We recently connected with Claire Gallagher and have shared our conversation below.

Claire, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In 2022, I had the opportunity to create a documentary following the life of Karen Sparks. Sparks was the mother of Reagan and Grant Small, two students in the Van Alstyne school district. In response to a harsh divorce between Karen and her former husband, David Small, Small burned the family’s home down with the children still asleep inside, before taking his own life. This was truly a devastating story to tell, particularly because I knew the family affected. With so many moving pieces and sensitive topics, I had to make a very intentional effort in how I chose to tell this story without excluding crucial information. I believe that this story was impactful because it told a side of the story that is often missed. It shed a light on a very real circumstance and could bring awareness and understanding to other individuals who may be stuck in similar situations.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Claire Gallagher, and I work as a member of the media within the sports and entertainment industries. I began as a video journalist, specializing in work such as news features, documentaries, and game coverage relating to all sports. Then as my career progressed, I began to dapple in the photography realm. This is really where the shift in my career began to take place and focus on sports and entertainment. As I am currently based out of Austin, Texas, I have established a great community in the comedy scene as well as with The University of Texas, where I am currently enrolled as a student. I have had the opportunity to photograph many great comedians such as Shane Gillis, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Lucas Zelnick. While all of these have truly been pivotal experiences for me, my heart truly lies in the sports industry. This path has led me to shooting content with athletes such as Bryson DeChambeau, Conor McGregor, Scottie Scheffler, and Caitlin Clark. Through sports, I have created my own unique style in both my photography and videography work.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

This resource may come as an obvious one to many photographers; however I feel the need to share it in case it is the jump others are missing out on. For so long in my career, I was clueless about the use of presets in Adobe Lightroom. I was individually editing every single photo until I found this gem of a tool that allows me to save my edits from the pervious photo and introduce them directly into the next photo. Of course, every photo is different so slight adjustments will still be necessary, but utilizing this available tool gives me a better perspective on how to create themes and consistency within my albums.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The greatest pivot in my career is definitely when I switched from general journalism to sports media. My whole life has been surrounded by sports whether it be playing them, watching them, or just following teams. I love everything about sports and the culture that they provide, so it seems very fitting that this is the industry I would end up in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.clairegallaghermedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claireagallagher/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairegallaghermedia/