Richard C. Miller
Encyclopedia
Richard Crump Miller was an American photographer best known for his vintage carbro prints, photos of celebrities, and work documenting the Hollywood Freeway.
. Miller's interest in photography developed when he was a child and toyed with his father’s 3¼x4¼ folding roll-film camera. His passion for photography led to his increase in knowledge about established photographers, and when he found out Edward Weston
was moving nearby he went over to introduce himself.
, cameras and began to study cinematography while attending Stanford University and Pomona College. Miller earned his degree from the University of Southern California, where he first met his wife, Margaret Dudley.
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 than acting. While Miller was on a trip to New York City to audition for gigs, he showed his portfolio to Edward Steichen
, who suggested that he stay in New York as a photographer. However, Miller decided to return to Los Angeles to marry Margaret.
Miller's daughter, Linda, was born in 1939. He sent a photo of her to The Saturday Evening Post
and in 1941 a picture of her peeking at the Thanksgiving turkey made the cover, one of only two photographic Post covers that year and the first that Miller had ever sold. This attracted offers from agents and Miller signed up with the Freelance Photographer's Guild.
In 1941, during the Second World War, Miller got a job at North American Aviation
, where he met Brett Weston
. Miller and Weston's pooled gas ration coupons enabled them to drive out to the Valley and photograph in their free time. When the war ended, Miller took a position as a printer where he was able to test materials and develop his own prints in Gasparcolor (later to become Cibachrome). From 1945-6 he worked as an assistant to photographers Valentino Sarra, Ruzzie Green, and John Engstead
on commercial jobs. These positions allowed him to shoot for Family Circle, Parents, American Weekly, Colliers, Life, and Time. In March and April 1946, he photographed Marilyn Monroe
, at the time working as a model and still using the name Norma Jeane Dougherty. He sold a cover of her, dressed as a bride and holding his wife's prayer book, to True Romance. He met her again when he was the still photographer on the set of Some Like It Hot
.
While the Hollywood Freeway was being built from 1948–1953, Miller became entranced by it and started driving around Los Angeles taking photos to make a record of the construction. After a stint as a television lighting director, he returned to freelance until 1962, when he was asked to work on retainer at Globe Photos. This brought him into contact with a number of celebrities, including James Dean
. 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.
A collection of Miller's photography was exhibited alongside Paul Outerbridge
at the J. Paul Getty Museum
in spring 2009. Miller's first solo gallery show was held on February 27, 2010 at the Craig Krull Gallery in Bergamot Station
.
Early life
Miller was born to Ray Oakley Miller and Laura Belle Crump Miller in Hanford, CaliforniaHanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
. Miller's interest in photography developed when he was a child and toyed with his father’s 3¼x4¼ folding roll-film camera. His passion for photography led to his increase in knowledge about established photographers, and when he found out Edward Weston
Edward Weston
Edward Henry Weston was a 20th century American photographer. He has been called "one of the most innovative and influential American photographers…" and "one of the masters of 20th century photography." Over the course of his forty-year career Weston photographed an increasingly expansive set of...
was moving nearby he went over to introduce himself.
Education
In 1929 Miller was introduced to Leica and GraflexGraflex
Graflex was a manufacturer, a brand name and several models of cameras. William F. Folmer, an inventor, built the first Graflex camera in 1898, when his company was called The Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company, founded originally in New York as a gas lamp company...
, cameras and began to study cinematography while attending Stanford University and Pomona College. Miller earned his degree from the University of Southern California, where he first met his wife, Margaret Dudley.
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 than acting. While Miller was on a trip to New York City to audition for gigs, he showed his portfolio to Edward Steichen
Edward Steichen
Edward J. Steichen was an American photographer, painter, and art gallery and museum curator. He was the most frequently featured photographer in Alfred Stieglitz' groundbreaking magazine Camera Work during its run from 1903 to 1917. Steichen also contributed the logo design and a custom typeface...
, who suggested that he stay in New York as a photographer. However, Miller decided to return to Los Angeles to marry Margaret.
Career
In 1939 Miller decided to leave acting for photography. 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 which took three images simultaneously, allowing him to render portraits and moving subjects. Before long he had converted a bathroom in his parents' 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.Miller's daughter, Linda, was born in 1939. He sent a photo of her to The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
and in 1941 a picture of her peeking at the Thanksgiving turkey made the cover, one of only two photographic Post covers that year and the first that Miller had ever sold. This attracted offers from agents and Miller signed up with the Freelance Photographer's Guild.
In 1941, during the Second World War, Miller got a job at North American Aviation
North American Aviation
North American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
, where he met Brett Weston
Brett Weston
Brett Weston was an American photographer and grew up in LA. He was the second son of photographer Edward Weston. Van Deren Coke, former curator of the San Francisco Museum of Art referred to Brett Weston as the "child genius of American photography." Brett began taking photographs in 1925 and...
. Miller and Weston's pooled gas ration coupons enabled them to drive out to the Valley and photograph in their free time. When the war ended, Miller took a position as a printer where he was able to test materials and develop his own prints in Gasparcolor (later to become Cibachrome). From 1945-6 he worked as an assistant to photographers Valentino Sarra, Ruzzie Green, and John Engstead
John Engstead
John Engstead was an American photographer. Engstead began his career in 1926, when he was hired as an office boy by Paramount Pictures' head of studio publicity, Harold Harley....
on commercial jobs. These positions allowed him to shoot for Family Circle, Parents, American Weekly, Colliers, Life, and Time. In March and April 1946, he photographed Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
, at the time working as a model and still using the name Norma Jeane Dougherty. He sold a cover of her, dressed as a bride and holding his wife's prayer book, to True Romance. He met her again when he was the still photographer on the set of Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot is an American comedy film, made in 1958 and released in 1959, which was directed by Billy Wilder and starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and George Raft. The supporting cast includes Joe E. Brown, Pat O'Brien and Nehemiah Persoff. The film is a remake by Wilder and I....
.
While the Hollywood Freeway was being built from 1948–1953, Miller became entranced by it and started driving around Los Angeles taking photos to make a record of the construction. After a stint as a television lighting director, he returned to freelance until 1962, when he was asked to work on retainer at Globe Photos. This brought him into contact with a number of celebrities, including James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
. 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.
A collection of Miller's photography was exhibited alongside Paul Outerbridge
Paul Outerbridge
Paul Outerbridge, Jr. was an American photographer prominent for his early use and experiments in color photography...
at the J. Paul Getty Museum
J. Paul Getty Museum
The J. Paul Getty Museum, a program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, is an art museum. It has two locations, one at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, and one at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California...
in spring 2009. Miller's first solo gallery show was held on February 27, 2010 at the Craig Krull Gallery in Bergamot Station
Bergamot Station
Bergamot Station is a facility housing many art galleries in Santa Monica, California, USA.-History:The name "Bergamot Station" dates back to 1875 when it was a stop and car storage area on the steam powered Los Angeles and Independence Railroad from Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles - as well...
.