Going Back To Badlands in Denver has become my top shows of 2025
I have been a fan since the near beginning. I spent lunches in high school streaming the songs and music videos on my little iPod in my car with a dash console that didnāt work and windows that we had to manually crank down. Iāve listened to all of Badlands on repeat. To get to go back and experience this now means more than I could put into words.
Some fun little back story, Halsey has stayed in my top 3 favorite artists. Through every era that has never changed. Their music and themselves as a person has inspired me in so many ways. In all the time Iāve been a fan, I had attempted 9 different times to see them live. All failed - from show cancellations to being in bad company. It started to all feel like some cruel joke from the universe that Iād never get to see my favorite artist live. June 24th of this year I got the pleasure to FINALLY see them live on the FMLT tour. I remember being in awe the whole time, only to question when Iāll get to again. When the Back To Badlands Tour announced, I knew I had to go and make it up to my younger self. The teenage me who made her friends listen to Ghost, Tokyo Narita, and Colors on repeat for the whole lunch period. The girl who listened to Drive dreaming of the life of traveling anywhere and creating a safe space to escape. I dreamed of getting the chance to hold Halseyās hand screaming āIs There Somewhereā lyrics. Yet it happened.
To really top the whole show off, hearing 100 Letters after I have manifested and prayed to hear it. 100 Letters became basically a soundtrack through a very hard time. Iāve probably streamed it over a million times. This is the closest Iāll probably ever get to photographing them, and Iām trying to not be so hard on myself. Hopefully thereās something there that caught your eye. If youāve read this far in my little fangirl rant. Thanks for listening š next up New York and Detroit next year š
This isnāt even a dent of my Kilby Block Party photos from last year if you can believe it (all the real ones know Iām an overshooter at heart šāāļø)
Had to make a little recap post though, and maybe Iāll get to the rest one dayā¦Maybe. But feeling a bit emotional since I wonāt be at KBP this year (send me videos of Turnstile, Hayley Williams, and American Football pls and thx) Iām venturing off this year and joining the media team at Sonic Temple! Catch me snapping pics and rocking all weekend long. Excited is a true understatement. Wishing all my friends the best KBP weekend and I canāt wait see all my other friends roll through Sonic Temple š
Anyone who knows me knows this meant a lot to me. One of the most fun and challenging times I had photographing in awhile.
Editing through these was interesting because I donāt know whatās really considered a good photo in sports. The lighting changes were interesting to adapt to. It was a little bit of a relief not have to overthink a gallery so much and make 20+ photos really artsy and a specific vibe.
Hockey has been something Iāve loved for awhile, and honestly the only sport I really ever watch. Maybe I gotta find more opportunities to photograph it more.
I owe the biggest thanks to @laur.henwood for inviting me out and being her little shadow for the day and making it the best experience ever. š
No best of photos post from me, just simple photos taken on my phone or a disposable without a second thought followed by some sappy thoughts.
Though it mightāve not seemed like it. I took a step back from photography a little the first half of the year, instead of taking every single opportunity presented my way, I limited myself to only shooting the shows that really mattered to me. I needed to limit myself to allow myself to enjoy this craft again. I didnāt really start 2025 with goals, mainly because I knew I was going to struggle to accomplish them. The show count still remains high with 100+ logged. Whether I was shooting, just enjoying, or working in a different capacity. The fact remains that concerts are a safe space for me. I owe the biggest shoutout to Dalton S. and Travis T. your faith in my photos were the biggest thing to get me through the struggle, and it was an honor to be part of your teams.
Just like any other year, 2025 had its good times and hard times. There was loss, mental and emotional struggles, some new wounds were made and some old wounds were reopened. I told myself Iād focus more on the little things to get me through and they did. In no particular order these are some of my favorite things to have occurred.
I got to watch my friends accomplish so many amazing things in their career, I went outside to watch more sunsets and caught just a handful of sunrises, I went on solo travel adventures, I took on a lot side quests, I made more of an effort to go and look at the stars, I enjoyed festivals again, I returned to some of my favorite cities, I got to see some of my favorite artists. More importantly I got to see many of my friends and made new ones.
Not sure Iāll go into 2026 with many goals. The main one is Iām going to be better. Be better at being present. Be better at being kinder to myself. Be a better creative. There is still hope and dreams, and I owe it to myself to really lock in and make a better effort to achieve them. Canāt wait for the many lessons for me to learn and the new memories Iāll be creating in the new year āØ thank you again to everyone who has supported me.
Deep from the archives from my first time ever seeing Casey back in 2023. A show that meant a lot to me and Iāve held close to my heart. Found myself listening to them on repeat recently and went back to these photos. Iāll never forget the energy that was in the room on this one.
