Two weeks back I was in Berlin and managed to go to an exhibition of this talented and legendary photographer. He was a pioneer for artistic photo nudes and fashion photography. Many photographers and even advertisers now model their photos around his style. Although known for his more provocative work he also loved photographing architecture and landscapes.
Born in Berlin October 1920 and died in a car accident January 2004.
Helmut Newton
It was a massive exhibition and covered a lot of his work. To much to included in just one post. I have included some general photos and will probably add more as I rediscover particularly good ones.
Above: Here there is a massive mirror on the roof. So Helmut Newton is taking pictures through the mirror.
Above: One of his more famous photos.
There are thousand apon thousands. Google Image and other bloggers are our friends.
Helmut Newton is epic
I went to see the same exibition, and was blown away by some of the photographs, shame we werent allowed to take photos of his work, as i was on a photography trip with my school. His work is amasing!
An epic waste…
Helmut Newton was an epic?
epic adj. 3. heroic; majestic; impressively great:
epic n 8. something worthy to form the subject of an epic
He started as Helmut Neustädter. He was born luckily as a wealthy and mobile Jew who could flee the Nazis. He started out life as a privileged, though tormented, man by most modern standards and ended as an over-privileged artist with unprecedented access to nude celebrities and models who was determined to leave a legacy.
This alone makes his life story easily a worthy subject of an epic.
He did the biggest and most expensive book production last century. It was too big to sit in your lap and came with a stand. It needed a stand because it can not \"stand\" on its own artistic merit. It is a compilation of mostly previously published work. Taschen currently lists it at $15,000 if you can find it. It is sold out To make finding it easier and to reduce the price, Taschen-US has decided to re-release the book in a smaller and more intimate format in Oct 2009. If we look at the total release value of 10,000 SUMO books at $15,000, it would be 150 million dollars.
You say, \"He was a pioneer for artistic photo nudes and fashion photography. Many photographers and even advertisers now model their photos around his style. Although known for his more provocative work he also loved photographing architecture and landscapes.\"
I disagree. Although he was one one of the first to shoot semi-nude and nude models and call it fashion, there was really no style. A photo of a nude as art was rarely, if ever, done by him. Figurenude.com has eighteen photographers who easily surpass his \"style\" of nude photography. Maybe a Helmut nude is just a female either showing a nipple or almost showing something unfit for children to view.
Maybe his legacy is destined to be crude photos….err…rude photos…err Oops; I meant nude photos that are crude and almost inappropriate?
there are some things we may overlook the first viewing.
I thought Helmut Newton photo is great Art. I felt that it is very natural. I feel that it may not stumble on my first viewing. The common view it. That very interesting & there are some things we may overlook the first viewing. I thought he wasn’t wasted talent.
Curtis. What a bitter man you come across as. Your link takes me to a book that you create, sell and market and the whole spiel takes delight in slating SUMO and praising your own tome.
Hardly an unbiased and independent review I think.
Your work may be great, but when you have to belittle others work in order to market yours, I think I will pass on it.
Larry,
I am unfortunately very bitter when it comes to Helmut Newton’s use of the nude “allegedly” for art. I believe the nude figure should be presented only as an object of art and NOT as “sexy” person in order to inspire voyeurism or lust.
I believe internet wire communications should be regulated by the FCC as required since 1934 and Google Inc and Microsoft Corporation image searches serially violate Article 6bis of the Berne Compact and should therefore be abolished.
I apologize for appearing to belittle Helmut. He did decent photos that were usually in focus. He did not do art but erotica and to report that fact is simply an accurate description. I do not believe Helmut produced 10% of the SUMO books he allegedly signed. I do not care if I sell a single signed book of mine because they are guaranteed…
Figurenude is covered by Curtis’ money-back guarantee. Figurenude is almost a risk-free investment. If you decide you no longer like Figurenude or just need the money, you may return it for the purchase price minus 20% per year and shipping. You will get 60% of the purchase price after enjoying the book for two years if you return it in undamaged condition. Anytime during the first year from day one to day 365 you may return it for 80% of the purchase price. 365-730 days and you may return it for 60% of the purchase price. From two years to 2 1/2 years or 912 days you may return it for 65% of the purchase price.Keep it for 2.5-100 years the Curtis Neeley Foundation will pay 50% of the original price for the book in pristine condition. The return can be for any reason or for no reason at all.
The money is kept in an account to underwrite the guarantee.