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Lee Miller: Photographs
Over one hundred of the most outstanding photographs taken by photographer, model, and surrealist muse Lee Miller, published in anticipation of the film Lee starring Kate Winslet as Miller. Photojournalist, war correspondent, model, and surrealist muse, Lee Miller was one of the most important women photographers of the twentieth century, working in the fields of photojournalism, fashion, portraiture, and advertising. This book presents over one hundred of Miller’s finest works in a single volume. Introduced to photography at an early age, Miller honed her craft in Paris, where she associated with the surrealists and other avant-garde artists, including Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso. Together with Man Ray, she discovered the distinctive technique of solarization to create mesmerizing halo effects. After establishing her own photographic studio in New York, where she became a prominent commercial photographer, she then moved to the Middle East and Europe before becoming the official war photographer for Vogue , a period during which she took many of her most iconic photographs. This evocative book collects Miller’s most famous documentary, fashion, and war works, as well as photographs of Miller. They are all carefully compiled by her son, photographer Antony Penrose, with a foreword by actress Kate Winslet, who will star as Miller in the film Lee . 122 illustrations / 3 in color
144 pages, Hardcover
Published October 10, 2023
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225 people want to read
About the author
Antony Penrose
23 books31 followersAntony Penrose was born on 9 September 1947 in the London Clinic, central London. He is the son of Lee Miller, a model, fine art photographer and noted war correspondent, and Sir Roland Penrose, the surrealist artist, poet and biographer of Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Man Ray, and Antoni Tàpies, who co-founded the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in 1947.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 16, 2024
Looking at Our World through Lee Miller's Eyes
To appreciate this review, please take a moment to see the much longer review I posted yesterday about the major Carolyn Burke biography of photographer, artist and journalist Lee Miller. In that review, I explained why Lee Miller was such a multi-faceted artist and cultural provocateur that one arts magazine has reported that understanding her creative breadth requires the reading of at least five books about her. As odd as that sounds, I actually agree, so this is the second of at least five books I'll be reviewing about Lee Miller in 2024.
This is the "companion book" to Kate Winslet's new feature film, Lee. That film, which still has not been distributed across the US as of January 2024, is one of Winslet's longtime passion projects. To create this coffee-table-format book, she collaborated with Miller's son, Antony Penrose, an artist in his own right and co-director of the Lee Miller Archives. Antony Penrose's name appears somewhere in the credits to most of the many books available about Lee Miller's vast array of creative interests. And, beyond that background, please see my previous review for more about her remarkable life.
So, why am I giving this book 5 stars and why should you consider ordering a copy?
The heart of Lee Miller's creative life and expression beats through her photography: Photographs of her and, of course, thousands upon thousands of photographs made by her. To truly experience her vision of the world, one needs either a high-res big-screen film or a larger-format book like this with photographs reproduced in lavish quality.
The Carolyn Burke book contains many photos, but that book is printed on quality paperback paper stock and not on the much heavier, coated paperstock used in this book that really is organized as a photo album.
Kate Winslet writes a couple of pages. Antony Penrose writes a half dozen pages. The rest of the book is filled with photographs. (Oh, and there's a very interesting "notes" section at the end that provides a sentence or two of context for the photos. I'm so glad they added those couple of pages at the end.)
In the home library my wife and I have assembled over the last half century, we have two long shelves of large-format art books we've collected. Because I've been a journalist all those years, a good number of those books are about journalists, news media and photographers. And, I have to say: This new volume certainly earns its precious space on those overloaded shelves. The photographs here are simply dazzling. Each one is worth a long reflective gaze.
So, in my growing collection of Lee Miller books, this is No. 2 of the five books I plan to read and review this year—and that I now plan to keep in my library to remind me and our family and friends of her life and legacy.
