On 27 October 2014, Taylor Swift released her groundbreaking album *1989*, which marked a pivotal transition in her career from country to pop music. The album was a critical success, solidifying her status within the pop genre and showcasing her evolution as an artist.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Taylor-Swift-1989-Album-Cover-1-198d11621e40408ea0282144db312a30.jpg)
The cover art of *1989* is strikingly unconventional. Swift opted for a Polaroid image of herself dressed in a sweatshirt adorned with flying seagulls, with the top half of her face cropped out. This choice surprised many, given that artists typically favour polished or highly stylised imagery for their album covers. During a pre-release livestream with Yahoo and ABC News, Swift explained the reasoning behind the choice, stating, “Having been born on 13 December 1989, this album is called *1989*.” The image was taken during a casual photo shoot, with the artist asserting that it was an accidental yet fortuitous find.
The photographic duo behind this memorable cover, Sarah Barlow and Stephen Schofield—known collectively as Lowfield—have worked with Swift previously, notably on her 2012 album *Red*. Barlow shared that their friendship and connection with Swift had deep roots, with Barlow becoming acquainted with the singer through mutual friends, including her brother. She mentioned, “What ended up happening was one of her background singers needed headshots. When Taylor saw them a few months later, she came to me and said, ‘Liz showed me the shots you took of her, and I need my album to look exactly like that.’”
As Barlow recounted, before her collaboration with Swift, she had begun to feel weary of music photography. Many photo shoots felt overly controlled, and she sought a new perspective that would allow more freedom. Fortunately, when working with Swift on the *Red* album, Barlow found the relaxed atmosphere she desired, with minimal crew members present, which fostered a sense of intimacy essential for capturing genuine moments.
For the *1989* album shoot, Barlow and Schofield once again partnered with Swift, blending digital images with an impressive array of Polaroids. Barlow later reflected on the volume of instant photos produced during the session, revealing, “I think we ended up shooting—how many, Stephen?—460 Polaroids? Something like that?” Indeed, the shoot yielded an extensive collection of images, demonstrating the creative synergy between artist and photographers.
When looking back at their time working with Swift, Barlow and Schofield have shared charming anecdotes from the shoots, revealing a behind-the-scenes look at their collaborative process. On 3 November 2014, the duo shared a playful black-and-white photograph on Instagram, showcasing Swift hugging Barlow while Schofield jokingly posed with bunny ears. They captioned the image, “That’s a wrap! ✌️ Right after the final shot of the 3-day *1989* shoot w/ @taylorswift.”
Notably, the shoot also included creative expeditions around New York City, such as sneaking onto a ferry for a series of photographs. Barlow fondly recalled this experience during a later Instagram post, highlighting the adventurous spirit of their partnership while reminiscing about the moments before the album went on to achieve great acclaim.
Beyond its iconic cover art, *1989* represented a significant turning point in Swift’s career. The album explored themes of independence and self-discovery, embodying a bold departure from her country roots. In a 2015 interview with *GQ*, Swift discussed the complexities of this transition, revealing that her record label had reservations about her changing direction. “I could tell they’d all gotten together and decided, ‘We gotta talk some sense into her,’” she explained, noting that the label’s concerns centred around her established success in country music. However, Swift remained resolute, arguing that taking risks is fundamental to her artistry.
Almost nine years after the initial release, Swift revisited the *1989* era by releasing *1989 (Taylor’s Version)* on 27 October 2023. This re-recorded album includes five previously unreleased tracks, effectively resurrecting moments from her past while giving them new life. The revamped version reignited interest in the original photo shoot, prompting Lowfield to share previously unseen images from their 2014 collaboration on Instagram.
As they celebrated the re-recording, Barlow and Schofield expressed their excitement in their post, stating, “So excited to see these photos from one of our favourite shoots revived!” This renewed appreciation not only highlights Swift’s continuous evolution as an artist but also the enduring partnership between her and the photographers who helped shape her visual narrative.