I had never heard the name Bert Stern but I have seen his photographs, specifically his shot of Louis Armstrong. He is shooting in such a beautiful and entrancing way that I almost forget I’m looking at studio shots for advertising or fashion. The lighting on the subjects is almost perfect in its composition, drawing the viewer into the face without muddying up the face with unneeded shadows or lines. There is a wonderful detail to the faces of his subjects in portrait work that isn’t uncommon but is done in such a way that is wholly unique to Stern. His photos, like those of Marilyn Monroe, have a wonderful softness to them, whether that be to the camera of the times or completely purposeful, yet they retain that same detail, just… softer. These photos are entrancing to behold. It feels as though he shoots men and women differently. Men tend to be fuller frame, heads down slightly with harsh shadows and great detail. Women on the other hand he seems to be far more liberal with the framing. There are a variety of different shots with different women and I am unsure what that means for how he viewed the opposite sexes but it definitely shows that he did view them differently.
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