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Brand Standards

Imagery

Photography

Our brand uniquely exists at those places where the Clemson Experience intersects with its outcomes in the world, and our photos and videos show those outcomes and intersections in an authentic and compelling way.

our students stand and talk in President's Park while the sun sets.

Imagery

Photography

Our brand uniquely exists at those places where the Clemson Experience intersects with its outcomes in the world, and our photos and videos show those outcomes and intersections in an authentic and compelling way.

We have developed a style of photography to distinguish and differentiate Clemson from its competitors. Our photography utilizes leading lines to represent movement, direction and pathways. Additionally, it frames the specific over the generic, the iconic rather than the everyday.

The brand requires both intentional front-end photo direction and a distinctive back-end editing process. Other elements of our brand include:

  • Leading lines.
  • Use of directional light.
  • Wider focus.
  • Wider depth of field.
  • Uncluttered environments.
  • A culture of support through mentorship, collaboration and the Clemson Family.
  • A brand element to tie the image to Clemson, either through color, the Tiger Paw or a landmark on campus.
  • More editorial in nature: textured, layered, emotive.
Louise Franke studies with a group in class.
Four students stand talking and smiling.
A female student writes in a notepad while crouching beside a row of plants in a field.

Stock Photography Usage

When original photography does not exist or cannot be used or created to help tell a specific story, stock images can be used. It's best to use stock images to help convey concepts but never to suggest people, locations or activities on campus. Authenticity is very important to our brand, so we want to be careful not to deceive or misrepresent what it's like to be at Clemson.

When using stock in external marketing and communications pieces:

  • Represent campus with official Clemson photography when possible.
  • Use stock photography to convey concepts such as health, technology or education when Clemson photography is not available.
  • Give proper credit in accordance with the stock asset providers licensing policy.
  • Use stock photography to suggest people, locations or activities on campus.
  • Sell any artwork or merchandise generated using stocks assets licenses for Clemson University use.

Photographic Best Practices

Ideally, our images should communicate collaboration. Some tips for doing this include:

  • Avoid images of isolated people.
  • Lean into authenticity.
  • Be intentional but not at the risk of feeling staged.
  • Show an emotional connection.
  • Consider shooting the same situation from a variety of different angles.
  • Consider versatility and utility of photos at all times (shoot horizontal and vertical, close up and farther out, etc.).

Portrait-Style Photography

Portrait-style photography has the subject (or subjects, ideally no more than three or four) engaging in their environment to tell the significance story. Should have enough negative space to allow incorporation of graphic lines/elements within the photo. Leading lines should draw the eye to the significance point of the photo.

Portrait of a Clemson football player leaning on weightlifting equipment in all-orange practice wear.
Portrait of a smiling woman wearing an orange blazer, leaning on a column in front of Sikes Hall.
Portrait of a man wearing business casual dress, leaning against book shelves in the library, with hands in his pockets.
Portrait of a female athlete in orange and purple track uniform crouching on the track with a large 'Clemson track & field' sign behind her.
Headshot of a smiling man looking directly at the camera with a plain white background.

Studio

In-studio, backdrop portraits should be reserved primarily for headshots, which is to say strictly utilitarian use, such as newsletters, internal communications, informational listings or directories, etc. Reserved almost exclusively for faculty and staff (versus students). To book a headshot with a professional photographer, visit clemson.edu/photoservices.

Portrait of a smiling woman wearing a hijab and business casual dress, leaning against a column in front of Sikes Hall.

Environmental

Staged portraits in context can be useful for internal and external communications but should be art directed for lighting, background clutter and authenticity. The subject can be smiling or serious and is ideally shot both ways. If possible, action photos should be taken to accompany the environmental portraits.

Landscape-Style Photography

Geography-based intentionally shows the foreground and background or the subject or subjects in context. This treatment works better in horizontal, but it can and should be shot both horizontal and vertical for maximum flexibility. It is more textured and more editorial in style than past brand photography to communicate depth, authenticity and specificity. Photos should include a brand element, if possible, to tie it to Clemson.

A grandfather crouches to kiss his toddling granddaughter on the head. Both wear Clemson gear.
The Old Tillman Hall Bell in the Carillon Garden peeks through a covering of orange and red-colored trees.
Two men walk out of a brick academic building, smiling and gesturing with their hands.
A professor and a student examine x-rays in a dimly lit lab.

A Spectrum of Photography

Consider how photographic approaches can align to Clemson's brand spectrums to portray an authetic glimpse into the Clemson Experience.

TRADITIONAL
INNOVATIVE
A wall of trees with the leaves varying shades of fall colored leaves in front of Tillman Hall.
A firefighter in full gear carrying a folded up hose up the stairs in the Clemson football stadium.
President Jim Clements handing a woman her diploma during a graduation ceremony.
A kneeling man inspects a row of plants in a greenhouse.
A teacher lecturing to a group of students in a classroom.
A woman wearing lab gear fills vials with a syringe.
The siloutte of a person stands in front of a collection of purple stage lights.
A wall of trees with the leaves varying shades of fall colored leaves in front of Tillman Hall.
A firefighter in full gear carrying a folded up hose up the stairs in the Clemson football stadium.
President Jim Clements handing a woman her diploma during a graduation ceremony.
A kneeling man inspects a row of plants in a greenhouse.
A teacher lecturing to a group of students in a classroom.
A woman wearing lab gear fills vials with a syringe.
The siloutte of a person stands in front of a collection of purple stage lights.
TRADITIONAL
INNOVATIVE

University Photography Resources

Canto

Clemson also provides a gallery of images for public use through its digital asset management system Canto. Clemson faculty and staff can access a larger selection of images in the Canto DAM system through their Clemson login.

Public Use Image Gallery Canto DAM system

Smugmug

SmugMug has galleries available publicly, which include events and headshots.

SmugMug is also the University's photography archive, which is limited to Clemson users. For access to the expanded gallery set, contact photo@clemson.edu.

Smugmug Galleries for Clemson Users