(photo courtesy of the 4th District Council Office)

On May 2, Councilman Tom LaBonge, 4th District, along with community members and friends of the Stern family held a memorial tree planting at Griffith Park for legendary photographer Phil Stern. Stern passed away in December 2014 at the age of 95. His skills were honed as a combat photographer during World War II, but he is best known for his work with “Life” magazine and his candid images of the Hollywood icons and jazz legends of the 1940s and 1950s. Unlike the photographers who elevate their subjects to flawlessness, Stern’s photos of stars such as Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Sammy Davis Jr. brought a sense of relatability to them and quickly became as iconic as the stars themselves, LaBonge said.