Why did Edward Weston avoid cropping and handwork on his negatives?

Edward Weston avoided cropping and handwork on his negatives because he believed that the final image should be fully composed within the camera's ground glass prior to exposure.1

This practice was central to his commitment to "straight" or "pure" photography, a movement that rejected the Pictorialist style—which relied on soft focus and darkroom manipulation to imitate paintings. By eschewing post-exposure alterations, Weston sought to create an unmanipulated record that captured the "substance and quintessence" of his subjects. This disciplined approach ensured that his work remained a faithful, sharply detailed representation of the world, emphasizing the unique capabilities of the camera as a medium in its own right.231