Snapshots of 2025 Our staff photographers share some of their favorite photos from the year.

Office of Communications and Public Affairs
December 26, 2025

The photography team in Washington and Lee University’s Office of Communications take thousands upon thousands of photos each year as they document life at W&L. From student activities to classroom assignments, internships, volunteer work, alumni reunions and everything in between, they get a front-row seat to the biggest moments in our community’s collective memory. We asked them to share some of their favorite photos from 2025, as well as give us a window into their worlds.

Shelby Hamelman, digital media producer

In April of this year, I was tasked with taking a photo of students reading in a spring setting, preferably near flowering trees. I lucked out while wandering campus and found that a group of students had decided to post up under these Eastern redbuds on the Front Lawn for the entire day. I photographed the group several times throughout my workday as I passed by on my way to events and meetings, but this photo of a quiet mid-morning moment is my favorite.

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A lot of people talk about golden hour as being a magical time to take photos, but I think blue hour deserves just as much credit. (Photo of Wilson Field Bridge)

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In this photo, students in professor of dance and theater Jenefer Davies’ Aerial Dance class perform in “Vertical Dance” on the wall outside of Wilson Hall. Aerial dance is one of my favorite events to photograph, and I especially love this angle because of the depth added by the dancers waiting for their turn to perform in the background.

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Here, students in the AIM program (Advanced Immersion and Mentoring) kayak with the Outing Club on Lake Robertson. Photographing large groups of people paddling in a body of water is so fun because they move around in such interesting ways. If you’re patient, they will eventually drift into an even pattern, or someone will turn their head just right.

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Choosing just one photo of a squirrel for this was a challenge because I love to photograph squirrels! This cutie is special, though. They’re a part of associate professor of biology Jessica LaPrice’s research on ground squirrel hibernation cycles.

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I take so many drone photos of the Colonnade, but this one is my favorite of the year. I was trying out an angle that I don’t normally use, and I like how it shows how nestled into the mountains W&L is. The Front Lawn was also looking sharp that day.

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First-Year Olympics is the joyful chaos of an entire football field filled with every single first-year student fiercely competing in some of the silliest games you can think of. These triumphant competitors are celebrating a musical chairs win. This was the most fun event I photographed this year, and, according to my Fitbit, I walked two miles while bouncing from game to game.

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I never knew that I enjoyed choral music until I started working at W&L and had the opportunity to photograph the University Singers multiple times every year. What’s really cool about this group is not only are they massively talented, they also care about each other so much. Every year at Young Alumni Weekend, I always call dibs on photographing the rehearsal when alums come back to sing because there are always so many sweet moments like this.

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When I think of W&L, I think of campus in the fall. There’s really nothing like it.

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Every winter I keep the snow day ritual of waking up early to get to campus as soon as the roads are safe to capture the quiet moments of students making their way to class in the morning. Wilson Field Bridge is usually my first stop as I make my way up from the parking garage, and no matter how many times I take different versions of this same photo, it always seems to make my final edit.

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Kevin Remington, manager of photography

This image is a graduation photo that was taken for Brianna Benoit ’25. Brianna embodied the W&L experience. She graduated with degrees in business administration and studio art, was a student-athlete on the women’s lacrosse team and was a leader in multiple clubs on campus.

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This photo is of Melissa Kerin, director of the Roger Mudd Center for Ethics and professor of art history, and her daughter, Elsa, at Belfield. I’ve known Elsa since she was 3, and it’s been a joy to watch her grow into the well-rounded woman that she has become. And she looks so much like her mom is amazing. Melissa would point out that she is an inch shorter, though.

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Graduation is bittersweet every year as I say goodbye to students I’ve gotten to know and have watched grow into amazing people over their four years here. I met Georgia Bernbaum ’25 early in her first year at W&L. It was visible then that she was so full of wonder and excitement. She always seemed to be enjoying the moment to its fullest potential — case in point.

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Bo Torbert ’20 and Madison McNair ’20 were all smiles after their wedding rehearsal in University Chapel this past July. Madison radiates fun — she was a joyful bride and always seems to be having a great time. Bo isn’t too bad, either!

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I love shooting sports, with soccer being one of my favorites. My goal is to always catch action with people in the air. In this shot, I like how the trident is visible as the ball comes off of Buster Couhig ’26’s foot in W&L’s 7-0 win over Regent University during Young Alumni Weekend in September.

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In this photo, the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. participate in W&L’s third annual NPHC step show competition. Step shows are so much fun to shoot because there is so much energy and emotion to capture.

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I love the way A.J. Thomas ’26 flies through the air in this photo from W&L’s 78-75 win over Averett University. A.J. is a particularly great person off the court and is always fun to see on campus.

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I have heard trustee emerita Lizanne Thomas ’82L talk about Lettie Pate Evans numerous times, and the story always fills me with emotion. Lizanne is so passionate and perfectly embodies the spirit and energy of Lettie Pate Evans. I hope to hear her tell the story many more times. This photo was taken while she was giving the keynote address at the Alumni Weekend Opening Assembly in University Chapel.

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You could feel the energy building on the sidelines of the men’s lacrosse ODAC championship game against the University of Lynchburg as it went into overtime tied at 12. The excitement erupted when Elliot Cohen ’26 hit the game-winning goal to clinch W&L’s 13th ODAC championship.

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Another exciting moment was when women’s soccer goalkeeper Kate McEnroe ’28 was doused with a cooler of ice water while posing with her sophomore classmates after defeating Virginia Wesleyan by one penalty kick in double overtime on Watt Field.