Edward Henry Weston has often been referred to as ‘one of the most innovative and influential American photographers’ and ‘one of the masters of 20th century photography’. After being presented a camera by his father at a young age, he soon made photography his passion. Much of his early photography can be identified as ‘Pictorialist’ style, meaning they imitated paintings. Later, he switched to realism and his photography produced true to life, unpretentious images. He traveled to Mexico, where he opened a photographic studio with his lover, Tina Modotti. During this time, Weston took a number of portraits and nudes for which he's known even today. Several Mexican artists of the time, including Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros and Jose Orozco began to admire his work. He returned to the United States, settling in California, where he continued to create—nudes, close-ups, natural forms and landscapes, among several other works. In the 1940s, he took several portraits of his family members that are now considered among his best work. The New York City's ‘Museum of Modern Art’ featured retrospective exhibit of Weston's work that included 300 prints. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he spent the last decade of his life assisted by his sons printing and publishing his work.