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My Path to Preservation: Insights from a HABS Photographer

Join the California Preservation Foundation for our My Path to Preservation series, a webinar program with the goal of sharing insights with students, interns, graduates, emerging professionals, and anyone interested in a career in preservation, to learn about the variety of pathways and opportunities available.

The one-hour, free lunchtime program will include a 10-15 minute presentation by a guest speaker in one of a number of preservation-related professions, followed by Q&A with questions from CPF's Education Committee Co-Chairs and our audience. 

Find more resources for students on our Student Support webpage.

This program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Groundwork Planning & Preservation.

About Our Guest Speaker

Stephen Schafer (AKA: Schäf) is an expert in architectural photography, specializing in documenting historic buildings and sites. With over 100 large-format projects completed, his work spans diverse structures, from bridges to Spanish colonial adobes, across 20 states and Guam. His documentation is archived in the Library of Congress through the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS), and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER).

Schaf’s clients include institutions, cities, and corporations such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Caltrans, NASA, and the National Park Service. His photographs have appeared in publications like the Wall Street Journal, Architect Magazine, National Trust’s Preservation Magazine, and NPR. He was chosen by Ken Bernstein to document historic Los Angeles for the bestselling coffee table book: Preserving Los Angeles (Angel City Press, 2021). His work has supported National Register nominations and CEQA/NEPA mitigation measures.

Schaf studied at the University of Cape Town and Brooks Institute of Photography before founding Schaf Photo in Ventura in 1989. He has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, USC, and CSUN, and lectured for organizations like the American Planning Association and California Preservation Foundation. Schafer serves on the San Buenaventura Conservancy board and was a member of the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board for 14 years. He lives in Ventura with his wife in an 1881 rehabilitated farmhouse.

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Posted in: Free Events, Webinars, YEP