Wayne Albee photographs, approximately 1920

Wayne Clinton Albee was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to William C. and Ida E. Albee. At the age of six he moved with his parents to Tacoma, Washington. In 1902 he opened a portraiture studio in Tacoma, Washington. He later relocated and expanded the shop in 1911 but closed the shop in 1916. He moved to Seattle and opened a small shop until 1918 when he joined Ella McBride's studio. He worked as one of the main photographers for McBride studio alongside Frank Kunishige and Soichi Sunami. He also helped the members of the Seattle Camera Club and most likely influenced their photography. McBride studio worked frequently with Cornish College of the Arts, providing opportunities to photograph modern dancers. He had a solo exhibition at the Seattle Fine Arts Society in 1922. In 1928, he moved to La Jolla, California, where he established a studio. Albee died in San Diego on December 1, 1937.