To appreciate this review, please take a moment to see the much longer review I posted yesterday about the major Carolyn Burke biography of photographer, artist and journalist Lee Miller. In that review, I explained why Lee Miller was such a multi-faceted artist and cultural provocateur that one arts magazine has reported that understanding her creative breadth requires the reading of at least five books about her. As odd as that sounds, I actually agree, so this is the second of at least five books I'll be reviewing about Lee Miller in 2024.
This is the "companion book" to Kate Winslet's new feature film, Lee. That film, which still has not been distributed across the US as of January 2024, is one of Winslet's longtime passion projects. To create this coffee-table-format book, she collaborated with Miller's son, Antony Penrose, an artist in his own right and co-director of the Lee Miller Archives. Antony Penrose's name appears somewhere in the credits to most of the many books available about Lee Miller's vast array of creative interests. And, beyond that background, please see my previous review for more about her remarkable life.
So, why am I giving this book 5 stars and why should you consider ordering a copy?
The heart of Lee Miller's creative life and expression beats through her photography: Photographs of her and, of course, thousands upon thousands of photographs made by her. To truly experience her vision of the world, one needs either a high-res big-screen film or a larger-format book like this with photographs reproduced in lavish quality.
The Carolyn Burke book contains many photos, but that book is printed on quality paperback paper stock and not on the much heavier, coated paperstock used in this book that really is organized as a photo album.
Kate Winslet writes a couple of pages. Antony Penrose writes a half dozen pages. The rest of the book is filled with photographs. (Oh, and there's a very interesting "notes" section at the end that provides a sentence or two of context for the photos. I'm so glad they added those couple of pages at the end.)
In the home library my wife and I have assembled over the last half century, we have two long shelves of large-format art books we've collected. Because I've been a journalist all those years, a good number of those books are about journalists, news media and photographers. And, I have to say: This new volume certainly earns its precious space on those overloaded shelves. The photographs here are simply dazzling. Each one is worth a long reflective gaze.
So, in my growing collection of Lee Miller books, this is No. 2 of the five books I plan to read and review this year—and that I now plan to keep in my library to remind me and our family and friends of her life and legacy.
April 18, 2024
March has been the USA’s National Women’s history month so my review is a bit tardy. I only new some of the basics about Lee Miller before checking this book out of our local library: She had a long relationship with Vogue magazine as a model and a contributor; she learned from and collaborated with Man Ray, mostly in surrealism; and, she was an excellent photographer.
This book came into being to mark the movie (starring Kate Winslet) that will delve into Miller’s life. The book is oversized and the photographs are rendered to best display Miller’s talents.
In reading and looking through this book, I was continuously overwhelmed by the range and depth of Miller’s talents and accomplishments. As a photographer alone, she shows mastery of portraiture, surrealism, humor, pathos and wartime documentation. Wow!
Penrose also does a masterful job of putting this all together is a way that gives a cogent narration to the scope of Miller’s life.
This book came into being to mark the movie (starring Kate Winslet) that will delve into Miller’s life. The book is oversized and the photographs are rendered to best display Miller’s talents.
In reading and looking through this book, I was continuously overwhelmed by the range and depth of Miller’s talents and accomplishments. As a photographer alone, she shows mastery of portraiture, surrealism, humor, pathos and wartime documentation. Wow!
Penrose also does a masterful job of putting this all together is a way that gives a cogent narration to the scope of Miller’s life.
December 22, 2024
Neulich bin ich im Kino gewesen und habe mir dort den Film „Die Fotografin“ angeschaut. Der Bildband musste sofort danach bei mir einziehen, wollte ich die eindrucksvollen Fotos von Lee Miller doch für immer in meinem Bücherregal wissen.
