Helmut Newton, born October 31, 1920 in Berlin, Germany was a German-Australian fashion photographer noted for his nude studies of women.
Interested in photography from a young age, he worked for the German photographer Else Neulander Simon. In 1938 Newton left Germany to escape persecution and worked briefly in Singapore as a photographer for the Straits Times before settling in Melbourne, Australia.
Newton settled in Paris in 1961 and began extensive work as a fashion photographer. His works appeared in magazines including, most significantly, French Vogue. He established a particular style marked by erotic, stylized scenes
A heart attack in 1970 slowed his output somewhat but he extended his work and his notoriety/fame greatly increased, notably with his 1980 “Big Nudes” series which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, underpinned with excellent technical skills. He also worked in portraiture and more fantastical studies.
He was killed when his car hit a wall in the driveway of the famous Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Sunset Boulevard which had for several years served as his residence in Southern California. It has been speculated that Newton suffered a heart attack in the moments before the collision.
Although I find some of Newton’s photos a little repetitive, in a way I admire his work. For being a photographer in the 60’s and 70’s he took a big chance photographing nude women and publicizing it. Even now some people have a hard time appreciating a nude photo. Newton was not only successful, but also respected for his studies of nude women.
For more on Helmut Newton visit these links: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3.
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