Join us on December 4th for a conversation with photographer Beth Garrabrant, celebrating her debut photobook, THINGS SHOULDN'T BE SO HARD. A collection of photos examining all the profundity and sameness of youth by the acclaimed photographer best known for her work with Taylor Swift, THINGS SHOULDN'T BE SO HARD is the culmination of two decades of Beth's work documenting young people around the United States, in schools and at churches, at amusement parks and in the backseats of cars. Discussing this work with Beth will be the filmmaker Margaret Brown, director of the  Academy Award-nominated documentary DESCENDANT.

Tickets for this event include a copy of THINGS SHOULDN'T BE SO HARD and a reserved seat. All unreserved seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; RSVPs are encouraged.

about the book

In Things Shouldn’t Be So Hard, the first collection of her work, Garrabrant movingly captures what it’s like to be not yet an adult in America: specifically the contradictory and often simultaneous states of camaraderie and isolation, confidence and insecurity, love and heartbreak, hope and despair. Featuring an introduction by lauded filmmaker Kelly Reichardt—who likens Garrabrant to modern masters such as William Eggleston and Robert Adams—this gorgeously designed four-color book showcases one of the most talented and soulful visual artists working today.

‍about the author

Beth Garrabrant is a photographer whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the Financial Times, and Teen Vogue. Her collaborations include HBO, A24, Disney, Showtime, Netflix, and Taylor Swift, for whom she has shot several album covers. Born in Connecticut and raised in Illinois, she currently lives in Austin, Texas.

Margaret Brown is an American film director who has directed four feature length documentaries, including The Order of Myths and Be Here to Love Me. Her film Descendant, about the descendants of survivors of the last ship to carry enslaved Africans into the United States, was shortlisted for the 2023 Academy Awards. Margaret was born and raised in Mobile, AL.