, but we also love being at home and watching Pixar movies on the couch.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Planning Resources

Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt

Katie and Matt knew they wanted their wedding day to be unique and intimate. A year and a half after I did Katie’s Clemson graduation portraits, she told me they were planning to elope and asked if I could do their wedding photos. Since so much of Matt and Katie’s story takes place around Clemson, it felt like a perfect fit for them. They said they shared a lot of memories at the amphitheater, so we made a plan for them to get married there on New Year’s Eve.

Katie, Matt, and I met up at the amphitheater with my friend Rebecca of A Different Officiant. Since it was New Year’s Eve, there weren’t hardly any people around, and only the bells of the clock tower broke the silence around them. Even though there was a high chance of rain for the whole day, none came down while we were together! We went through so much of campus that day, even through some of the botanical gardens. Since there were no guests, Katie and Matt could spend their wedding day wherever. They popped a bottle of champagne together on Bowman Field, which made for plenty of laughs as it sprayed everywhere. They even cut their wedding cake right in front of Death Valley!

Katie and Matt spent years walking this campus with no idea that they were passing by the place where they would someday get married. This was such a fun day that was totally centered around them and their story. Check out some of my favorite photos from Katie and Matt’s wedding!

Special thanks to Rebecca Inman of A Different Officiant for making it possible for Katie and Matt to get married in a place that was so special to them. Their cake came from Sugar Mama’s Cakes and Desserts in Seneca.

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

Elope at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Elopement at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

Clemson Elopement | Christine Scott Photography

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Ready for your best day ever?

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about Greenville is that it’s everything you DON’T think about when you picture South Carolina, but it’s still picturesque. Whether you’re into mountains, waterfalls, lakes, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Elopement Planning Resources

Clemson Graduation Photos | Class of 2020

I’ve had lots of graduation sessions at Clemson in the last few years, but the class of 2020 will forever stand out to me. My first 2020 graduate was moved earlier to avoid having to cancel later, and the next two were pushed back indefinitely. Since they didn’t have a graduation ceremony, this session in their graduation regalia is extra special for them. This post will be updated throughout 2020 as more seniors come back to the place they called home for the past few years.

Caroline

Caroline’s session was in March, on an empty campus with the first few spring trees. Within a few days, campus closed to the public. She celebrated graduation at home with her family. She graduated with a degree in marketing. Don’t you love her tiger earrings and her tiger outfit?

Anna Kate

We planned for a session for when the tree blooms were at their peak, but the world had other plans. We ended up getting some beautiful weather for her session in June! The garden in front of Tillman had the purple and orange plants that they usually have in the summer, which added some school spirit to her photos. Anna Kate’s parents were there, since she didn’t have a graduation ceremony for them to attend. Her dad, who also graduated from the school of business, turned her ring during our session.

Jacky

Jacky and her family were in town for the weekend in November for her graduation, which was postponed from May. That means she got much nicer weather, her diploma frame, and the last of this year’s foliage!

Ready for your own Clemson portraits?

Check out some of my options for portraits here and then send me a message to tell me what you have in mind so far!

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Clemson Engagement Photo Ideas

Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt

Miss Clemson University 2020 | Mattie

Thinking about having photos done at Clemson? Read more about me and what I offer, then send me a message with what you have in mind so far!

Clemson Proposal | AC and Ben

This proposal has been in the works for 2 months now. Ben originally wanted to propose to AC on the day of the Clemson spring game. The pandemic came, the game was cancelled, and we heard people were being escorted off campus. We reconvened a few weeks later and set a new date. Ben organized a weekend trip to the mountains and would pass through Clemson on the way back.

Ben always knew he wanted to propose at the spot where they first met—outside of Core Campus, near the stadium. It was a quiet day on campus with only a few people passing through. He pulled up to their special spot and they walked down the steps. After they talked briefly about how that was where they met, Ben pulled something out of his backpack and got down on one knee. AC said she was completely caught off guard, but in the next few minutes, she found out that there was a lot more to this plan than she realized. Ben had gotten coordinating face masks off of Etsy just for these photos. He brought his Clemson ring in his backpack because she knew he didn’t normally wear it and he wanted to have it for the photos. AC’s family would be waiting for her at their lake house. Her friends had even suggested getting their nails done together a few days earlier!

We took some pictures around campus, and even though we got tired and sweaty, there was so much joy. As I walked behind them and took pictures, I kept overhearing AC:

“WE’RE ENGAGED!”
“They knew?”
“She did?”
“WE’RE GETTING MARRIED!”