Lee Miller war in einer Zeit hinter der Kamera, in der nur wenige Frauen überhaupt in diesen männlich besetzten Berufen tätig sein durften. Sie wurde das Gesicht der Vogue, weil der Verleger sie vor einem heranrasenden Auto rettete und sie erst in seine Arme und dann in Ohnmacht fiel. Ihr Gesicht war genau das, was er gesucht hatte. Sie entschied sich irgendwann die Position zu wechseln. Schon ihr Vater hatte ihr nicht nur das posen beigebracht, sondern auch das ganze Know-how hinter der Kamera. „Lieber mache ich ein Bild als eins zu sein“ - mitgestalten und dabei sein war ihr lieber, als sprachloses Objekt gebannt zu werden. Als der zweite Weltkrieg in Europa tobte wollte sie als Kriegsberichterstatterin. in der ersten Reihe stehen, doch man legte ihr Steine in den Weg, die sie überwandt. Ihre Uniform ließe sie sich maßschneidern. Ihre Fotos waren gleichzeitig authentisch und inszeniert. Ob Frauen in Brandschutzanzügen oder Rauchsäulen aus Napalm, alles lichtete sie auf ihre besondere Art und Weise ab. Sie war eine der ersten Fotografen in Dachau und die Bilder haben sich nicht nur auf Celluloid, sondern auch in ihr Hirn eingebrannt. Den Dreck des Konzentrationslagers streifte sie auf dem Badezimmerteppich des Führers ab. Sie wurde als das Mädchen in Hitlers Badewanne berühmt.
Ich kann euch den Film wirklich sehr ans Herz legen. Er ist ruhig und seine Stille schreit! Die Inszenierung der bekannten Fotografien entstanden meist spontan. Es war interessant einen gemutmaßten blick auf die Entstehung zu werfen. Miller hatte einfach ein Auge für das besondere Bild.
Ich hab nicht mehr besonders viel Platz im Regal für Bildbände, aber dieser musste unbedingt ein Teil meiner Sammlung werden. Ich bin fasziniert von der Person und ihren Werken. Kate Winslet, die in ihre Haut schlüpfte, schrieb das Vorwort, ihr Sohn gestaltete das Buch, schrieb die Texte.
Ein Buch, das sich ganz hervorragend als Last Minute Geschenk eignet, natürlich besonders für Menschen, die besondere Fotografien lieben und sie gleichzeitig mit einer feministischen Kultfigur bekannt machen möchten
Lee Miller war in einer Zeit hinter der Kamera, in der nur wenige Frauen überhaupt in diesen männlich besetzten Berufen tätig sein durften. Sie wurde das Gesicht der Vogue, weil der Verleger sie vor einem heranrasenden Auto rettete und sie erst in seine Arme und dann in Ohnmacht fiel. Ihr Gesicht war genau das, was er gesucht hatte. Sie entschied sich irgendwann die Position zu wechseln. Schon ihr Vater hatte ihr nicht nur das posen beigebracht, sondern auch das ganze Know-how hinter der Kamera. „Lieber mache ich ein Bild als eins zu sein“ - mitgestalten und dabei sein war ihr lieber, als sprachloses Objekt gebannt zu werden. Als der zweite Weltkrieg in Europa tobte wollte sie als Kriegsberichterstatterin. in der ersten Reihe stehen, doch man legte ihr Steine in den Weg, die sie überwandt. Ihre Uniform ließe sie sich maßschneidern. Ihre Fotos waren gleichzeitig authentisch und inszeniert. Ob Frauen in Brandschutzanzügen oder Rauchsäulen aus Napalm, alles lichtete sie auf ihre besondere Art und Weise ab. Sie war eine der ersten Fotografen in Dachau und die Bilder haben sich nicht nur auf Celluloid, sondern auch in ihr Hirn eingebrannt. Den Dreck des Konzentrationslagers streifte sie auf dem Badezimmerteppich des Führers ab. Sie wurde als das Mädchen in Hitlers Badewanne berühmt.
Ich kann euch den Film wirklich sehr ans Herz legen. Er ist ruhig und seine Stille schreit! Die Inszenierung der bekannten Fotografien entstanden meist spontan. Es war interessant einen gemutmaßten blick auf die Entstehung zu werfen. Miller hatte einfach ein Auge für das besondere Bild.
