The now-famous photograph of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce holding hands outside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium was taken after the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-17 on December 10, 2023. This marked Swift’s sixth time attending Kelce’s games, fueling the public’s fascination with their romance. The image quickly went viral.
Behind the lens of this iconic photo was Tammy Ljungblad, a veteran photojournalist from The Kansas City Star.
Sharing her story, Ljungblad revealed how she positioned herself strategically to capture the moment. “A couple of hours after the Buffalo Bills defeated the Chiefs 20-17 on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023 — one of the first games Taylor Swift attended — I got a text from another photographer near the elevator, letting me know the couple was leaving the stadium,” Ljungblad explained.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift arrived solo for the game today, but had Travis Kelce by close by her side as the couple left at @GEHAField after the Chiefs fell to the Bills, 20-17. @KCStar pic.twitter.com/4kClQWHHfR
— Tammy Ljungblad (@kctammy2009) December 11, 2023
“I quickly positioned myself alone on a stairway landing, and moments later, I captured the first Kansas City Star photo of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving arm in arm.”
However, her joy was mixed with frustration as her photo spread widely online without proper credit. “By the time I got home, my photo was all over the internet and television stations, published mostly without my photo byline or a Kansas City Star credit,” Ljungblad shared.
Photographing Taylor Swift at NFL games comes with its challenges, as Ljungblad and her colleague Emily Curiel highlighted. Swift, known for her discreet entrances, often takes a poorly lit path surrounded by security, making it difficult for photographers to capture clear shots. “While the players walk down a brightly lit ‘red carpet’ section, Taylor typically arrives via a darker, poorly lit path,” Ljungblad noted.
Curiel emphasized Swift’s photogenic nature, stating, “She’s very photogenic and knows her angles for sure.” The media operates under strict guidelines, with photographers allocated a designated area to avoid disrupting the players. Curiel added, “No one yells out her name when she walks in. It’s usually really quiet and respectful. … She says hi to everyone as she walks into the tunnel.”
As the Chiefs head into the playoffs, Swift’s next appearance at Arrowhead is highly anticipated. With the team earning a first-round bye, all eyes will be on their home playoff game on January 18 or 19, where fans and photographers alike will eagerly await another iconic moment.
At the end of the day, Taylor Swift means business and anything related to her becomes a topic of the day.
Palmer McAllister
Amy Cooper
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