concert
Maddie Zahm: Thalia Hall, Chicago /
the anticipation
the show
Hayd: Schuba's, Chicago /
Jonas Brothers: Fan Fashion, Chicago /
Yesterday I realized that the Jonas Brothers were playing Wrigley Field last night; I’d seen outfit videos on Tik Tok, so I decided to swing by before my evening photo gig to see if I could get some fun outfit shots. There were two standout things I noticed during my hour there: the t-shirts and the signs. There were less full-on costumes than I’d seen at Eras Tour, but there were SO MANY clever t-shirts. I didn’t realized I’d missed signs since photographing Harry Styles fans, but turns out I did!!! Once again, so many clever signs that fans made.
welcome to Chicago
In my Jonas Era
the history
Daddy?
Sign of the times (yes, I know it’s a Harry song, but it’s also a catchy title)
I’m just Kev
Red Dress!!!
glaive: Metro, Chicago /
Taylor Swift Eras Tour: Fan Fashion, Nashville night 1 /
Taylor has a little speech before “All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” where she talks about how she’s written about some of the most painful moments of her life and she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to sing them in front of a crowd like this—seventy thousand, no less! But the fans, the listeners, the readers, the swifties, transformed the song into something differently entirely as they listened to it, championed it, understood it, sang it back to her. Instead of ten minutes of pain, the song became ten minutes of beauty, of connection.
This grandma-granddaughter due made their own shirts to mimic the Eras Tour poster, featuring photos of the two of them.
I could dwell on all the ways my day in Nashville went wrong, from the three hours of sleep to getting stranded in Indiana (don’t ride Greyhound, like ever), but instead I want to dwell on, to remember those moments of connection. Every time I think: what if I didn’t go, I’d have saved so much money and gained so much sleep—then I remember Gillian and Meredith and the other people I talked to throughout the day. I don’t want to give those moments, those conversations, those connection, those memories up. So herein likes the exchange.
This gal is a teacher (she saw several of her students at the show). She began designing her jacket to feature her favorite songs, but as the project progressed, she decided to add more details and ended up added some sort of design (some where small) for every single Taylor Swift song. The dedication!!!
Giving up the past pain means also exchanging the connection and in this case, the cost isn’t worth it. So I sit in my Music City Thrift camo cargo pants (a huge thank you to the person at Crema that recommended it because it was AMAZING) and remind myself of the same thing Taylor reminds herself and reminds us every weekend: the story can be rewrtitten, the songs can be recorded, the memory can be something beautiful, if only you sing along.
This time around, it felt like I took less photos (I didn’t) because I had more conversations. I’m excited to share some of these stories with you. This is Eras Tour Nashville, night 1. The sections are organized, more or less, by eras, with the exception of the first two sections. <3
on a wednesday, I mean Friday, in cafe
Even before I actually officially began working, I met a few folks at coffee shops (because really all I ever do is thrift and drink coffee when I travel) and asked to take their photos.
this is what it feels like
I’ve been photographing Gracie for a few years and it made me so happy that she had fans who turned out to Eras Tour just for her!!!
and i’m wearing my heart on my sleeve
and that’s the way i loved you
if this was a movie
That skirt was handmade by the gal wearing it and there’s a layer for every era—I never would’ve thought to do something so creative!
This person told me they were hoping boygenius would appear during Phoebe’s set—and they were dressed up as the actual story of us. So if you need someone to manifest something, this is your person.
and you were tossing me your car keys…
Starbucks lovers
‘cause look at your face
Guys. This Twister outfit. Original, creative, water resistant. Literally mastermind-level of creativity.
You can’t forget the getaway car.
it’s a cruel summer with you
These gals had a whole table set up in the parking lot where they gave away free bracelets and also let swifties make their own—I am obsessed.
giving me your weekends
Read the mom’s shirt.
long story short, i survived
midnights become my afternoons
Her fella was there, too, but he wasn’t really dressed up, so he let her have he main character moment and I’m obsessed with that energy.
This couple was walking in front of me (that is candid!) and I scurried up to nervously ask them for a photo, but there was no need to be nervous because they were super nice and so eager to dress up and pose!
Joey was honestly one of the most high-energy fun swifties I’ve met! We made eye contact from across the merch area and he was ready for that photo!
And just like any great Taylor Swift song, the night ended with a bridge…
Taylor Swift Eras Tour: The Bridge (Nashville) /
the bridge
Taylor Swift Eras Tour: Fan Fashion, Tampa night 3 /
Welcome to the Eras Tour!
Frankly, I was a bit nervous about these shows. I tried to get tickets to Taylor’s SNL performance and it was a huge mess, with running and crying—disorganization and people almost getting trampled.
Taylor’s music felt sacred to me and my friends and my girlhood and growth and if this is what the wider scope of the community was, I didn’t want it.
Though usually a joyful space, even Tik Tok sometimes felt like it was full of fans trying to prove they know the most, have been a fan the longest, love Taylor best. This scarcity mindset felt rampant and I was nervous to embark on this photo journey, nervous that this was what I would encounter. Would I be judged? Quizzed? Doubted?
Instead, I was met with the opposite. People looked out for each other, laughedFolks welcomed me into their circles, asked genuine questions, chatted with me, and I took photos. I was given friendship bracelets, water. People looked out for each other, laughed, made friends. I was told stories about embroideries and families and how outfits were chosen and what they meant. Everything was drenched in that sacred feeling that I was scared of losing. It was beautiful and I’m no longer afraid to enter in.
Because right there where we stood: was holy ground.
If you see yourself and would like your photo, please email me at estorie@outlook.com. If you would like to hire me, please email me, too. Lastly, if you’d like to support a local artist, my venmo is @estorie. Thank you!
stay beautiful
i know i had the best day with you today
i was enchanted to meet you
tonight’s the night when we forget about the heartbreaks
we’re all here—the lights and noise are blinding
so it goes…
you could stay
who knows, if i never showed up, what could’ve been
but there was happiness because of you
checkmate, i couldn’t lose
so make the friendship bracelets
Taylor Swift Eras Tour: Fan Fashion, Tampa night 2 /
We brought our best dresses, our best friends, and our big reputations. We came with our friendship bracelets and left in our getaway cars. We took the moment and saw something they can’t take away.
There’s just one who could make us stay in that merch line that long and travel from across the country to Tampa, Florida, of all places, to stand in the sun for hours, waiting for the countdown clock to appear. Spoiler: her name is Taylor Swift.
And in that moment, as the lights turned down, and “it’s been a long time coming” poured over Raymond James Stadium, it turned into something bigger, all of us together. And the best part is, none of us were ever alone.
Long live, the looks on all your faces, the magic we made: thank you for letting me capture it. I had the time of my life taking pictures with you. You’re beautiful.
*Yes, I cried writing this; someone please hire me to do this forever. Yes, the person or people on the stage are important, but this—the friendship, the dancing, the dresses, the people coming together because the same words make them feel understood—this is what it’s all about. This is what the songs have become: stories and bracelets that tie us all together, and, god, if there’s one thing I want to do forever, it’s tell these stories.
If you see yourself and would like your photo, please email me at estorie@outlook.com. If you would like to hire me, please email me, too. Lastly, if you’d like to support a local artist, my venmo is @estorie. Thank you!