Ich hab nicht mehr besonders viel Platz im Regal für Bildbände, aber dieser musste unbedingt ein Teil meiner Sammlung werden. Ich bin fasziniert von der Person und ihren Werken. Kate Winslet, die in ihre Haut schlüpfte, schrieb das Vorwort, ihr Sohn gestaltete das Buch, schrieb die Texte.
Ein Buch, das sich ganz hervorragend als Last Minute Geschenk eignet, natürlich besonders für Menschen, die besondere Fotografien lieben und sie gleichzeitig mit einer feministischen Kultfigur bekannt machen möchten
February 10, 2025
I cannot overstate how angry I am that I didn’t know who Lee Miller was until recently. She was an incredible artist with a keen mind, and not enough people are aware of her and her work. This collection is nothing short of stunning.
Also, once again, Antony Penrose broke my heart a little bit in introducing his mother’s work.
Also, once again, Antony Penrose broke my heart a little bit in introducing his mother’s work.
April 28, 2024
Una tarde vitrineando con la Jose en una Contrapunto vi este libro en la sección de fotografía. La verdad no me llamó demasiado la atención porque yo quería ver más fotos de Lee Miller como fotógrafa de guerra más que durante todo el período de su vida.
Ese mismo día fuimos a ver al cine Civil War, película que tiene mucho que ver (no solo la mencionan, sino que una de las protagonistas es fotoperiodista y lleva su mismo nombre) con su rol como mujer fotoperiodista durante la segunda guerra mundial.
Apenas salimos del cine, lo primero que hicimos fue volver a la librería a comprar el libro.
Su historia de vida es particular y fascinante, mostrándonos por medio de sus fotos, la pasión, valentía y entusiasmo por imaginar dentro de lo que fueron sus diversos períodos en su historia de vida y ante los terribles sucesos de la guerra. Con tintes de surrealismo y valentía, vuelve a reinventarse constantemente sin negar lo vivido, retratando el rol de las mujeres durante la guerra y estando en la primera línea mirando a cara los horrores que dejaron huella durante ese oscuro período.
Sin duda se volvió una de mis fotógrafas favoritas.
Ese mismo día fuimos a ver al cine Civil War, película que tiene mucho que ver (no solo la mencionan, sino que una de las protagonistas es fotoperiodista y lleva su mismo nombre) con su rol como mujer fotoperiodista durante la segunda guerra mundial.
Apenas salimos del cine, lo primero que hicimos fue volver a la librería a comprar el libro.
Su historia de vida es particular y fascinante, mostrándonos por medio de sus fotos, la pasión, valentía y entusiasmo por imaginar dentro de lo que fueron sus diversos períodos en su historia de vida y ante los terribles sucesos de la guerra. Con tintes de surrealismo y valentía, vuelve a reinventarse constantemente sin negar lo vivido, retratando el rol de las mujeres durante la guerra y estando en la primera línea mirando a cara los horrores que dejaron huella durante ese oscuro período.
Sin duda se volvió una de mis fotógrafas favoritas.
February 28, 2025
Exceptional!
Highly recommend the book & the movie! Lee Miller was a courageous woman!
Highly recommend the book & the movie! Lee Miller was a courageous woman!
March 15, 2025
So I recently watched the movie "Lee" and wanted to see some of the photographs that were recreated in the film (she is most famous for a picture of herself in Hitler's bathtub). Beautiful and sometimes disturbing imagery. Look at the photos. Watch the movie.
April 10, 2025
This book was exactly what I wanted: some brief and interesting information about Lee Miller's life, and a lot of photographs.
January 3, 2024
Il mio regalo di natale non poteva non essere un libro su una donna super come Lee Miller.
La conoscevo gia, ma vedere le sue foto mi ha fatto apprezzare an ora di più questa pioniera della fotografia che per molto tempo è stata alla luce del sole.
La conoscevo gia, ma vedere le sue foto mi ha fatto apprezzare an ora di più questa pioniera della fotografia che per molto tempo è stata alla luce del sole.