Check out some of my favorite photos from this special day!

Does this proposal look like what you had in mind? Check out some of my other posts below for more ideas, or click here to contact me about your own photos!

Planning Your Proposal

Where to Take Engagement Photos at Clemson

Clemson Bridal Portraits

Clemson Elopement

Miss Clemson University 2020 Portraits | Mattie

One of the things I love about being the photographer for the Miss Clemson University pageant is seeing how each contestant represents the school in her own way.  There are women representing sororities, teams, and all sorts of campus organizations.  Not only that, but it’s a more relaxed pageant environment for the people who have never competed before, and each competitor is being cheered on by the other members of the organization she represents.  This year, the talent portion included dancing, singing, piano, chemistry, painting, sign language, and a monologue.  Mattie came out on top of the talent portion with a jazz dance to River Deep, Montain High by Céline Dion, and took home the crown that night!

Mattie represented the Clemson tour guides when she was crowned Miss Clemson University.  Yes, you could have a campus tour with Miss Clemson University!  She is also a member of Alpha Delta Pi and is one of the Rally Cat dancers.  She is a communications major and an intern with the Pearce Center.  Mattie had competed in pageants when she was younger and decided to give this one a shot.  Now, she represents Clemson and all the people who make it the wonderful place it is!

Mattie’s session was on a perfect spring day with a handful of trees turning pink or white.  She wore an electric purple evening gown from Mackenzie Jade, an orange jumpsuit, and her Rally Cat uniform during the session—all equally amazing for representing Clemson.    We made our way through campus, from Daniel Hall to the outside of Death Valley, and even got a few photos with the Clemson mural that was painted downtown last year.  We ended the night watching a stunning sunset from Library Bridge, and we snuck in a few cool photos of her crown with it!

Check out some of the photos from my fun evening with Mattie!

Want photos that show you at the best university ever? Read more about my portrait services or check out some of my other work from around Clemson below!

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Ashley | Miss Clemson University 2021

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Clemson Engagement Photos

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!

South Carolina Botanical Gardens and Clemson University Engagement | Presley and Logan

April

This engagement session is for an extra special couple. When Dan and I were at Clemson, we were part of Alpha Phi Omega, or APO, the service fraternity. Dan’s assigned little was a pledge named Logan, who quickly became one of our closest friends. Eventually, Logan was assigned a little, a pledge named Presley. Logan and Presley quickly became friends and eventually became a couple later that year.

APO formal is traditionally when each new member presents their big with a paddle they’ve decorated and each big presents their newly-initiated little with a stitched letter shirt. Presley was unable to attend formal in April, so she and her little planned to do the exchange a few days later. Her little, Hannah, suggested it might be fun to wear dresses and do the exchange somewhere pretty on campus and take some pictures. Presley wanted to come up with another plan when the forecast said it would rain, but Hannah convinced her that they could go to President’s Park and take cover under the rotunda if they needed to. As another APO brother took their pictures of them on his phone in front of the rotunda, he told Presley to turn around. She turned around and thought he was telling her to get out of the way of someone’s pictures, not realizing that the person with the camera was me with my hood on and that I was actually there to take pictures of her. He told Presley to turn around again, where she saw Logan, who had told her he was at work. He got down on one knee with the ring and Presley said yes!

November

Fast forward to a few minutes after Clemson beat South Carolina for the sixth year straight. It was the last day of November, but none of us were cold. Presley and Logan had chosen outfits that fit the location perfectly as it transitioned from fall to winter. We met up in the South Carolina Botanical Gardens for the first part of their session. We had JUST missed the peak foliage, but there was still plenty of fall color for us to find in the gardens. I loved the way the leaves on the ground added to the whole atmosphere. The new pier at the duck pond is so pretty and we had to get some pictures with it! I picked up all sorts of things that had fallen on the ground to set up for their ring shots. We then did a quick run through the main campus until the sun went down. After the sun went down, we headed over to Lee Hall to see what we could do with those huge glass windows at night.

Check out some of my favorites from this beautiful day!

Ready to take some photos of you and your favorite Clemson Tiger? Send me a message to get started, or check out some of my other work from around Clemson below!

Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt

Clemson Bridal Portraits

Where to Take Engagement Photos at Clemson

Clemson Proposal and Engagement

Clemson University Engagement | Ann and Joe

I first met Ann on the night of Miss Clemson University in 2017. It was my first time as the pageant photographer and Ann was one of the pageant co-directors. A few months later, I did Ann’s graduation portraits around campus. As we were talking that day, we found out that she and I are both from Virginia and her sister-in-law now teaches at my high school! 

