Lee Miller (1907-1977) was more than just a photographer. She was an iconoclast, a surrealist, and a trailblazer in the male-dominated world of 20th-century photography. Her journey began as a model in the fashion capitals of New York and Paris, and later on, she did significant work as a war correspondent during World War II. Throughout her life, she demonstrated audacity, creativity, and an unyielding determination to challenge conventions. This post explores the multifaceted life of Lee Miller, who used her camera to express protest and truth.

Early Life 

Elizabeth Miller was born in 1907 in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her father, an amateur photographer, encouraged her to develop a keen eye for visual composition. However, her childhood was not without trauma. During a trip to Brooklyn, at age seven, she was sexually assaulted by a family acquaintance and contracted a sexually transmitted disease. 

Modelling Career

During her teenage years, her modelling career began with her father, an amateur stereoscopic photographer. He took several nude pictures of her, which have since been the subject of controversy. Some people argue that the images sexualised Miller and that some were taken when she was still a minor.

“He took pictures of her that to our eyes are very dubious,” fashion editor Marion Hume says in Capturing Lee Miller, a 2020 documentary by Teresa Griffiths. 

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At the age of 19, she left home for New York City with a goal to become a fashion model. Her striking beauty caught the attention of renowned photographers, such as Arnold Genthe, Nickolas Muray, and Edward Steichen. They captured her image for the covers of Vogue and Vanity Fair.

Surrealist Muse and Photographer

In 1926, Lee decided to concentrate on photography and went to Paris to study with Man Ray, the leading figure in the Surrealist movement at that time. She soon became both his muse and artistic collaborator. Under Man Ray’s guidance, she discovered the avant-garde world of Surrealism and experimented with various techniques like solarization and photograms. Although Man Ray often overshadowed her, Lee started creating her own captivating photographs and explored the interplay of light, shadow, and dreamlike compositions.

Eventually, their student/teacher relationship also developed into a romantic one. Miller was also instrumental in inventing Man Ray’s solarisation photographic technique, which reverses black-and-white hues, creating a halo-like effect. According to Miller, she happened upon the method accidentally when she inadvertently turned on the darkroom lights while developing a photograph.

Lee had a passionate relationship with Man Ray but desired artistic independence. In the late 1920s, she began exhibiting her work and gained recognition for her unique vision. Lee was known for photographing the Surrealist circle’s artists, writers, and intellectuals, capturing their personalities and creative spirit.

Fashion and War Photography

After leaving Man Ray, Lee returned to New York in 1932 and continued to work as a model while also establishing herself as a fashion photographer for Vogue. Her unique use of natural light and innovative compositions set her apart from her contemporaries. When World War II broke out, Lee volunteered as a war correspondent for Vogue.

In 1944, she covered the first use of napalm bombing at the Battle of St. Malo. She was also present at the London Blitz and the liberation of Paris. Notably, she was also present at the Battle of Alsace and the U.S. military’s entry into Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau. These events made her one of only a few photographers in the U.S. Army at the time to see combat. Her powerful and unflinching war photographs are a compelling reminder of the devastation caused by the war.

Ironically, the most famous photograph involving Miller was not taken by her but of her by Scherman on April 30, 1945, just after the liberation of Dachau. Miller and Scherman were in Hitler’s Munich apartment, which U.S. soldiers had just raided, and they created their well-known bathtub picture. It was later published in Vogue. For Scherman, the scene captured in the photo represented “the last of the Hitler myth” – a soiled bathmat with Miller’s boots still covered in the dust from the camps and a propaganda portrait of the dictator on the tub’s edge. Coincidentally, and unknown to Miller, the image was taken on the same day Hitler committed suicide in his bunker.

Later Life and Legacy

Following the war’s end, Lee Miller married a British artist named Roland Penrose, settled in England and had her first child at 40. Sadly, however, Miller’s childhood trauma and wartime experiences resulted in bouts of depression and struggled with alcoholism. Though she continued to take photographs, she focused on her personal life and mental health. She struggled with depression and the lasting effects of her childhood trauma. However, Lee never lost her creative spirit, exploring cooking, writing, and sculpting. Miller died in 1977, leaving behind a rich legacy of photographs documenting the world around her and the complexities of her own life.

Lee Miller’s Impact

Lee Miller’s life is a story of perseverance, artistic curiosity, and a determination not to let her beauty or relationships with men define her. Through her photography, we are given a glimpse into the worlds of fashion, Surrealism, and the devastation of war. Lee Miller, the woman who stood behind the camera, remains a source of inspiration for countless female photographers who admire her unique perspective and her unwavering pursuit of creative freedom.