Lee Miller was one of the most famous war photojournalists during World War II. But before that, she had already participated in several provocative ad campaigns, become the face of Vogue, and captured the hearts of fashion lovers worldwide. Read more at newyorkski.
How Lee Miller Fell in Love with Photography as a Young Girl
The future photojournalist and Vogue star was born on June 21, 1907, in a suburb of New York. She was raised in the family of her father, Theodore Miller, an engineer who loved to take pictures. Historians believe it was he who instilled his daughter’s love for photography. To Lee, her father was the main authority in her life. She knew she could always trust him and turn to him for help if she needed it. From a young age, Theodore taught her how to pose for the camera and take creative photos. That’s why by the age of 18, Lee Miller was already confident in front of the camera and knew how to pose well. Once she came of age, she decided to go to Paris to study at a school of performing arts. In the French capital, she saw a better life, met world-famous artists and saw their masterpieces, and gained experience performing on stage. She only lived there for 7 months, after which she returned to the U.S. But from then on, her perspective on life changed dramatically. Lee no longer wanted to live in a small town. Her love for photography and her ambition drove her to conquer New York, and then the whole world.
An Accident Became the Start of a Successful Career at Vogue
The year 1927 was a turning point in Lee Miller’s life. That’s when she happened to meet Condé Nast, the founder of the Condé Nast publishing house, which produced magazines, including the legendary Vogue. Their meeting was unexpected: Condé Nast pulled Lee Miller from under the wheels of a car on a Manhattan street. He was so impressed by the beauty of the girl from upstate New York that after they met, he offered her a chance to be on the cover of Vogue magazine. From then on, her career in the fashion magazine world took off. Lee Miller starred in commercial projects and even became the first model to advertise Kotex feminine hygiene products. Over time, however, she realized that she enjoyed being behind the camera more than posing in front of it.
A Romance with a Photographer in Paris That Forever Changed Her View of Photography
In 1929, Lee Miller left New York to study in Paris. She wanted to learn photography from the talented photographer Man Ray. After meeting him, the New York model said she was ready to be his student. But, to her surprise, she was refused. Ray said he didn’t take students and would soon be leaving for another city. Despite this, the ambitious young woman managed to convince the photographer and got what she wanted. From that evening on, they were inseparable for the next 3 years. During that time, Lee was his model and assistant in the creative process of photography. There was a harmonious professional collaboration and a real romance between Lee and Ray. Thanks to Ray’s support and mentorship, she learned to look at photographs in a special way. She became fascinated with aesthetics and began to experiment with different looks. This was the beginning of her professional development in photography. Despite this, their relationship did not last long. In 1932, Lee Miller returned to New York, where she opened a photography studio. There she shared her experience with beginners and pursued the American dream—developing her own business and herself as a professional photographer. Five years later, she met another man. Lee Miller met the British collector Roland Penrose. After that, her life changed dramatically again. She moved to London and refused to return home from then on. At the beginning of World War II, Lee became a Vogue war photojournalist and continued to work abroad.
How Lee Miller Became a Popular Vogue Photojournalist
World War II became the flourishing period of Lee Miller’s career. After she received official accreditation and put on her military uniform, everything was captured by her lens: from everyday life in hospitals to such important historical events as the liberation of Paris from the Nazis and life in the Dachau concentration camp. She sent the photos home with the caption: “Please believe me—it’s true.” Lee was also one of those who documented the night bombings of London. In 1944, she teamed up with Life photojournalist David Scherman. They followed the U.S. Army’s 83rd Infantry Division as it advanced along the front line. Interestingly, Lee Miller was the first female photojournalist to do so. As historians note, she was at the Dachau concentration camp. From there, along with Scherman, the photojournalist traveled to Hitler’s private apartment in Munich. It was there that one of her most famous photographs was taken. At Lee Miller’s initiative, her colleague photographed her taking a bath in Hitler’s tub. Many years later, when her adult son saw it, he said that the photo was a kind of slap in the face to Hitler for his war crimes. However, Lee Miller’s main goal was to document World War II. She was one of the few women who saw haunting and tragic scenes. Some of them also became a part of history and are still preserved in the archives of New York museums: children dying in a Viennese hospital, rural life during the war, the corpses of Nazi officers and their family members, the execution of Prime Minister László Bárdossy, and many others.
