The Work of Bert Stern

Bert Stern was a legendary figure in the world of contemporary photography. With him sadly dying in the past month, I decided to take a look into his work, as I hadn't really seen much of it.

Even with just one simple google search, a lot of the images that appeared on the first page where images I've seen before, but haven't realised he was the photographer. He began he's career as a mail-room boy at Look Magazine where he formed a close relationship with young staff photographer Stanley Kubrick.

He's mostly known for the collection of work 'The Last Sitting' which consists of 2,500 photographs of Marilyn Monroe for Vogue which were shot over a three day period six weeks before her death. The images have been published into a book, first back in 1982, and again in 2000, which you can still purchase to this date. He's also photographed Lindsay Lohan imitating this very same shoot (can you spot which one she is in the photos below? CHEEKY CHALLENGE. Along with Marilyn and Lindsay, he's also photographed Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna just to name a few.

As well as snapping A-listers, Bert launched his career with the infamous 'Driest of the Dry' Smirnoff Vodka campaign which saw a rise in sales that no one could of imagined, this is what rocketed his career at the tender age of 25 and made America into a vodka drinking country.

Sterns use of imagery really catches a moment, as if the camera wasn't there in the first place; natural. This is what I really love about it, and for future projects use him as big inspiration.