Edward S. Curtis was a driven, pioneer photographer who set out in 1900 to document traditional Indian life. He became the most famous photographer of his time and created an enormous body of work. This film tells the dramatic story of Curtis' life, his work, and his changing views of the people he set out to document. Native Americans who are using his photographs for cultural preservation respond to the pictures, tell stories about the people in the photographs and discuss the meaning of the images.