 Burton worked with seismologist John Milne in co writing and co photographing a book that recorded the disastrous great earthquake of 1891.The book illustrated the plight of the Japanese people and the impact of an earthquake on their environment, in dramatic images that were printed by Ogawa Kazumasa

In addition to photographing the 1891 Mino–Owari earthquake, Burton also photographed Japanese costumes and customs, Hakone, Mount Fuji, and scenes from daily life.He was closely associated with Japanese photographer and collotype printer Ogawa Kazumasa.