Photography Showcase | Santa Fe Photography Exhibit

Richard C. Miller

Feb 11 through April 24, 2011

James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor take a break from filming "Giant"

Monroe Gallery of Photography is pleased to present a retrospective exhibition of photographs by Richard C. Miller, who passed away at age 98 on October 15, 2010. The exhibition opens on Friday, February 11, 5 - 7 PM. The exhibition continues through April 24. Born in 1912, Richard C. Miller's interest in photography grew from toying with his father's 3" x 4" folding roll-film camera. In 1935, Miller showed his photographs to Edward Steichen who praised and encouraged him to work in photography. Beginning in 1946, he would shoot celebrities for the Saturday Evening Post, Family Circle, Parents, American Weekly, Colliers, Life and Time.

From 1955 to 1962, Miller was on retainer at Globe Photos, covering the entertainment industry and more than seventy films. After this stint he returned to freelance and became friends with celebrities such as James Dean. Never one for self-promotion, Miller rarely exhibited his work; the work, he figured, should speak for itself. In the spring of 2009, Richard C. Miller's photographic career was given long overdue recognition with an exhibition at the Getty Museum.

In addition to his Hollywood photographs, the exhibition includes a trove of vintage pictures from the 1930s-50s of Los Angeles. When Miller documented the construction of the four-level freeway interchange in mid-20th century downtown Los Angeles, he was overwhelmed by its man-made beauty.

In 1946, Dick photographed a model: Norma Jeane Dougherty. He would later photograph her as Marilyn Monroe on the set of "Some Like It Hot". The exhibit also includes a selection of striking portraits including some of his best friends Edward Weston and Brett Weston.

James Dean takes a break from filming of "Giant"	James Dean besides his car during the filming of "Giant"	James Dean in his room during the filming of "Giant"

James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, Houston,1966	James Dean at Juke Box during the filming of "Giant"	James Dean in Cowboy hat during the filming of "Giant"

Marilyn Monroe	Arthur Miller, Marilyn Monroe, Lee Strassberg, 1957	Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, Peter Ustinov, Spartacus 1959

Stanley Kubrick Directing, Spartacus, 1959	Kirk Douglas and Jane Simmons, Spartacus 1959	Clark Gable, 1956

Nude, 1949 #1	Nude, 1949 #2	Nude, 1949 #3

Sun through trees, 1953	Clouds over coast, c. 1950s	Watching TV Fights, Nicholson's, Sunset Boulevard, 1949

Freeway Construction, Cahuenga, 1953	Freeway Construction, 4 Level, 1950	Freeway Construction, 4 Level, 1949

Harry Belafonte, 1956	Rock Hudson, 1959	Lawrence Olivier, Spartacus

Halfdome, Yosemite, 1945	Betty McWilliams, c. 1940s	Ernst Haas, Stockton, 1957


Brett and Edward Weston, Garapata, California, August 3, 1953	Brett Weston and his 11x14 Camera, Point Dume, February 7, 1948	Edward Weston Leaning Against Wood Plank Wall, December 1, 1945

The Norma Jeane Portfolio — Limited edition boxed set of twelve

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Tony Vaccaro