Kathleen O’Connor Anthony Gainer grew up in Waldport, left for 15 years and returned in 2021 to offer his photography and videography services.
By KATHLEEN O’CONNOR/YachatsNews
Anthony Gainer was born and raised in Waldport, left for 15 years to explore the world and returned in 2021 to start his photography/videography company, Oh Shoot!
Gainer was 12 when he commandeered his family’s 35 mm camera and fell in love. Some teachers at Waldport Middle School recognized his gifts and enthusiasm and offered important early support. During middle and high school they allowed Gainer to complete many projects using photos and videos instead of written reports.
He went to college at the Portland Art Institute, with an emphasis in videography and film. From there he moved to Las Vegas and created videos for casinos. His next stop was Dallas where he was the creative director for RumbleOn, which buys and sells motorcycles – but quickly learned he wasn’t cut out for corporate life.
On a trip to visit his family, all of whom still live in the area, he spent an afternoon sitting on a stump at Yachats State Park, thinking about life. He decided the Oregon coast is where he belonged.
“I realized I could make my own footprint in my own hometown,” he says.
He immediately let his many hometown connections know he was planning to return and found his calendar full of work before he came back.
Gainer has been busy since shooting portraits, events, and real estate; creating advertising videos for businesses; and teaching businesses how to use videos and photographs on their websites and social media. He also occasionally teaches photography classes – his most recent was for tattoo artists and estheticians.
In April he rented a space in Waldport along U.S Highway 101 to use as a studio, but is also as a gallery to display the work of some of his favorite local artists.
Kathleen O’Connor Oh Shoot! photography owner Anthony Gainer hopes to open his downtown Waldport studio for regular hours this year.
Question: What are your plans for the business?
Answer: First, I hope to help promote the artists whose work is displayed in my studio through all my social media accounts to help them be successful. Second, I hope to have regular hours for my studio/gallery by next summer … presently it is just open by appointment. Third, I would like to hire some photographers/videographers to grow my business. The response to my services has been huge, and I know there are talented people out there who would be great to work with. And finally, I hope to begin to produce films right here on the Oregon coast.
Q: Have you ever crashed a drone?
A: Yes, twice! The first time was when I was photographing a home that was being built on the east side of the bay. There were some crows in the trees nearby which were protesting loudly about the drone invasion. I took my eye off the drone for a few moments to look at the camera and suddenly it crashed. I feel certain that one of those crows decided to attack it. I was lucky enough to find the drone, but it was ruined. The second time was when I was creating a video for the city of Yachats. I was filming the surf and the drone got so low that it actually flew through a breaker. Luckily, I was able to coax it back to shore. It was mostly ruined, but I did retrieve the photos, which were pretty cool.
Q: What are your best suggestions for helping people take better photos with their smart phones?
A: There are several things that would make a huge difference. Most importantly, be sure your camera is focused. Learn to use the little yellow focus box in the center of the image. You can also use that same little yellow box to adjust the exposure, which is the second most important thing. And last, use a tripod if you’re taking pictures in the dark or in any other kind of a situation that requires steadiness. It will make all the difference.
Q: How often do you have to upgrade your equipment?
A: Technology for photography and videography is changing so quickly. Think of how much iPhone and Samsung cameras have improved in just a few years. Large companies often change out their equipment every six months. For me, it’s most important that each camera does exactly what it’s supposed to do — provide the correct resolution at super slow motion, for example. Even when I get that kind of quality I still need to replace my cameras every two or three years. That said, I do still have the original 35 mm family camera.
Q: What do you personally like to photograph?
A: I love to photograph people. I like creative portraiture — changing backgrounds, colors, and lighting to make a portrait a piece of art instead of just a picture. I also love to photograph anything in nature, but especially water. Around here, that means the ocean, of course. I can photograph the same section of the ocean every day and it will never be the same. It is such a privilege to live where we do, and I am deeply happy to be back.
Q: Tell us a secret.
A: I absolutely loathe being in front of a camera. Cameras make someone the center of attention, and I don’t like to be that person. I’d rather be the person in charge of making someone else the center of attention.
Website: www.ohshootoregon.com; Email: [email protected]; Facebook: Oh Shoot Photography and Video; Instagram: @ohshootoregon
- Kathleen O’Connor is a Waldport freelance writer who can be reached via email at [email protected]
- “5 Questions and a Secret” appears every other week on YachatsNews. Have a suggestion for a subject? Send your ideas to [email protected]