My ACL
Austin father-daughter photography duo captures essence of ACL Fest through her lens
- Multi-generational photography team Daniel and Ryder Cavazos take ACL Fest.Photo by Rick Kern
- The familiar ACL orb greeted us as we approached the Lady Bird entrance on Friday.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- As we made our way to Wet Leg’s 2:30 pm set at the Barton Springs stage, Ryder was drawn to the flag patch where dozens of festival goers stopped for a photo opportunity.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Several new Instagrammable moments were added to the festival this year. Attendees lined up for a photo with the ACL block letters early in the day.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- A group of friends pose for a photo on their phone, which was balancing up against a lineup of beverages.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Conan Gray fans kill time by taking a seat before his Friday afternoon set on the American Express stage.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Como Las Movies, fronted by Nelson Valente Aguilar, kicked things off Saturday on the Honda stage.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Saturdays in the beer garden are for college football. The University of Texas Longhorns defeated Iowa State 24-21 in a thrilling match, much to the pleasure of a predominantly Longhorn crowd.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- If you’re hungry at ACL, food is not an issue. Several pit stops were made at the ACL Eats section of the park.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Culture Club’s late Saturday afternoon set was a bucket list for those of us who are 80s music fans. Boy George looked and sounded great, and had the crowd moving throughout the entire set.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Following Culture Club’s set, dance duo Sofi Tukker got a younger demographic dancing at the Miller Lite stage.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- A group of friends took the opportunity to stop a young photographer and ask for a group photo.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Riding its wave of virality, El Arroyo brought its classic marquee to Zilker Park, providing festival attendees with yet another photo opportunity.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- The weather throughout Weekend Two was manageable, but the dust was unforgiving. Most people seemed not to care, though, as the lure of great music was enough to distract them.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Faye Webster delivered a hypnotic set on Sunday — her only appearance at the festival — to fans at the Barton Springs stage.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- By Sunday of Weekend Two, the official ACL merch tent was down to slim pickings, but fans still queued up to grab whatever they could find.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Paramore was a major draw for old school emo fans on Sunday. A group of girls in Understated Leather gear graciously stopped for a photo moment.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- ACL fans will often craft clever signs to grab the attention of the bands they’re there to see. Unfortunately for the signs, once the show is over, they make their way into the trash can.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
- Ryder’s favorite fan at ACL was Jeb, whose 3-day general admission wristband was a little loose the whole weekend.Photo by Ryder Cavazos
Editor's note: Daniel Cavazos is a noted Austin-based photographer who covers ACL Fest, SXSW, and other key events for CultureMap and other national outlets. This year, Daniel's daughter, 14-year old Ryder Cavazos, joined him as a photographer for the festival's encore weekend, October 14-16.
If you had told me in 2014, as I walked my then-6-year-old daughter up the Honda stage stairs to photograph Fitz and the Tantrums that we would be doing it again (Echosmith in 2015 and Caveman in 2016), I would have thought you were off your rocker. Those three years of seeded memories sprouted when she signed up for yearbook in 8th grade and photojournalism in 9th grade. When I asked my daughter, Ryder, if she wanted to take a shot at photographing ACL Fest this year, she said yes without hesitation.
I could not have been more delighted, but then the questions any parent might ask began to fill my restless nights. Was she capable of enduring three days in the Texas heat? Could she operate a camera through Zilker Park’s Great Lawn in varying conditions? Did she even really want to shoot? When I imported her images after the first night, the answers were laid out on my screen. I scrolled through an inventive and courageous gallery of photographs.
I found that Ryder’s most creative and bold photos came when I left her on her own while I was in the photo pit shooting bands. My typically shy daughter was utilizing the 15-20 minutes of freedom during each act to snap decisive moments. Not only was I watching her skills as a young photographer blossom, I was witnessing moments of individual expression through her lens.
One thing I have always championed in this city is the limitless opportunity for aspiring artists to grow. Whether it be musicians honing their craft in the plethora of venues this town offers, or photographers and videographers logging the many hours needed to dial in their careers, Austin has historically provided a landscape for those wanting to further their art.
I cannot thank Sandee Fenton and the amazing people that make Austin City Limits happen enough for this wonderful experience. It allowed a 14-year-old to return to the very grounds that sparked her interest in photography as a young girl, and to capture the essence of the festival with a new perspective.
Taylor Sheridan will speak at UT in May.
Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Paramount+
