clemson rally cats

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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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!

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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!

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