The History of Helmut Newton: Finding A Life in Paris

After returning to Paris, now with more permanence, Helmut Newton signed a contract with French Vogue. His home was in the La Marais district, off of a street named Aubriot. It was on that street that he photographed one of his most iconic shots: Rue Aubriot (meaning Aubriot Stere in French), and otherwise titled Le Smoking.

While he was working for French Vogue, he continued to receive commissions from Harper's Bazaar, Queen, and British Vogue. It was during this time in his life that he was creating some of his most impressive and memorable works. His attention-grabbing style was defining itself as glamorous, feminine, and erotic.

Because of his departure from the norm, he caught the attention and booked work with Elle and Marie Claire. In 1965, one of American Vogue's most famous editors, Diana Vreeland, contacted Newton to work with him. Although he was eager at first, their relationship simply wasn't going to work due to creative differences. Newton stuck out from the crowd because he continued to create work he was proud of, even if he faced backlash in return.

In the early 70s, Newton's health was starting to slide. His wife June had to step in or Helmut while he was recovering from the flu. She successfully shot a cigarette campaign for him. Shortly before the shoot, he taught June the basics. For fear of ruining the Newton name, she gave herself the pseudonym Alice Springs. Of course, June was a natural and became a photographer herself over the years, shooting for Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair, and more over her career.

In 1971, while in New York, Helmut suffered a heart attack. This didn't diminish his spark, however, it brightened it. He began rejecting the idea of filtering himself and his work and chased what truly inspired him. He began more deeply exploring themes in his work such as femininity, eroticism, sexuality, fetishism, and any other seemingly unacceptable aesthetic. He chased the avant-garde.

Helmut Newton is regarded to be one of the most famous and respected fine art fashion photographers in the world. His black and white photography highlights femininity, eroticism, heavy contrast, and all in all, high fashion. Global Images offers a gorgeous collection of vintage silver gelatin prints from Newton’s Private Property collection. Inquire for pricing and signed silver gelatin availability.