January 14, 2024
Essays from Kate Winslet, who portrays Lee Miller in the recently released biographical drama; and Miller's son Anthony Penrose, whose 1995 memoir is the basis for the film, ground this collection of photographs of and by Miller. I went through it in an evening and it provided motivation to get going on Penrose's book, which is a lot denser - Miller lived very large indeed. I'm so suprised I never heard of her before - a style and modeling icon of the 1920s turned photographer, war correspondent, and gourmet cook, she lived into the 1970s.
October 26, 2024
When you look at a book, full of photographs of life before your time, you step back and realize history. This book shows a very diverse gathering of Lee Miller's photographs. Some of them very hard to see, during World War Two. One photograph can change your mind, can haunt you for the rest of your life. I'm old now, and just finding out about this extraordinary photographer. You should say story teller with a camera. I am excited to see the movie coming out about her life. I think writers and photographers move us forward in life. They tell our story, our history.
July 11, 2025
Excellent book of Lee Miller's photographs. Anyone curious about this American photographer's work will love this book. After watching the superb film "Lee" starring Kate Winslet, I wanted to see more of Miller's photographs and learn more about her. Miller's son Antony Penrose who wrote the text did a great job putting this book together. The excellent range of large photos cover the myriad of subject matter Lee photographed. Actress Kate Winslet wrote the foreward. A wonderful book for photography fans and students.
April 20, 2025
Una raccolta di foto che narra l'arco intero della sua vita da fotografa. Ancora mostrano lo sguardo personale evidenziando di volta in volta la ricerca della bellezza, il contrasto, il disincanto, la realtà oggettiva.
Consiglio la lettura precedente della biografia dell' autrice.
Il libro è stato curato dal figlio. La prefazione di Kate Winslet che interpreta Lee Miller nel biopic dedicato.
Consiglio la lettura precedente della biografia dell' autrice.
Il libro è stato curato dal figlio. La prefazione di Kate Winslet che interpreta Lee Miller nel biopic dedicato.
May 18, 2025
Wonderful retrospective of photos of and by Lee Miller. I first heard about her through the podcast “The Rest is History” (a BIG 5 ⭐️’s to them - check out all their many topics), where I learned about the movie “Lee” (starring Kate Winslet). Very good movie. The book is mostly photographs with just enough notes (including ones in the back about each individual picture).
November 8, 2024
Wow! Loved this book - especially the notes (at the back) on the circumstance of each photo.) Published on the back of the film (superb!) it is a real treat. Highly recommended if you like that sort of thing! (B&W Photos from yesteryear!)
November 7, 2025
After see the documentary about her, i decided to get the book from my local library. Well worth the wait hat it took to arrive. She was very talented and it showed through her photography. highly recommended.
October 19, 2023
Beautiful photographs from all periods of Lee Miller's career.
Want to read
May 21, 2024779 Mil
July 13, 2024
Lee Miller was amazing. Unforgettable pictures
July 31, 2024
There's a 2024 movie called "Civil War" that name checks Lee Miller. I hadn't heard of her so I needed to look her up. She was an amazing wartime photographer.
September 8, 2024
J'espère vraiment que le Biopic décrira aussi bien sa vie et son talent pour la photographie...
September 18, 2024
A stunning collection of her work curated with love.
October 1, 2024
Excellent selection from one of the finest photographers of the 20th Century. Nice to see attention being paid.
December 31, 2024
Great companion to the movie ‘Lee’
Lee Miller was an astonishing woman, living many lives in one lifetime. Finally she is getting the recognition she deserves.
Lee Miller was an astonishing woman, living many lives in one lifetime. Finally she is getting the recognition she deserves.
January 20, 2025
Beautiful book that captures the range and development of her photography.
February 10, 2025
I need more
I love her
I love her
December 29, 2025
Bought at Tate Britain’s exhibition of Lee Miller’s work. Surreal, beautiful, moving and desperate. What a remarkable woman she was.
February 19, 2024
Storia e fotografie di una grande donna.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews