maggie koerner

My First Magazine Cover | SXSWorld Mag | June 2017

Maggie Koerner performs at SXSW in Austin, TX (Photo by Samantha Burkardt)

From the day I started photographing performances at South by Southwest in Austin, TX over four years ago, I'd always see SXSWorld Magazine through out the city, hoping that one day my work would be good enough to snag a cover. It might be too dramatic to describe my feelings like this, but this afternoon when I learned that my photo of Maggie Koerner would be on the cover it felt like my heart exploded.

You may have never heard of this magazine before, but to me it means so much. I have become friends with some of the most wonderful photographers out there because of SXSW and they have helped me become better at my craft. This magazine is filled with their work and their sweat and their sleepless nights. It's filled with pictures of behind the scenes moments, but you might not know the whole story... but I do and so do they. To be on the cover is an honor. I love my team and I love my job. Sometimes I forget that I'm a good photographer... and then this happens.

Thank you, a million times thank you to the crew chiefs and the design staff of the magazine for this!   

xx Sam

Check out my other years at SXSW here:

SXSW 2016 | SXSW 2017

Another picture of mine featured from the Tragedy Girls red carpet!