Walt has been photographing since about 1957. The Junior High School he attended had a camera club with a darkroom. He studied photography at Brooks Institute of photography between 1969 and 1970. He has worked in the photo industry in camera shops, portrait studios, commercial studios and freelance work.

He owned two One-Hour/Custom Photo Labs from 1980 to 2002.

He currently operates a specialty photo lab and gallery and teaches private photo darkroom classes.

He has been a member of PhotoZone Gallery since 1992 and has exhibited there and in other galleries to include Umpqua Valley Arts Association, Umpqua Community College Gallery, Jacobs Gallery, Oregon Arts Alliance, Emerald Art Center, Maude Kerns Art Center, the Center For Photographic Art in Carmel California LightBox Photo Gallery and most recently at the University of Oregon Law Center. He taught photography at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg and Lane Community College. Walt also has a large body of Color, B&W and alternative process work. Walt has been involved in a project to create photo books.

Walt O'Brien web site