Ernest Miller ( March 7 , 1885 – April 23 , 1957 ) was an American cinematographer who was nominated for an Academy Award at the 1939 Oscars for Best Cinematography for the film '' Army Girl '' , sharing the nomination with Harry J. Wild . He had nearly 350 film and television credits to his name , mostly Westerns , including some of the early episodes of '' Gunsmoke '' . Location work on '' Army Girl '' was done primarily at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth , Calif. , where Miller cut his teeth in B-Westerns and became one of the most prolific -- and one of the best -- of the site 's shooters during the course of his career . His camera work at Iverson became identifiable for Miller 's trademark use of the site 's charismatic sandstone rock features as framing devices , as he incorporated the giant boulders into the artistry of the outdoor action shots in ways that few cinematographers could match
1939 Oscars
11th Academy Awards
Ernest Miller (cinematographer)