Ann and Joe met while they were students at Clemson. While they were at a brewery in Virginia (about 45 minutes from where I grew up), Joe proposed in front of a beautiful view of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Isn’t the band on her ring so pretty? 

Since Clemson is where so much of Ann and Joe’s story takes place, it only made sense for them to have their engagement photos there! We met on the first weekend in November, right when the leaves started to change. We started at Lake Hartwell, which was silent on this cool fall morning, making this part of the session so peaceful and intimate. We progressed to the Esso Club, a popular spot in downtown Clemson, especially to watch away games. They were in town for the weekend to see a home game, meaning that if we did the session the next day, we could go into the stadium. We hit all the iconic parts of campus and got some pretty yellow trees around Sikes Hall and President’s Park. I will always love an engagement ring with two Clemson rings, especially with Ann’s gorgeous engagement ring and some of the first leaves from this fall. 

Check out some of my favorite photos of Ann and Joe from this gorgeous fall morning around Clemson! We’re so lucky to have such a gorgeous campus to use for commemorating our stories.

Clemson Proposal and Engagement | Tracy and Lawrence

Every once in a while, my friend Tracy will ask me about doing a session with her.  She was Miss Clemson University, then she graduated from Clemson twice, and we’ve done a few just for fun.  This time, it was Lawrence reaching out, telling me he was planning to propose to Tracy and he wanted me to be there.

Tracy and Lawrence had come back to South Carolina for a wedding.  Lawrence caught the garter.  They headed to Clemson for Sunday brunch and took a walk around campus.  They walked through President’s Park, where the superstition says you’ll be together forever if you walk through there holding hands.  The two of them walked hand-in-hand down the path until Lawrence stopped and got down on one knee.  I wasn’t actually close enough to hear him pop the question, but I saw a long hug and a kiss.  After Lawrence told Tracy to turn around to see me in the bushes (not being sketchy at all), I pointed out the tape I had put on the ground for Lawrence to stop.  We went inside so they could be in the air conditioning and share the news with their parents.

Lawrence had perfectly coordinated his outfit to complement the dress Tracy had packed, knowing there would be an engagement session that day.  Since it’s summer, we had the campus almost to ourselves.  We went back to President’s Park so I could take pictures of them actually walking through it, since I was behind a bush until the end of the first walk.  We came back through all the places where I’d done Tracy’s pictures for Miss Clemson University and her graduation years before.  The fountains were on at the reflection pond, which always makes the pictures there look cooler. 

These two made a 95-degree session at 11 AM so worth it!  Check out some of my favorites!

Clemson Engagement Session | Lindsay and Tim

Lindsay and Tim met through the engineering program at Clemson.  They became friends when they both had their engineering co-op with the same company and they started dating not long after that.  For their first date, they went paddle boarding on Lake Hartwell, right outside their apartment community.  While they were on a ski trip to Colorado, Tim proposed to Lindsay on a horse-drawn carriage!  How sweet is that?

Since Clemson is such a special place for Lindsay and Tim, they decided that was where they wanted to do their engagement photos. They came down from Charlotte with their sweet puppy, Ray. We started down by the stadium and worked our way through the main part of campus.  Since legend has it that walking hand-in-hand through President’s Park guarantees that you’ll be together forever, it’s pretty much a milestone in any Clemson couple’s relationship, and we had to get some pictures in there.  This session wouldn’t have been complete without going to Harts Cove and taking some pictures at the docks on Lake Hartwell, where they had their first date.

Since the students were on spring break, the campus was nearly silent for a Friday evening, making this session more peaceful and intimate.  It was the perfect spring day; the temperature was in the upper 60s, the sky was clear, the trees were pink and white, and there were so many colorful flowers in front of Tillman Hall. The bigger trees were still bare enough for that glow you only see in the winter, and to show Tillman Hall in the background when we were at Sikes Hall.   

Enjoy the photos from this beautiful spring evening!  I can’t wait for their fall wedding in the mountains!

To see more Clemson engagement sessions and other work I’ve done around there, visit my Clemson page. 

