Having a behemoth festival like Austin City Limits in your own city can be a blessing and a curse. For many, the festival (celebrating its 20th year of production) is a two-weekend splash of music, food, friends, and drinks. For others, it can present a logistical nightmare—from the influx of out-of-towners to the traffic caused around the popular Lamar and Barton Springs intersection. Simply put, there are those who love the fest and those who loathe it.
The 2023 installment marks my ninth year shooting the festival in an official media capacity, and amazingly it also marks the second year that my 15-year-old daughter Ryder has joined on as a part of the media team. Having the fest in my backyard means that integrating Ryder into the system is a lot more possible in contrast to having to travel around the country (the teen lifestyle doesn’t lend itself to chasing down festivals during the school year). Ryder spends most of the year living with her amazing mother and stepfather, so opportunities to spend this much time together are significant for the bonding process. It really is such an incredible experience getting to show Ryder one component of my career while simultaneously watching her navigate the chaos that is photographing a festival.
ACL 2023 also marked a moment in my relationship with Ryder where I had to confront my own anxieties about a teenager flexing their newly discovered desire for independence. I had to constantly remind myself that I could trust her to make good and safe decisions while exploring the festival grounds on her own. I had to come to terms with the reality that my daughter was growing up seemingly faster than time allowed, and that it was totally normal to have the feelings I was experiencing. Not surprisingly, her best photos came during her time of independence while I was off shooting from the pit, or when she would navigate to a stage to see an artist she liked. I learned a lot about Ryder as I scrolled through these images she made over three days, a collection of wordless diary entrees that told the story of her experience.
I’m proud of the young woman she’s becoming, and I’m proud to be her father. There’s not a single person in the world I would rather be covering the Austin City Limits Festival with, and I look forward to many years of shooting with Ryder.
