Son of photographer Edward Weston, Brett took on photography at very young age and moved to Mexico for his training. Back in California he worked with his father in the portrait studio and participating to the Film und Foto exhibition, which gave him international recognition. After WWII he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and travelled to New York. During the following decades his style became more abstract, focussed on high contrast, detail and pure form. He continued to work from Hawaii until his death.