The Sherman E. Brazil Photograph Collection contains images taken by Brazil during his time as a China Marine in the 1930s. Before his death he passed these photographs to his friend Hugh B. Carnes, Jr. Carnes made duplicates of the photographs as part of a book project.

Book Project prints for Books 1 and 2 are primarily buildings, city scenes, and landscapes, including rickshaws, markets, and theaters. Book 3 includes portraits of both men in military uniform, as well as people in civilian clothing. These folders also include notations about printing/developing adjustments. Although there are written references to negatives, all photographs in the collection are prints. Notes about groupings of photographs, likely arranged by Hugh B. Carnes, Jr., are retained in the folders with the print groupings.

Some prints were grouped in photo envelopes, but don't appear to have any meaningful arrangement related to the Book Project. These snapshots of daily life include images of playing baseball and card games, beach trips, drinking, parties, and several images of closets and nightstands that capture daily life in the military. Most photographs depict Brazil's life while stationed in Beijing or Shanghai, but some images may be from his time at Mare Island Naval Hospital in Vallejo, California.

Photographs depicting combat and war may have been purchased rather than taken by Brazil. These images depict ground and aerial combat, and include images of deceased people. Folders are arranged alphabetically by folder title.