Anna | Miss Clemson University 2019 Portraits

Just a few days before the Miss Clemson University pageant, Anna was on the sidelines with the rest of the Rally Cats dance team as Clemson won the 2018 College Football National Championship. After a super cool Michael Jackson jazz dance, the most picturesque entrance in her evening gown, bringing in the most ad sales, and taking home the philanthropy award, Anna was crowned Miss Clemson University 2019.  She represented Alpha Delta Pi. Not only does Anna come from a family with lots of Clemson Tigers, her great-aunt was the very first Miss Clemson College in 1962!  

We chose the first date that we knew the football stadium was open to the public.  It was the middle of February, but we were lucky that this was a 60-degree day in the middle of an otherwise cold and dreary month.  We took photos all around the parts of campus that are close to Anna’s heart, including the stadium and Fort Hill (John Calhoun’s mansion), where her grandmother used to be a tour guide.

I was able to use the time Anna was changing outfits to do some detail shots with her crown and sash, as well as the adorable crown box from Crown Couture that came with them.  I even got to use her Rally Cat poms for a few shots!  One of the last shots we took was the one I’d been thinking about for weeks: in front of the bleachers that said “Clemson” with her gown floating behind her.

I had such a fun time with Anna and her mom on this perfect day, and I can’t wait to hear about Miss Clemson University’s adventures over the next year!  I hope you love Anna’s Miss Clemson University portraits as much as I do—she was so much fun to have in front of my camera!

Ready for a portrait session at Clemson?

Digital Files, Prints, and Albums

Seeing your images for the first time is always such a fun experience, but deciding on what to do with the images can be difficult.  You probably value being able to share them on social media or hanging your favorites in your home, but what else is there to consider?  Here are some of the benefits of having digital files, prints, and albums.

Digital Files

When I was in middle or high school, a friend mentioned not having any baby pictures.  I couldn’t understand why since my family had so many pictures of me from when I was little.  His parents did take pictures of him when he was little, but his house had burned down when he was in elementary school, and any pictures that were in that house were gone.  This was before digital photography became the norm, so any pictures they had that were taken before the fire were either copied from photos given to friends and family, or from the school’s database of school pictures.  

This is the biggest reason why I never think twice about offering digital files.  Yes, I would be able to print them off again if you asked, but by that point, you’ve probably gone through the pain of telling so many people about this horrible thing you went through, and it would probably be easier if you didn’t have to go through that again with me. Another reason is that it’s always nice to be able to share your photos with so many friends and family members at once and to have them on your phone whenever you want to show someone, and you can get more prints if you need to years after I’ve given you the files.  But only having digital files isn't ideal for every situation.

Prints

When I got engaged, my grandma, who was losing her memory, asked me every time we talked on the phone what my ring looked like.  My grandma didn’t have access to a cell phone or a computer, so she couldn't see a digital file unless someone came and showed it to her. My ring was kind of hard to describe, so I texted a picture to my aunt, who I knew visited her often.  Still, my grandma would ask me during every conversation what it looked like, insisting that my aunt had never shown her the photo, even though I knew she had several times.  I printed off a photo and mailed it to her, along with some photos from our engagement session.  That way, they could hang on the fridge she passed every day, and she wouldn’t forget what my ring looked like or whose ring it was. 

So why would you want to order prints if you can just print the digital files yourself?

The short answer I give in my portrait guide is that I give you the option to order prints from a professional lab so that they’ll last longer over time and look closer to what you see on your screen.  Plus, it’s easier than downloading the photos and re-uploading them to wherever you’re printing them.

As for lasting over time, I always think back to the section of the athletic hallway at my high school with all the photos of teams that won state titles.  The color and clarity on some of these photos was pretty typical for the years printed on them—large, pixelated photos with overexposed faces from the 80s and 90s, and then smaller black and white photos from the 70s.  Then there was an ivory-colored piece of paper in a frame, where you could see outlines of something if you got really close to it in good lighting.  It was on a wall that faced away from the windows, presumably moved away from the sun a few years too late, but it was still there as a reminder that some team had won a state title sometime.  I'm not sure that any teachers could tell us what the picture was, but I was sure that the team members would be upset if they came back to visit and the important picture of their winning team was all but gone from the wall.

