Heather Gallagher

Professional Photojournalist & Photographer

Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).

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Q&A Comments (27)

Should I pack my camera with the lens attached?
It's a good idea to always remove the lenses from the body when you're traveling with your camera. That way, there won't be any weird pressure points on anything.
How do you become a newspaper photographer?
Try to come up with stories if possible. Don't just hope people would find you; that's really naïve, because there's just such a big sea of photographers. You have to not just have good work that's going to be in line with the style of the newspaper, but pick a relevant story. So consider the publication that you're pitching to, what kind of stories they like to cover, the audience that you want to fit within that. And then make sure that you're pitching a story that you're excited about, because that's going to come through in the images. If you're shooting something that you're not excited about, that's going to show up in the work. So read the room, make sure you know who your audience is, and then pitch as many stories as you can. It's really about volume too, I pitch to maybe a dozen outlets a month, and maybe I'll get one or two picked up. And that's fine. It's a numbers game after a while, so don't be discouraged if you don't hear back, editors are really busy. Try to really maintain but also don't bug people too much.
How do you caption a photo?
In photojournalism, you're really trying to be objective. So captions for those kinds of images have to be as objective and descriptive as possible, and you don't want to really put your own emotion or feeling into it. As a freelance photographer, when I work with people closely, I try as much as possible to have them involved and either write their own captions or tell me what it meant to them to be photographed or why they wanted this certain event photographed. I'm not here projecting or telling a story that's not true. I'm telling all factual stories, but I'm just a witness.
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Co-authored Articles (12)

How to

Write Good Captions in Photojournalism

center Captioning photos is an important part of journalism. Captions must be accurate and informative. In fact, most readers tend to look at the photos, and then the captions, in a story before they decide whether they ...

How to

Make a Pinhole Camera

Did you know that you can make a working camera out of items that you probably already have lying around the house? While they seem complex, cameras are, at the most fundamental level, dark boxes with a small hole for tr...

How to

Attach a Camera to a Tripod

A tripod is a three-legged camera stand that stabilizes your shot. Using the tripod can help you take sharper photographs, even in poor lighting.. 8 April 2020. There are many brands and models of tripod on the market, b...

How to

Build a Darkroom

Even with the advent of modern technology, using an old school camera gives your photographs a unique look. In addition, printing your own photographs can be a rewarding experience and a fun hobby. The most important req...

How to

Make a Photo Essay

Photo essays are an increasingly popular medium for journalists, bloggers, and advertisers alike. Whether you’re trying to show the emotional impact of a current news story or share your hobby with friends and family, ...

How to

Make a Shoebox Pinhole Camera

Want to watch the next solar eclipse without burning your eyes out? Or demonstrate how an old-timey camera worked to children who think of a camera and phone as one and the same? You can not only do accomplish these with...

How to

Develop Film in a Darkroom

Film photography is a great way to capture personal, unique, and long-lasting photographs. The first step in turning the captured exposures on your film camera into physical prints is developing the film. Taking the time...

How to Use a Tripod: Why and How

Knowing the right way to use a tripod can make your photography and videography more professional. It will help you to pay more attention when setting up your composition, and give you the stability needed for crisp, bea...

How to Create a Successful Artist Portfolio

Make your artwork stand out and look professional with our guideIf you’re trying to get into art school, trying to display your work in a gallery, or just want to show off what you’ve created, making an art portfolio...

How to

Write a Caption

Captions to tables, figures and images give the reader context for what they are seeing. Therefore, it’s important to provide a good caption for each table, figure and image in your text.https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/...

How to

Develop Film

How to

Replace a Tripod Head

A tripod is an excellent tool for professional and amateur photographers alike. Eventually, however, you may need to replace the tripod head, either because the old one is worn out or you’re upgrading to a better type....