Edward J. Prawitz (1884–1961) was a lifelong resident of St. Joseph and became known as the city’s “Photographic Dean.” He worked in photography for more than 52 years, documenting generations of local residents as well as the landscapes and landmarks of the community he called home.

For more than 30 years, Prawitz photographed students for school yearbooks. Between the graduating classes of 1926 and 1946 at Central, Benton, and Lafayette high schools, he photographed nearly every graduating student, totaling 11,733 graduates. He also photographed several thousand underclassmen.

Beyond portrait photography, Prawitz became widely recognized for his scenic images of St. Joseph. His landscape photography earned numerous local and international awards. One collection of 50 photographs featuring the St. Joseph Parkway won a prize at the National Convention of Landscape Artists in the East. Another collection of 26 photographs documenting the city’s new boulevard system was displayed in the Missouri State Capitol.

His philosophy toward photography was simple: “Look for beauty and you will find it.” He rarely felt the need to travel far in search of worthy subjects, once saying, “St. Joseph is good enough for me.”

Prawitz identified 1908 as the year he took his first photograph of consequence: a sailboat on Lake Contrary. He officially entered the photography business in 1918 and continued working until 1961, leaving behind a remarkable visual record of St. Joseph, its people, and its places.