A guest post from our good friend and Schaefer Photography Staff Photographer Johannah Fults from Taylor Swift’s final U.S. Eras Tour date in Indianapolis. View the FULL GALLERY if you would like to order prints or downloads.
Swiftie. You’ve heard the word. You’ve seen the crowds. You’ve maybe even rolled your eyes. But no matter where you stand, you can’t deny the buzz from the fandom Taylor Swift has created.
As for me? I’m proudly one of them.
My name is Johannah and my love of Taylor Swift’s music began long ago, when Taylor’s debut self-titled album dropped. When I hear ‘Tim McGraw,’ I DO think of my favorite song. I was immediately captivated by her storytelling, her voice, and the creative ways in which she expressed herself.
I have so many memories of Taylor Swift and the impact her music has had on me throughout different stages of my life. In 2009, I got the chance to attend the CMA Festival in Nashville, TN, where I saw Taylor perform for the first time—curly-haired, knobby-kneed, and rocking one of her signature sparkly fringe dresses.
I screamed so loudly from the nosebleed section that I like to think Taylor could hear me from the stage. Not long after, my dad bought floor seats for him and I to attend another concert where Taylor was the opener. I danced, sang, and had the time of my life.
I’ve pre-ordered albums and attended multiple concerts on the Speak Now and Red tours, with “I was enchanted to meet you” scrawled down my arm in black Sharpie marker and a poorly drawn “13” on the back of my hand. I even attempted to give Taylor a handmade, braided friendship bracelet—primarily purple in color, of course. I reached out to Taylor as her security accompanied her through the crowd, trying to give her the bracelet I made but she grabbed my hand instead and said she loved me. Andrea Swift came behind Taylor and her team and shared that Taylor wouldn’t take gifts while performing. (Yes, it happened. No, I’ll never stop talking about it.)
A master storyteller
Taylor Swift isn’t just a musician—she’s a storyteller, someone who’s changed the cultural landscape with each album. Every time she releases new music, it feels like a new chapter in her own journey of self-discovery, and I find pieces of my own emotions in her lyrics. It’s like I’ve grown up alongside her, with each era marking a different version of myself. When the Eras Tour was announced, it felt like the perfect celebration of everything she’s created—not just her music, but the incredible journey she’s shared with all of us, and the special bond she has with her fans.
Needless to say, I knew I had to be there. The excitement was palpable, and I immediately started scheming with one of my closest friends, Anna. We were certain we’d get tickets on release day—we were determined, we were ready, we were even “verified fans!” Working from home had its perks, so I was able to enter the queue as soon as it opened, prepared for what I hoped would be an easy win. And then came the Ticketmaster fiasco. As the hours stretched on and the inevitable heartbreak set in, I didn’t give up. I kept hope until it no longer made sense.
Just as I was mentally preparing to accept the defeat, my phone buzzed with a message from Anna: someone she knew had survived the great war and scored extra tickets. It was happening. We were going!!
The countdown began. I splurged on a multicolored sparkly dress, avoided TikToks and spoilers like they were the plague, and speculated wildly about what special songs would be performed when Taylor announced that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) would be released July 7, 2023—just one day before our Kansas City show.
A broken heart
But life had other plans. Just a few months before the concert, I learned I was pregnant. Then, on July 6, at my 20-week ultrasound, everything changed. We learned that our baby’s heart had stopped beating. I knew I couldn’t attend the show so I made sure Anna would still go with her husband to experience the magic as it was her first chance to see Taylor. My son was born early on the morning of the concert, July 8, 2023. It was one of the hardest experiences of my life. He was perfect in every way.
As the Eras Tour continued to build momentum and gain popularity, my grief only deepened. It was impossible to separate the joy of Taylor’s record-breaking success from the heartbreak I was feeling. When new tour dates were announced, I decided to give it another shot—this time for Indianapolis—but once again, luck wasn’t on my side.
Excitement
After countless hours refreshing resale sites and watching ticket prices skyrocket, Anna and I were losing hope. Then, one sleepless midnight (literally), I decided to check one last time—and to my surprise, a single ticket in Floor A, Row 16, was listed at a much more reasonable price than the others. With Anna’s blessing, I bought it. Without skipping a beat, she booked an Airbnb and said, ‘I’m coming with or without a ticket.’ (Thankfully, she ended up getting one too!)
My wedding day!
A few months later, on my wedding day, as Taylor Swift’s music played in the background, I shared my story with my friends and longtime photographers, Scott and Shannon Schaefer. Without missing a beat, Scott offered to let me borrow their top-of-the-line pocket camera for the concert. Having dabbled in photography myself, I was so psyched.
November 4, 2024
Night 3 in Indianapolis finally arrived, the last U.S. Eras Tour show. Though so much sadness and loss preceded it, Night 3 of the Eras tour in Indianapolis, IN was filled with so much love. So many people contributed to my experience and I could not be more grateful.
Swifties are a force unlike any other. In a world full of disconnection and disagreements, we create traditions, lift each other up, scream every lyric, and heal through the power of music and community. Taylor does more than step onto stage and sing—she and her dancers perform. They leave no stone unturned, no box unticked.
Personally, I’m a Rep girlie (let’s hear it for all the Rep TV clowning we’ve been up to!) with the Midnights era being my close second. I believe that 1989 TV had the best vault songs to date, I think her next album – TS12 – will have orange and yellow vibes, and I think that, for Taylor, her music catalogue will now be defined by what was released pre- ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ and post-TTPD. Because seriously. That album? A masterpiece. And “Female Rage: The Musical?” There are no words for the power that Taylor displayed in the midst of her vulnerability.
At Indianapolis N3 and the days leading up to it, I made the friendship bracelets. I took the moment and tasted it. And yes, I took some photos that I think are pretty cool—ones I’m beyond thrilled to share with you, with the help of Scott and Shannon’s editing. Hopefully, these photos will allow you to experience for the first time or reminisce all the energy, magic and everything else that went into Taylor’s amazing eras shows.
In this little corner of the world, we Swifties celebrate the joy, the pain, and the healing Taylor has brought us. I hope these photos capture just a fraction of that magic. ✨️
Love,
Jo 🫶🏻
P.S. To the Brads, Chads, and Dads as well as the Hannahs and Sarahs: sorry, not sorry. The Swifties are here to stay. 💖
Photos © 2024 Schaefer Photography
