There have been many Marilyn photo books - but nothing like this. Australian-born curator and preservationist David Wills has accrued one of the world's largest independent archives of original Marilyn Monroe photographs. Now, in "Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis", he has gathered spectacular work of the key Marilyn photographers - and dozens of unknowns - to create the most dazzling portfolio of images from every period in Marilyn Monroe's life, from her earliest sittings in 1942 till just weeks before her death two decades later. With more than two hundred first-generation photos - including countless luminous, unseen color photos from the very start of her career - "Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis" chronicles her meteoric rise from a humble catalog model to one of the most recognized faces in history. No other book even comes close.

Australian-born David Wills is an independent curator, photographic preservationist, and editor who has accrued one of the world’s largest independent archives of original photographs, negatives, and transparencies. He has contributed material to many publications and museums, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wills has produced a series of photography exhibitions based on images from his archive. His shows have included “Murder, Models, Madness: Photographs from the Motion Picture Blow-Up,” “Edie Sedgwick: Unseen Photographs of a Warhol Superstar,” “Blonde Bombshell,” “James Bond,” “Women with Issues: Photographs from the Motion Picture Valley of the Dolls,” and “Warhology,” and they have received major profiles in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Vanity Fair, American Photo, and Vogue.

In 2002 Wills photo-edited Bernard of Hollywood’s Ultimate Pin-Up Book. He also coauthored Veruschka (2008) and authored Ara Gallant (2010), which featured an introduction by Anjelica Huston. He has written articles on photography and popular culture for publications including V Magazine and Palm Springs Life.

Wills lives in Los Angeles.