LOS ANGELES — Peter Read Miller, one of the most influential and respected sports photographers of the modern era whose images helped define how generations of fans experienced sports, has died. He was 87. 

He spent more than four decades photographing athletes, events and the culture surrounding the games, producing work that blended access, artistry and storytelling at the highest level.

For more than 35 years, Miller worked as a staff and contract photographer for Sports Illustrated, where his images appeared on more than 100 covers, a rare distinction that placed him among the most prolific visual storytellers in the magazine’s history. His photographs captured not just moments of victory and defeat, but the emotion, pressure and humanity that live between the lines of competition.

Over the course of his career, Miller covered nine Olympic Games, 41 Super Bowls and 14 NBA Finals, along with the Stanley Cup Final, World Series, Kentucky Derby, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, and the Men’s and Women’s World Cup soccer finals. Few photographers have documented such a wide range of global sporting events with the consistency and depth that defined Miller’s work.

His editorial reach extended well beyond Sports Illustrated. Miller’s images appeared in Time, Life, People, Money, Newsweek, Runner’s World, USA Weekend, Playboy, The New York Times and via The Associated Press, reflecting the trust editors placed in his ability to deliver under any circumstances.

Miller was equally influential as an educator and mentor. For more than 15 years, he taught sports photography workshops across the country, including in Denver, Atlanta, Phoenix, Santa Clara, Knoxville, Las Vegas and Honolulu, helping shape the next generation of photographers. He was a sought-after speaker at industry events such as Photoshop World, Imaging USA, CES, PDN’s Photo Plus East, and at colleges, universities and professional photography organizations nationwide.

His contributions to the craft were widely recognized. In 2006, Miller received the Dave Boss Award of Excellence Photographer of the Year from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also a long-time member of Canon’s Explorers of Light program, a distinction he held for more than 25 years, and won the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2012 Award for Sports Photography.

Miller’s expertise was further shared through his book, Peter Read Miller on Sports Photography, which, while currently unavailable, was in the process of being re-released with a new publisher.

In addition to his editorial work, Miller collaborated with some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including Canon, Nike, Microsoft, TD Ameritrade, Western Digital, Adidas, Visa, Coca-Cola, Foot Locker, Panasonic, ABC Television and the NFL, bringing the same visual integrity to advertising that defined his journalism.