Photographer Relishes Chance to Shoot at Miss Tennessee Pageant
WEST JACKSON, Tenn. – All eyes are on the 36 beautiful, smart, and talented women in Jackson and Darren Lykes has the challenge of capturing the memories of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant. “I’m with the girls all week it’s really fun, I start at check in on Sunday, I photograph them at every civic luncheon, every dinner, every rehearsal, then of course each night of competition,” he explained. Lykes is a Jackson native who has a deep passion for photography and love for his community. “It’s all volunteer basis, we all volunteer, I started working with the pageant, six Miss Tennessee’s ago so this will be my 7th,” Lykes said. Every pose, every smile, and every outfit. Lykes capture more than 8,000 pictures in one week. “I just want to make sure I capture each girl in their best light at all times,” he said. It may seem like a busy week but Lykes said it is the girls’ professional attitude and volunteers from the community that make this event possible. “It’s so much fun, you know the pageant is so organized that it’s not very challenging because ya know it’s a very tight schedule there’s a certain time for every single thing we do.” The relationships that Lykes builds during the week he said, will last a lifetime. “It’s like a big family when they come into town. It’s like they know who I am before they get here so it’s really great.”
