Edward Sheriff Curtis (February 19, 1868 – October 19, 1952) was a photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West and Native American people. Curtis began his photography ventures at a young age, building his own camera shortly after leaving school in sixth grade. At age seventeen, he became an apprentice photographer before forming partnerships with existing studios. He took his first Native American portrait in 1895 of Princess Angeline, the daughter of Chief Seattle. Four years later, he became the official photographer of the Harriman Alaska Expedition. Curtis began his most extensive photography project, the twenty-volume book subscription series The North American Indian, in 1906 and traveled for the following 24 years, taking over 40,000 photographs of over 80 tribes. He also recorded tribal lore, history, religion, and customs, even writing biographical sketches of tribal leaders. Curtis’ work is held in collections such as the Library of Congress, Indiana University, and the University of Wyoming.