Millea, Tom

American, b. 1944

BiographyTom Millea began taking photographs at a young age, but he turned to photography intently only after completing a BA at the University of Western Connecticut. From 1967 to 1973, he studied independently with photographer Paul Caponigro, which he has described as a pivotal experience. During this period, Millea worked primarily as the director of the Underground Gallery in New York City, and as Director of Photography at the Photo-Graphics Workshop in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 1973, Millea moved to Carmel, California, where he began focusing on his own work, primarily portraits and landscapes.

During the 1970s, Millea was among the first contemporary photographers to return to using the platinum/palladium printing process, a time-consuming method developed in the 19th century that yields a greater tonal range than silver-based processes. At the time, this interest put him at odds with the dominant tastes in photography, and with the photography community in Carmel, which was dominated by the influential Ansel Adams. In the decades since, he continued to pursue figure and landscape photography, while teaching and occasionally acting as a curator. Millea died in 2015.