Stephen Albair lives and works in San Francisco where he has lived and worked for over 40 years. Educated at Illinois State University, in Design, he is a metalsmith, a self-taught photographer, and lecturer. Albair has taught college art courses, and is a former LPC Art professor. He has staged numerous exhibitions and installations in the US and Thailand and authored four books with a fifth book currently in progress.

His work in tableau photography began in 1974 with the purchase of a 35mm Nikkormat camera, which has remained the camera used for most of his photography. His imagery is mostly rooted in memoir built with found objects and images with Art Historical references. The focus is not so much on a series of images but rather a broad range of subject matter, from early memories to the current political landscape.