Two Sisters, One Parade Ground: A Citadel Senior Portrait Session
She came from Texas. Four years at The Citadel later, she was standing on Summerall Field in Full Dress, the most formal uniform in the Corps of Cadets, reserved for ceremonies, parades, and special occasions. Shako with its dark plume, red sash, gold sleeve details, sword. Her freshman sister, also a cadet and her teammate on The Citadel golf team, was right there with her.
As one of the few photographers who regularly works at The Citadel, I am particularly honored to photograph female cadets. Women make up approximately 14% of the Corps of Cadets. That number has grown steadily over the years but it is still a small and accomplished group. To have two sisters, both cadets, both in uniform, on the same parade ground together — that is genuinely rare. I have photographed siblings at The Citadel before but two sisters serving at the same time is something I will not forget.
We started at the edge of the parade ground as the late afternoon light came in low across the field. Full Dress against the green of Summerall Field with the white barracks behind her. All of it reads.
From Summerall Field we moved to the Ring Statue, then through the front gates where the ironwork frames the campus entrance and the late sun backlights everything just right. And finally to Summerall Chapel, where the light in late afternoon is as good as it gets anywhere on campus. The chapel sits at the heart of The Citadel and photographing a senior there, four years in, about to walk out those gates for the last time, always carries weight.
Her sister was there for all of it. She helped with adjustments to the uniform throughout the session, stepped in when something needed straightening, and kept the energy easy and fun. By the time she stepped in front of the camera, the session had already shifted into something warmer.
On Summerall Field together the bond between them was immediate and visible. Laughter, fist bumps, warm embraces, a shared look that needed no explanation. The younger sister's pride was written all over her face. Those candid moments on the parade ground, with the barracks behind them and the last of the golden light fading, brought a depth to the gallery that the formal portraits alone never could.
Their mom was out of state during the session. When she received the gallery and saw her two daughters together in their dress uniforms, she wrote to tell me she beamed with joy. Those messages stay with me.
We ended the session with portraits against a black backdrop. No campus, no context, just her in Full Dress with the sword. The contrast is dramatic and the detail in the uniform reads differently against black than it does outdoors. One image serious, one with a full smile. Both worth printing large.
Sisterly Bond and Support
We ended the session with portraits against a black backdrop. No campus, no context, just her in Full Dress with the sword. The contrast is dramatic and the detail in the uniform reads differently against black than it does outdoors. One image serious, one with a full smile. Both worth printing large.
If you have a specific vision for your session, want to incorporate a meaningful tradition, honor a family member's military service, or wear a second uniform for more variety, bring it. I have photographed a cadet who wanted to create a side-by-side tribute honoring his great-grandfather's military service. No two Citadel sessions are alike because no two cadets experience The Citadel the same way.
If you are a Citadel senior planning your portrait session, or a parent trying to figure out how to make this happen before graduation, visit my Citadel Senior Portraits page for session details and availability.
I'm Amy, a Charleston-based lifestyle and documentary photographer specializing in senior portraits, family photography, and personal branding. As a mom of three, I know how fast these milestones pass.
Working with Citadel seniors is something I feel deeply honored to do. The strength, pride, and tradition in those sessions is unlike anything else. I approach every Citadel session with genuine respect and a desire to preserve not just how it looked, but how it felt.
