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. The chemicals involved also impacted his health. In the decades since, he continued to pursue figure and landscape photography, while teaching and occasionally acting as a curator.
He died in 2015, recognised both as a master of the platinum process and as an excellent photographer. His work is in almost every major photography museum in the world including LACMA, MOMA, the Smithsonian, and many others.
