“The moments after the game; the celebrations, the tears, the raw emotion that you can tell a story of through a photo, is what I look for as a photographer. Those moments where you can show character and emotion… They’re not just a footballer, they are a person.”
You can find Gaby on Instagram @gabybarnscreative
With a camera in hand since the age of twelve, it wasn’t long for Gold Coast local Gaby Barns to ignite her sports creative career by securing a school based traineeship with local NRL franchise Gold Coast Titans. Still in school Gaby begins work in the club’s community team, focusing on club content for off-field initiatives and local community groups.
It’s here in community marketing, Gaby develops her skills and learns the ways of “clubland” until a restructure in 2020 gave “the push that escalated my career” shifting her to the on-field marketing team leading social media and content.
Then, a decade after arriving as a teen at the Titans, it was time to move on. Gaby steps into the world of freelancing, unlocking new opportunities with Queensland Maroons, Supercars, SailGP and Tennis Australia; where she took a courtisde seat photographing the 2024 Australian Open Men’s & Women’s Finals.
Gaby reflects on the learnings of moving into freelance work, the importance of networking and the value strong working relationships with industry contacts.
We talk about the technicalities of photography and what different approaches are required for recording different styles of sports.
There’s life inside team Titans such as team bus rituals (don’t sit in ‘that’ seat), the moments after a win or loss and the rollercoaster ride of managing those results on socials.
Gaby shares the advice she would give to her younger self and the advice to aspiring young creatives, who want to thrive in a world of sport that includes mainstream female representation.
We talk prized projects and moments, the ones she wish she could do over, education vs experience and what the future might hold.