STYLE

recreations:

ADMIRED PHOTOGRAPHER

The photographer I most admire is Bert Stern. He is know for taking outstanding photographs of stars like Marilyn Monroe, Twiggy, Audrey Hepburn and other well known mid 60s early 70s models / actresses. He was the son of Jewish immigrants and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He dropped out of high school at 16 and got a job at Look magazine in the mail room. In 1951 he was drafted by the US army to Japan and was assigned to the photographic department. In the 1960s, he started using amphetamines heavily, which led to marriage destruction with Allegra Kent. They had two daughters and one son. Because of drug use he went to Spain to recover. By the 1970s Stern returned to America to focus on his photography career. His first photography assignment was the Smirnoff campaign. Soon enough, magazines, advertisers, Hollywood studios and fashion designers wanted him to do work for them. His most famous work was done for Marilyn Monroe just six weeks before her death. Berts style of photography is black and white photo portraits. He also took photos of fashion and people doing everyday activities. Mr. Stern explained that taking photos had always been his way of seeing people and relating to them in ways he couldn’t have otherwise. It’s always why he like taking photos of professional models. “Models more than actresses,” he said. “What makes a great model is her need, her desire; and it’s exciting to photograph desire.” I love the 60s and the 70s. Black and white is probably one of my favorite ways to take pictures. Twiggy is one of my most adored models from the 60s as well as Marilyn Monroe. I don’t really know much about Bert. He died around four years ago and I never got into his work till after he passed away. His pictures, to me, are amazing and I think they capture everything perfectly. I agree that to be able to work with those people must have extremely cool and very special.

I love these photography of twiggy. I really admire how Bert got her personality through photographs. Her facial expressions are great. He arranged them in a way that tell some sort of story that you have to try and figure out. How I plan on taking these collection of photos is simple. I will get a white sheet and tell my model to do theses poses. Also, my model needs to have a personality to achieve the master looks of Twiggy.

This photo is probably one of my favorites that Bert took. He captures this lady somehow trying to seduce you with her lollipop and heart shaped sunglasses. To captured this photo the model will be in the car and looking at one of the mirrors. It will be sort of difficult to get the same film/grainy type of effect that the old cameras had in the back then. I will try to find the heart shaped glasses but I will try.

For this photo of Marilyn I will need fishnet, and a cap.