Taylor, you once said in an interview that you’re "drawn to people with impossible dreams.” You even sing about it in Starlight: “Don’t you dream impossible things?” I love the idea of making the seemingly impossible, possible. My “impossible dream” is to go out on tour with you as a photographer, capturing all of the magic that happens onstage, backstage, and around the venue. And even though when I tell people that they look at me like I’m crazy, I love having a dream as big as this. Aspiring to achieve something so out of reach pushes me to work my hardest in everything I do. I’m determined to do everything I can to make this dream of mine come true.
WHY I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU: Taylor, thank you for inspiring me to pursue this dream. You wouldn’t be where you are today without hard work, dedication, and of course, your talent. Your work ethic inspires me, as well as your stage presence. I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my life, but I’ve never seen someone put on a show quite like you do. There’s something about your concerts that I can’t describe; it’s like magic. You put your heart and soul into every show and you go the extra mile to connect with the audience. You captivate the entire room whether it’s filled with 65 people or 65,000 people. The level of production is insane - going to one of your concerts is more like attending a Broadway show. Being able to capture all of that magic and share it with the world would be everything I’ve ever hoped for.
Similar to how you tell stories with your songs, I always strive to tell a story with my photographs. I’ve always been fascinated by how much emotion someone can convey through their facial expression and body language, especially when they’re performing. Often those facial expressions only last for a split second, and I love the challenge of capturing them. Spit flying, veins popping out, faces scrunched up while hitting a high note - all of those show how much passion the performer has for what they’re doing. And Taylor, you have what I like to call “the look.” Every so often, in between the lines of a song or speech, you give the audience "the look": the raise of an eyebrow, widening of the eyes, a nod of the head, and every person in that arena can tell what you're feeling. You are the master of facial expressions. You can convey so much with so little, and I’m fascinated by it.
MY MISSION: I’ve been “campaigning” for this to happen since the beginning of 2012 (the end of the Speak Now era). It's now mid-2014, and album five is quickly approaching (!!!!!!!!!!). I'm going to be completely blunt here, because I don't think it makes any sense for me to jump around the subject: I would be incredibly thrilled and eternally grateful if I could join you on your next tour. Yes, I'm a young and somewhat new photographer compared to others in this industry. And yes, I still have so much to learn - I'm not going to deny that. But consider this: I've been a fan of yours for over seven years now. And while it may seem like hiring a fan might not be the best idea, I'm extremely passionate about what I do and really, I think it makes so much sense. I've seen you in concert ten times; I know how you perform, and I know what the atmosphere of your concerts is like from a fan's perspective. And most importantly, I just think we would work so well together. I like to joke to my friends that we're long lost BFFs, because it seems like we share the same brain. If I were a musician I would want a photographer who relates to me, understands my music, and understands my fan base: I hope you want the same.
Here's my proposition: Release week for album #5 is coming up. In 2012 for Red, you had your #TaylorFollowers, which I thought was incredible - I've never seen any other artist do something like that for their fans. For this upcoming release week, I have a vision in my head of live photography updates. I know there are thousands of fans who wish they could attend release week in NYC/LA, since it's become somewhat of a tradition for you. However, a lot of us are restricted by money, school, and our location: so why not provide all of your fans with an exclusive look into all of the promotion you do during release week? I know it's a stretch, and I know it's something you might be hesitant to agree to: but all I ask is that you consider it. I can't express how thrilled I would be, or how much it would mean to me.
IN CONCLUSION... If you actually read all of that novel, I'll bake you cookies. Seriously. I know how busy you must be, so thank you so much for your time. I also know you must get hundreds of propositions like this a week; I hope my story and my passion stand out to you. No matter the outcome, I promise that I will always be there for you as a fan, a listener, and a supporter. You have been a constant in my life for the past seven years. I can't wait to see what the next seven bring.