The Best of Helmut Newton

Book excerpt: Helmut Newton is not a conventional fashion photographer. While many of his photos have appeared in fashion magazines, the fact remains that they are not your typical fashion photography. Even when the women are wearing fashionable clothes, the photos are more than mere fashion shots: they possess a timeless quality that at first appears inexplicable. The women in Newton's photos are mostly placed in settings that transcend the present & its impermanence. Newton's women also wear clothes, undergarments, & shoes that cannot be assigned to any particular trend in fashion. In fact, the artist has little interest in fashion at all. His chief interest is the female body-more than just its curves & angles, but its language, its drama, its sexual energy, its profundity. The Best of Helmut Newton is a collection of his finest work. Over 100 photos spanning Newton's career, demonstrate his gift for creative poses, daringly arranged scenery, & unique perspectives. In this collection are intimate photographs of celebrities such as Jodie Foster, Debra Winger, Elizabeth Taylor, Isabella Rossellini, Daryl Hannah, & many more. The Best of Helmut Newton also includes an overview of Newton's career & exhibits, & two essays on his work.