Influencer photographs husband to recreate Taylor Swift’s album cover

Charlie Bird and Ryan Clifford are suburban legends after recreating every Taylor Swift album cover as a countdown to her 11th era. From her debut album to “The Tortured Poets Department,” the husbands use the Salt Lake area as a backdrop to recreate Swift’s art.

“The most important things in my life are connected to her music in one way or another,” says Bird, a diehard Swiftie. “I got to watch her grow up, and in some ways she helped me grow and process the feelings of puberty, leaving home and moving to New York. In many ways she wrote the soundtrack to my life.”

The album cover project dates back to October. For Halloween, Clifford dressed up in a scaly replica of the “Reputation” bodysuit that Swift wears during the Eras Tour. Bird shaved her head and went as her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“We really went all out,” says Bird. “My followers were like, ‘You married your Taylor.'”

The idea to recreate the covers took off faster than a green light. The Instagram challenge was a huge success and helped the two of them to have a bonding experience.

In each era, Bird uses a ring light and iPhone to capture his muse styling his locks to fit Miss Americana, his natural curls falling like Swift’s on the cover of her first album.

“I always enjoyed listening to her,” says Clifford, “but now I feel like I’ve joined an exclusive club. Because of Charlie, there are all these things I had no idea about.”

Each photo takes about eight hours, from ordering accessories and clothing from Amazon to preparing, capturing the perfect pose and Photoshopping the finished result. The hardest part is getting the perfect photo.

“This process really helped me realize what a good model Taylor Swift is, because I always thought, ‘Ryan, whatever you’re doing doesn’t look like her at all,'” laughs Bird.

“Can I just mention that she and I don’t have the same body type at all?” Clifford laughs back.

“He’s a big guy and I would say her neck is higher in this shot and he would say my neck is not as long,” Bird adds.

The two can hardly wait for the new album. The final recording will be a recreation of Swift on a bed for “Tortured Poets.”

“I’m so excited to put him in this outfit,” says Bird. “She’s laying on the bed and I just think it’s so funny.”

You can follow her journey on Instagram or YouTube.

Follow Bryan West, USA TODAY Network’s Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.

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This article originally appeared in the Nashville Tennessean: Influencer photographs husband to recreate Taylor Swift’s album cover