Bertram Stern, known worldwide as Bert Stern, was born in the heart of Brooklyn, New York on October 3, 1929. His childhood was marked by a fascination for cinema, a passion he inherited from his father, who worked as an editor at a film magazine. World War II and the golden age of American cinema shaped his imagination and his future career path.

Stern dropped out of high school to join the Army during the Korean War, where he worked as a photographer. This early experience in military photography provided him with technical skills and a clinical eye that would later become his hallmarks.

Upon his return to New York, Stern landed a job at Look Magazine advertising agency, where he worked under the tutelage of Alexey Brodovitch, the famed art director of Harper's Bazaar. Brodovitch became a crucial mentor for Stern, encouraging him to experiment with photography and explore his creativity.

His first major success came with an advertising campaign for Smirnoff in 1955. The photograph, which showed a bottle of vodka in the middle of the Egyptian desert with the pyramids of Giza reflected in it, was a masterstroke that captured the attention of the public and the advertising industry. This work catapulted Stern to fame, establishing him as one of the most innovative photographers of his time.

One of Stern's most emblematic works was "The Last Sitting," a series of photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken in 1962, a few weeks before the actress's death. This session, taken for Vogue magazine, became one of the most iconic of his career and one of the most celebrated in the history of photography.

Monroe's images, which ranged from sensual to melancholic, captured the complexity of the actress and the vulnerability behind her fame. The shoot lasted three days and produced more than 2,500 photographs. These images not only defined Stern's career, but also helped perpetuate the myth of Marilyn Monroe.

Stern's style was characterized by his ability to capture the essence of his subjects in an intimate and honest manner. He used natural light and experimented with unconventional angles and compositions, which allowed him to stand out in a field saturated with talent.

In addition to his celebrity work, Stern was also known for his fashion photography and editorial portraits. His ability to tell stories through his images made him highly sought after in the fashion and advertising industry.

Throughout his career, Bert Stern photographed many of the most influential personalities of the 20th century, including Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Drew Barrymore and Lindsay Lohan (recreating the last sitting), among many others. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and continues to inspire new generations of photographers.

Stern also published several books, including "The Last Sitting," which documents his famous shoot with Marilyn Monroe, and "The Fashion Book," which compiles some of his best work in the fashion world.

He passed away in Manhattan in 2013 at the age of 83, leaving behind an indelible legacy in the world of photography. His ability to capture beauty and humanity in his images ensures him an eternal place in the history of visual art.

Bert Stern was more than a photographer; he was a visual storyteller whose work transcended the barriers of time and captured the essence of an era. His influence lives on, inspiring those who seek to see the world through a different lens.