Weston Photography | Focusing In - The Sons

From Left: Cole, Edward, Chan, Brett, and Neil Weston

© 2016 Cole Weston Trust

Cole Weston

Cole Weston, born on January 30, 1919 in Los Angeles, was the fourth and youngest son of Edward. Cole received his first camera, a 4 x 5 Autograflex, from his brother Brett in 1935. Cole graduated with a degree in theater arts from the Cornish School in Seattle in 1937 and then served in the Navy during World War II as a welder and photographer. After his discharge from the Navy in 1945 Cole worked for Life Magazine. In 1946 he moved to Carmel to assist his father Edward. During this time Eastman Kodak started sending their new color film, Kodachrome, for Edward to try out. Cole took this opportunity to experiment with this new medium and eventually became one of the world’s great masters of fine art color photography.

Brett Weston

Brett Weston (b. 1911 – d.1993) was the second of the four sons of photographer Edward Weston and Flora Chandler. He began taking photographs in 1925, while living in Mexico with Tina Modotti and his father. He began showing his photographs with Edward Weston in 1927, was featured at the international exhibition at Film und Foto in Germany at age 17, and mounted his first one-man museum retrospective at age 21 at the De Young Museum in San Francisco in January 1932.

Neil Weston

Photograph by Edward Weston | Collection Center for Creative Photography © 1981 Center for Creative Photography, Arizona Board of Regents

Neil, the 3rd son of Edward Weston was a carpenter by trade. He built the cabin on Wildcat Hill for Edward and Charis in 1938 for $1,000, which included labor and materials. He was also known for building boats and cabinets. After his father died, the cabin on Wildcat Hill was his cabinet workshop for a period of time. He is also known for being photographed by his father. There is a series of him posing nude as well as a memorable photograph of him on a couch having a migraine as a young child.

Chandler Weston

Chandler was the eldest of the sons. He was the first child to accompany Edward down to Mexico. Considered to many the "black sheep" genius in a remarkably gifted family. His many trades during his lifetime included: tool maker, photographer, plumber, builder, trucker, inventor, artist, linguist.