SUMMARY

For the biopic 'Lee,' actress Kate Winslet sought to embody photographer Lee Miller by focusing on her camera. Winslet located one of the world's last Rolleiflex technicians to construct an exact replica of Miller's pre-war twin-lens camera. Winslet studied Miller's work and life at the Lee Miller Archives before using the replica to take actual photos during filming, aiming for a technical apprenticeship to grasp Miller's hands-on relationship with her equipment.

TAKEAWAYS

Kate Winslet created a replica Rolleiflex for her portrayal of Lee Miller in the biopic 'Lee'.

The replica was built by Claude Samaran, one of the last technicians servicing Rolleiflex cameras.

Winslet used the camera on set, taking actual photos to understand Miller's technical skills.

Lee Miller was known for her ability to disassemble and reassemble her Rolleiflex in challenging conditions.

RELATED COVERAGE

LensDigest archive

Browse by date

Every published day shows its story count. Select a date to open that edition.

Archive calendar

Loading available editions…