As someone who took lots of photos of the Clemson football team, color accuracy in photos is important to me.  I’ve seen so many pictures where the purple in their uniforms looks blue—I remember watching a “Purple Out” game against Duke on TV and it was so hard to tell whether the fans were wearing blue or purple.  I’ve seen lots of photos where the orange in the football uniforms would look like Tennessee orange, Texas orange, or even red.  I worked hard in my editing to make sure the colors in my photos looked like what I saw in person.  Still, I soon realized that this didn’t always matter if I was printing from the least expensive print source I could get to, because the print could be more yellow or blurry than the file I sent.  In college, I'd either pick up smaller prints from a pharmacy in a flimsy envelope, or the larger ones would be mailed to me in a cardboard tube.  Not even millimeters separated my prints from whatever could be happening outside.  What if a bigger package fell on it?  What if I spilled something on the envelope on the drive home?  Well, I can assure you that the prints that come from my galleries come from the same lab as the photos that hang on my walls.  They came in thick boxes with tons of layers, and you can see that our wedding colors are CLEARLY purple and orange.

Albums

Let’s go back to my grandma:  my dad made my grandma an album of family photos he had scanned, dating back to before my grandparents were married.  He said that when he showed her the photos, she was suddenly able to recall specific details about the photos.  Around that time, I made my sister's wedding album as her wedding gift, and my dad asked me to make another copy for my grandma.  I sometimes had to describe my cousins' weddings to her, even though she was at all of them, and we wanted her to remember how happy she was at my sister's wedding.  The album had pictures of the extended family, my sister’s accessories, and the sign they got with their names and wedding date on it.  She could pick it up from her coffee table and remember what my sister’s new last name was, the date of the wedding, who was there, and what everything looked like.  And someday, my sister and her husband won’t remember that day so well, and they’ll have the album to show their kids.

I decided to make my own wedding album because it’s something I like to do.  And I did make it…a year after my wedding.  It wouldn’t surprise me if other couples planned to make their own and just never did.  Unless you’re like me and you’re obsessed with detail shots, you probably won’t have prints of your shoes and rings hanging on your wall, but you would want to have some photos in your album that highlighted some of the important items from your wedding day, like any heirlooms or the lace on your veil that you love so much.  You wouldn’t hang pictures that included every guest, but you’d put some of them in an album so you can remember who was there.  Plus, looking through my grandparents’ wedding album is so much fun because everything was so different back then, and it’s only when I look at those photos that my family and I see how much I look like my grandma.

My approach to delivering photos has always been to serve you the best I can without making things too complicated for you.  Everyone has different photography needs, so hopefully this has helped you get a better idea of what your needs are.  Thanks for reading!

Want to talk about your vision for your wedding photos? Let’s set up a time!

Diana and Andrew's Wedding: Fort Mill and Charlotte

On Thursday, Diana became an alumna of Clemson’s engineering school. On Saturday, she became Andrew’s wife. I did this Clemson couple’s engagement photos on a cold January day in Clemson.  Here are their wedding pictures from a 90-something degree clear day in May!

The wedding ceremony took place in the Fort Mill church Diana grew up in and a priest from Andrew’s church delivered the sermon. Diana wore the same veil that her mother and her mother’s sisters all wore on their wedding days, except Diana added a pretty gold headband to it. And how beautiful are these rings? Diana’s yellow-gold rings look so pretty together!  Diana’s favorite color is gray, so her bridesmaids wore gray, but most of Diana’s accessories were gold and there were hints of blue in their bouquets, with Diana’s rosary wrapped around the bridal bouquet. 

After the ceremony, we found a shaded area by a pond near the church for bride and groom portraits, then crossed the border of the Carolinas to Diana’s aunt’s house in Charlotte for the reception.  Diana and Andrew love the movie Up, so “adventure” was a common theme throughout the reception.  They had a few single-tier cakes from All In, a coffee shop in Clemson where everything tastes amazing, including their cakes.  After a night of line dancing and partner dancing in the backyard, Diana and Andrew walked through a tunnel of their family and friends blowing bubbles that came from champagne bottle-shaped bubble containers, which I thought was adorable, before heading to Asheville for their first adventure as husband and wife. 

Enjoy the photos of this beautiful celebration of love between two sweet people!

Ceremony venue:  St. Phillip Neri Catholic Church, Fort Mill, SC

Reception Venue: Private residence, Charlotte, NC

Photographer: Christine Scott Photography

Florist:  Fresh Blossom

Catering: Famous Toastery of Dilworth

Tara | Miss Clemson University 2018

One of my first Clemson portrait sessions was for my friend Tracy when she was crowned Miss Clemson University 2016.  Two years later, I got to cover the pageant and see Tara become Miss Clemson University.  As the representative for the Clemson Rally Cats dance team, she had such an awesome dance routine to a Gloria Estefan mix, taking home the overall talent award in addition to the crown.

