Bruno Bernard

Bruno Bernard Sommerfeld (February 2, 1912 – June 3, 1987) also known as Bernard of Hollywood, was an American photographer best known for pin-up and glamour photography of Marilyn Monroe and others. Early life Bruno Bernard Sommerfeld was born into poverty on February 2, 1912, in Berlin, Germany. He was put in an orphanage by parents who could not afford to support him. In 1923, his parents gave him a Rolleiflex camera, which led to a lifelong interest in photography. He attended Kiel University, where, in 1934, he earned a doctorate in criminal psychology. He became the general secretary of a Jewish youth organization, which led to his name appearing on a Gestapo hit list. In 1937, he fled to America from Nazi Germany, claiming to German authorities that he was leaving the country to continue his graduate studies. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he planned to continue his education but soon became interested in the arts. In 1940, he became a directorial apprentice at the Reinhardt School of the Theatre, opened by Max Reinhardt on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Career in Hollywood Unable to get a job as a director, Bernard returned to his interest in photography. In 1938 he set up a darkroom in the basement of his Los Angeles apartment. Inspired by his background in psychology, what he learned about directing, and collaboration with Alberto Vargas, Bernard developed a unique portrait style that he called the "posed candid"; a style that evolved into what is now known as "pin-up" photography. Bernard preferred a moderate use of artificial light. He preferred natural light like the sun at the beach and sometimes added a flash to his light concept. He never had any formal training in photography and credited his success to "two good teachers, trial and error".