13 Facts About Walter Sheffer

Walter S Sheffer was an American photographer and teacher, born in Youngsville, Pennsylvania.

Walter Sheffer moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1945 to work at the studio of John Platz, Milwaukee's main society photographer.

When Platz retired, Sheffer inherited his clientele and was able to establish his own "look" and very successful portrait studio by 1953.

Walter Sheffer taught advanced portraiture at the Layton School of Art from 1952 to 1970.

Walter Sheffer often lectured against war in his class room as World War II escalated.

Walter Sheffer later answered a newspaper ad for a photographer in Wisconsin because he admired the work of Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright and respected that Capital punishment in Wisconsin was abolished in 1853.

Walter Sheffer moved to Milwaukee in 1945 without "knowing a soul" to work for the prominent society portraitist John Platz.

Walter Sheffer's clients included actor Jimmy Stewart, comedian Tallulah Bankhead, and politician Joseph McCarthy who he photographed for Life.

Walter Sheffer created the "Portraits of Men" series in the mid-1950s for DuPont, a manufacturer of photographic film and paper, which was destroyed in a fire at his studio.

Walter Sheffer photographed theater productions extensively for Marquette University from 1955 to 1968 where many of his works are preserved in a photographic archive.

Walter Sheffer photographed Victorian building facades and architectural fragments for the Heritage Milwaukee: The Esthetics of the City exhibition organized by and exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Center April 2-May 10,1964.

Walter Sheffer remained engaged with art, music, poetry and ideas throughout his life.

Walter Sheffer continued to photograph friends and maintained a flower garden on the roof top of Christopher Street East Health Care Center until his death.