I finally got to get to know Tara on what was probably the most perfect day ever for a portrait session—it was a quiet, 65-degree and sunny day with the trees and flowers in full bloom.  Tara is a health sciences major and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi.  She was the 2016 Distinguished Young Woman of America.  A few weeks before our session, she was on the basketball court with the Rally Cats when Clemson men’s basketball team made it to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over 20 years.  A few days after our session, Tara and the Rally Cats went to Disney World to compete at Nationals.

Of course we had to have some photos of Tara in the stadium with her Rally Cat uniform, where she also posed for some pictures with excited Clemson fans who had come to take some pictures with Howard’s Rock.  When we were taking pictures over by Tillman Hall, there was a group of little girls playing on Bowman Field who kept running up to us, then saying to each other, “I think she’s a REAL beauty queen!”  They finally came close enough for Tara to show them the crown.

Here are some of my favorites from this beautiful day with this sweet lady!

For more information about Miss Clemson University, visit my Miss Clemson University page or contact the Clemson University Mortar Board. Check out some of my other photos from around Clemson below, or click here to get started with scheduling your session!

Elopement at Clemson

Clemson Bridal Portraits

Where to Take Engagement Photos at Clemson

Miss Clemson University 2021

Disney World Engagement Session: Amethyst and Matt

Matt and Amethyst are not just a couple who likes Disney enough to have their engagement session in Disney World.  They are a couple who have such a significant part of their story in Disney World, so of course their engagement session would be at “the happiest place on Earth.”  

Amethyst and Matt first met while working at the same Disney World resort.  This past February, Matt got all of Amethyst’s friends in on his plan to propose at the top of the Orlando Eye, a giant Ferris wheel. When the ride was delayed due to a fire alarm going off, the group decided to take some pictures in front of the Ferris wheel while they were waiting. When it was Matt and Amethyst’s turn to have their picture taken, Matt popped the question.  Fast forward to the day of the engagement session: seeing the Winnie the Pooh characters react to a couple saying they’re engaged is the cutest thing ever.

We started the session on the beaches by some of their favorite resorts.   Yes, we had a beach and Cinderella’s Castle in the same shots!  That Winnie the Pooh song that says “and the rain rain rain came down down down” is a perfect description of what happened partway through.  Amethyst and Matt pulled out their Mickey and Minnie umbrellas, which was not only adorable, they looked especially gorgeous when a little patch of golden hour sun peeked out for a few minutes. To top it off, we saw a rainbow for a minute!  Luckily, there were lots of gazebos in the area, so Matt and Amethyst could stay dry while dancing to Disney songs.  Keep an eye out for a hidden Mickey in one of the gazebos!

I don’t normally shoot after the sun goes down, but we were in Disney.  We headed to Main Street and watched the fireworks and light show at the castle.  I asked Matt and Amethyst if they wanted some pictures with it.  They said to wait until the grand finale, when there would be the most fireworks.  There may have been a ton of people around, but the rush of catching the right moment was incredible.

I knew as soon as Matt and Amethyst told me where they wanted their engagement photos that this would be so much fun.  Hope you love looking through these photos from the most magical location!

“People do crazy things when they’re in love.” –Hercules

Clemson University Engagement Session: Diana and Andrew

One day at Clemson, Andrew and Diana walked hand-in-hand through President's Park.  Andrew did not know at the time that superstition says that means they'll be together forever.  This time, they held hands and danced through the park, knowing their wedding day will be here before they know it.

I've done lots of portrait sessions around Clemson, and I had my proposal, engagement, and wedding pictures at Clemson, but this was my first time shooting an engagement session at Clemson, so this one holds a special place in my heart.  It was also my first time doing a session in January; I don't know what colors are the most festive for January, but I'm pretty sure that Diana and Andrew wore them for the session, and Diana’s purple coat is so perfect for a session at Clemson.  At such a cold time of year, there were no leaves on the trees to hide some of the buildings on the main part of campus, so Tillman Hall could be in the background of our photo from the steps of Sikes Hall and the photo of Diana’s yellow-gold and sapphire engagement ring.  Diana has been on Clemson’s rowing team all four years of college, so we took some pictures down at the lake on the dock with a tiger paw painted on it.  With a high of 37 degrees that day, we couldn’t see or hear any people or boats, making it a peaceful time for Diana and Andrew to snuggle up in a blanket on the dock and watch the sun go down over the water.

Here are some of my personal favorite photos from Diana and Andrew's engagement session.  After having so much fun with them at their session, I'm even more excited now to be part of their wedding day!