Rare and Stunning Photos of Marilyn Monroe Taken by Her Close Friend Milton H. Greene in the 1950s

In the course of Marilyn Monroe’s career, she had the choice of many photographers to work with. In 1954, she chose Milton H. Greene.

Monroe formed a partnership with Greene that would result in more than 5,000 images taken over the course of three years. They first met in 1953 when he photographed her for LOOK magazine, and they would later form Marilyn Monroe Productions, Inc., together. Monroe even lived with Greene and with his wife Amy and son Joshua at their family home in Connecticut through 1957. Although only a young boy at the time, Joshua Greene recalls happy childhood memories during those years.

These photo sessions are the subject of a new book, The Essential Marilyn Monroe, Milton H. Greene: 50 Sessions. The photos were a collaboration between photographer and muse, a dynamic that shows in the range of photos from posed studio shots to candid photos with other personalities including Marlon Brando, Lawrence Olivier and her husband Arthur Miller.

“That was like a found diamond,” Joshua Greene said. “You’ve got to realize that all these pictures were in such bad condition. And It's not until you really get down and work on them do they start coming back to life. It's like restoring an old car.”

Marilyn Monroe from the October 1954 Ballerina session.

This photo of Marilyn Monroe, never published before, is the limited-edition cover of the new book “The Essential Marilyn Monroe.” It was taken in October 1953 during a shoot for Look magazine, but it was never used.

This photo, taken in September 1953, is the main cover of the book. Monroe is wearing a negligee adorned with fur and a diamond bracelet.

Monroe is dressed as a palm reader after she and photographer Milton H. Greene ransacked the 20th Century Fox costume department in April 1956.

Monroe wears her favorite outfit, a white terrycloth robe, just after finishing her makeup in March 1955.

This photo of Monroe wearing a sweater coat was taken by Greene during their first sitting for Look magazine in September 1953. Many of the photos from the shoot were considered too risqué and weren’t published.

Monroe wears a jacket and matching trousers for a studio shoot in March 1955. This retro style became a signature look for her.

Monroe wears a red cashmere sweater in July 1955.

Monroe looks up at Laurence Olivier on the set of “The Prince and the Showgirl” in 1956.

Monroe poses with Pekingese dogs that were part of a Look magazine shoot in February 1955.

Monroe wears a black cape in October 1955. Greene had selected two outfits from a fashion shoot and used Monroe as a model while setting up lights for two shooting environments to be used the following day.

Joshua Greene with Marilyn Monroe from the Bus Stop session, 1956.

From one of Milton Greene’s earliest sittings with Marilyn Monroe, not long after he was assigned by Look magazine to photograph the actress in 1953.

Milton Greene took this image in his daylight studio, a converted barn at his home in Weston, Connecticut, December 1955.

(Photos by Milton H. Greene ©2017 Joshua Greene archiveimages.com, via TIME)