Richard C. Miller: Difference between revisions
| Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
== First Successes == |
== First Successes == |
||
1939 also marked the year that Miller's main subject, his daughter Linda, was born. Miller began sending in his photos of Linda to the [[The Saturday Evening Post]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14481400|title=A Freeway is Born|publisher=dailynews.com}}</ref> and in 1941 a picture of her peaking at the Thanksgiving turkey made the cover-- one of only two photographic Post covers that year and the first that Miller had ever sold <ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/03/entertainment/et-miller3|title=Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007|publisher=latimes.com}}</ref>. This accomplishment got the attention of numerous agents and enabled Miller to sign up with the Freelance Photographer's |
1939 also marked the year that Miller's main subject, his daughter Linda, was born. Miller began sending in his photos of Linda to the [[The Saturday Evening Post]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_14481400|title=A Freeway is Born|publisher=dailynews.com}}</ref> and in 1941 a picture of her peaking at the Thanksgiving turkey made the cover-- one of only two photographic Post covers that year and the first that Miller had ever sold <ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/03/entertainment/et-miller3|title=Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007|publisher=latimes.com}}</ref>. This accomplishment got the attention of numerous agents and enabled Miller to sign up with the Freelance Photographer's Guild— which soon lead to many more covers for magazine such as Parents, Life, Liberty and This Week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/03/entertainment/et-miller3|title=Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007|publisher=latimes.com}}</ref> |
||
In 1941 Miller responded to the growing intensity of World War II by getting a job at [[North American Aviation]], photographing airplanes for service manuals so he could support his young family-- which now included daughters Peg and Jan. He continued to photograph his own interests during this time, and kept his passion for creating his own prints. Once the war ended in Europe in 1945 Miller quit his job and took a position as a printer where he was able to test materials and develop his own prints in [[Kodachrome]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/03/entertainment/et-miller3?pg=2|title=A Colorful Career|publisher=latimes.com}}</ref> |
In 1941 Miller responded to the growing intensity of World War II by getting a job at [[North American Aviation]], photographing airplanes for service manuals so he could support his young family-- which now included daughters Peg and Jan. He continued to photograph his own interests during this time, and kept his passion for creating his own prints. Once the war ended in Europe in 1945 Miller quit his job and took a position as a printer where he was able to test materials and develop his own prints in [[Kodachrome]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/03/entertainment/et-miller3?pg=2|title=A Colorful Career|publisher=latimes.com}}</ref> |
||
Revision as of 23:37, 28 February 2010
Richard C. Miller | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Crump Miller |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Stanford University, University of Southern California |
| Known for | Photographer |
| Website | www.richardcmiller.com |
Richard C. Miller is an American photographer best known for his vintage carbro prints, photos of celebrities and work documenting the Hollywood Freeway.
Early Life
Richard Crump Miller was born on Aug 6, 1912 in Hanford, CA, to Ray Oakley Miller and Laura Belle Crump Miller.[1] Miller's interest in photography developed when he was a child and toyed with his father’s 3¼x4¼ folding roll-film camera [2]. In 1929 Miller was introduced to Leica and Graflex cameras and began to study cinematography while attending, successively, Stanford University and Pomona College.[3] Miller eventually earned a degree from the University of Southern California, where he first met his wife, Margaret (Dudsie) Dudley Miller.
In 1935 Miller joined a community theater where he attempted a career as an actor. He soon found himself spending more time taking photos of fellow players with a borrowed Leica Camera than trying to get stage time. While Miller was on a trip to New York City to audition for gigs, he showed his photography portfolio to Edward Steichen who commended his talent and implored him to stay in New York as a photographer. However, Miller decided to return to Los Angeles to marry his college sweetheart.[4]
Beginning Photography Career
In 1939 Miller decided to officially leave acting behind for a career behind the lens. He taught himself the difficult carbro printing process (which involves lengthy layering of cyan, yellow and magenta pigments individually) and purchased a one-shot color camera (that takes three images simultaneously), allowing him to render portraits and moving subjects [5]. Before long he had converted a bathroom in his parent's house into a makeshift darkroom, so he could begin processing his freelance work, making him the only one at the time working in, and developing, carbro prints. [6]
First Successes
1939 also marked the year that Miller's main subject, his daughter Linda, was born. Miller began sending in his photos of Linda to the The Saturday Evening Post[7] and in 1941 a picture of her peaking at the Thanksgiving turkey made the cover-- one of only two photographic Post covers that year and the first that Miller had ever sold [8]. This accomplishment got the attention of numerous agents and enabled Miller to sign up with the Freelance Photographer's Guild— which soon lead to many more covers for magazine such as Parents, Life, Liberty and This Week.[9]
In 1941 Miller responded to the growing intensity of World War II by getting a job at North American Aviation, photographing airplanes for service manuals so he could support his young family-- which now included daughters Peg and Jan. He continued to photograph his own interests during this time, and kept his passion for creating his own prints. Once the war ended in Europe in 1945 Miller quit his job and took a position as a printer where he was able to test materials and develop his own prints in Kodachrome.[10]
An Established Legacy
From 1946-5 Miller went to work as an assistant to photographers Valentino Sarra, Ruzzie Green, and John Engstead on commercial jobs. These assistant positions allowed him to shoot celebrities for Family Circle, Parents, American Weekly, Colliers, Life and Time. In March and April 1946, Miller photographed a popular model named Norma Jeane Dougherty and sold a cover of her dressed as a bride holding his wife's prayer book to “True Romance”[11]. Miller met her again when he was the still photographer on the set of “Some Like It Hot” and she had changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.
While the Hollywood Freeway was being built from 1948-1953 Miller became entranced by it and started driving around Los Angeles taking photos to form a record of the construction. These photos weren't for an assignment, but bred from his enchantment with the structure, which he saw as a modern day equivalent of European cathedrals[12].
After a stint as a television lighting director he returned to freelance until 1962, when he was asked to become on retainer at Globe Photos. This position allowed him to grow close to many celebrities, including James Dean, while working on the set of films.[13]. The images he collected while on the set of the film Giant were on display at the Celebrity Vault in Beverly Hills, CA in 2007 along with other photos he had taken of Dean during their close friendship. [14]
Spring of 2009 brought a resurgence of interest in Miller's photography when a collection of his images was shown along side the work of Paul Outerbridge at the J. Paul Getty Museum [15]. February 27th, 2010 marks Miller's first ever solo gallery show (at the Craig Krull Gallery in Bergamot Station ) which showcases a breadth of his vintage work. [16]
References
- ^ "Richard C. Miller's Official Website". Richard C. Miller.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007". latimes.com.
- ^ "Richard C. Miller: Master of the Carbro Process". photoicon.com.
- ^ "Richard C. Miller: Master of the Carbro Process". photoicon.com.
- ^ "Richard C. Miller Photo Gallery Show". Celebrity Vault Gallery.
- ^ "Richard C. Miller: Master of the Carbro Process". photoicon.com.
- ^ "A Freeway is Born". dailynews.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007". latimes.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007". latimes.com.
- ^ "A Colorful Career". latimes.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "A Colorful Career: Breakthrough photographer Richard C. Miller gets his due" September 03, 2007". latimes.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "Los Angeles During Its Growth Spurt" February 28th, 2010". latimes.com.
- ^ "Richard C. Miller Photo Gallery Show". Celebrity Vault Gallery.
- ^ "James Dean Revealed". lasplash.com.
- ^ "J Paul Getty Museum Press Release for Outerbridge, Callis and Miller Exhibit" (PDF). Getty.edu.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times article, "Los Angeles During Its Growth Spurt" February 28th, 2010". latimes.com.