Amazon.com

Bringing an entirely new slant to the concept of the coffee-table book, SUMO is a suitably enormous homage to 79-year-old Helmut Newton, the master of subversive and erotic photography. "I wanted to build a monument to the most important photographer of the 20th century," comments Benedikt Taschen, the publisher behind SUMO. He delivers. Weighing over 65 pounds, measuring more than two feet long, and breaking any previous size record in book publishing, SUMO contains 480 pages of every aspect of Newton's outstanding career in photography. Each copy of the book is bound by hand and numbered and signed by the artist. In order to showcase this colossus, the book is packaged with its own stand designed by Philippe Starck.

This outsized volume contains the body of Newton's controversial yet iconographic work, documenting fashion, fetishism, and above all an overriding obsession with voyeurism that can make the viewer feel complicit or uneasy by turns. Newton himself describes SUMO as "terrifying and outrageous. I don't even look at it as a book.... I look at it as an object." --Catherine Taylor, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (12)

a Monolith
Well, as everyone else says, there's no other book like it. I had a look at a copy in an art photography store and thought it was ok, but would I pay two grand for it? Nah, I don't think so. Admittedly, the cover shot from the series 'Big Nudes' is impressive when you first see it, but these pictures were never meant to be printed at this size. Newton shoots fast and produces grainy photographs; at this size the pictures start losing clarity because of the extreme grainyness. There are also slight scratches and imperfections on some of the negatives, which at a normal size are miniscule, but here the tiniest scratch is blown up into a great white worm crawling over the page.

Don't get me wrong, Newton is one of the great lensmen of recent decades. The work displayed here is of itself, brilliant. Even so, you could save yourself a packet and buy a quality 'normal' book of his work, where the pictures can be appreciated more easily. This book's merit lies in it being an art object in it's own right. If you actually want to savour and enjoy Newton's work, give it a miss.

Don't Let the Critics Wrestle Sumo
This book is not meant to collect dust on a coffee table but to lay open atop its stand the way Starck designed it. It's an interactive art piece that can be changed daily, weekly, etc depending on your mood (or the company you expect). How can these arresting and haunting images ever get boring? Would a Helmut Newton hung on a wall slowly become mundane? I can tell you from experience that the answer is a resounding NO.

A work of art.....
This book is by far a conversation piece....I have had company that spends hours turning the pages. Even after having the book for several months, I flip through it and see photos I don't recall seeing the first time. I absolutely love this book and would highly recommend it to everyone. According to the folks at the Taschen bookstore in Beverly Hills, CA, there are fewer than 100 books left out of the 10,000 printed.

A MUST HAVE!
ANY Helmut or June fan must have this anthology!!

Record sized & worth every $, more than a book...
coffee table book with it's own coffee table / stand,
emormous, the biggest book I ever seen,
big & heavy, record size, over 65 pounds,
expensive, high dollar item,
nothing for prude people, but - it's one of a kind,
even if you don't like nude photographie, THIS is the BOOK,
you got to have it...,
just great !!! ... Read more

Book Description

With his Big Nudes, in the 1980’s Helmut Newton created a quite unprecedented long-term bestseller.Simultaneously, it provided a concentrated image of his aesthetic agenda.Powerful women were presented in all their naked truth – without fig leaves or fashion frills.This series of black-and-white photos, produced between 1979 and 1981, also marked a stylistic change in Newton’s work.Elaborate layouts full of luxury and decadence gave way to an unambiguously formulated and monumental statement – "Here they come!"Dressed only in their indispensable high heels, Newton’s amazons self-confidently paraded on show.They rippled their muscles and marched individually as well as in formation toward the observer.Helmut Newton’s classic work was published by us in 1990 for the first time.To date, 45,000 copies have been printed worldwide and the 9th edition is on its way! ... Read more

Book Description

Helmut Newton’s best photographic work from the 1960’s to the 1990’s traveled around Europe in a major retrospective in 1993.The catalogue of that show has now run to a 4th edition.It contains all the icons of Newton’s special fields of interest including fashion, nudes, portraits as well as works for which he became world famous – the sensational fashion photos for the British magazine Vogue, Liz Taylor with a parrot in a swimming pool, Helmut Berger naked at his fireplace, Helmut Kohl with a German oak, Salvador Dali on an IV drip, the "Big Nudes" and some of his later macabre wax figures… Newton was a genius for not being blinded by the glamour and the masquerade of pretence that were prevalent in the world in which he lived.On the contrary, he illuminated and exposed that world with bright lights and displayed it in brilliant photographs which contain much more than they show. ... Read more

Book Description

Through their inimitable mixture of eroticism, subdued elegance and decadent luxury, Newton’s pictures reflect in the highest aesthetic quality an obsession with human vanity – from female exhibitionism to male voyeurism.With technical perfection, an extremely detailed style and a relentless directness, Newton staged the neverending psychodrama that contrasts glamour with the need for admiration, self-confidence with the desire for self-presentation, and Eros with Thanatos.Private Property was originally a three-part portfolio containing 45 b&w photographs.It includes Newton’s best work from the period 1972-1983 – an exquisite assortment of fashion shots, portraits and erotic motifs which are all based on real location and luxurious lifestyles.The entire sequence of pictures from the Private Property portfolio is included in our book which first appeared in 1989. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful!!
As a long time student of the photographic arts, I can truly appreciate the works of Helmut Newton.Intimate and perhaps slightly naughty, Newtons photographs have an exceptional power to them.Great book and a trulywonderful collection of work!!

Wonderful!!
As a long time student of the photographic arts, I can truly appreciate the works of Helmut Newton.Intimate and perhaps slightly naughty, Newtons photographs have an exceptional power to them.Great book and a trulywonderful collection of work!! ... Read more

Book Description

Between 1985 and 1995 Helmut Newton published his most powerful pictures in his own magazine, Helmut Newton's Illustrated. Only four issues were ever published, and these rare collector's editions have now been combined in one volume. In its mix of erotic nudes and provocative journalistic photography, Helmut Newton's Illustrated documents some of the strongest visual images of the past two decades. Salon reports that the photographer who gained worldwide notoriety for his stylish portraits of naked women says he will never shoot nudes again; Helmut Newton's Illustrated showcases much of the last work in his signature genre. ... Read more

Book Description

White Women, Helmut Newton's legendary first work, appeared more than twenty years ago. With it's superior mixture of aesthetics, technical perfection and bourgeois decadence it has lost nothing of its potency and attractiveness. Newton's work encompasses a wealth of themes, also embodying facets of the mass-media world of glamour, masquerade and show. Using subtle, yet striking images--like those of Paloma Picasso, Veruschka, Elsa Peretti, Karl Lagerfeld, David Hockney, and Charlotte Rampling--Newton embraces the delicate, natural beauty of the naked female body. White Women is a masterpiece of erotic visual literature. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Separate But Equal?
Why is this book titled "White Women"? Does he have books titled "Asian Women", "Black Women" or "Latino Women"? Why didn't he just make a book titled "Women"? It is interesting that he likes to "color code" his women.

Extreme Fashion Fantasies Involving Available Women
Before reviewing this book, let me point out that it contains much female nudity in sexual situations that are sometimes on the hard side of what would be rated "R" in a motion picture.

This book is a reissue of Helmut Newton's first book from the 1970s. The shock value of that work continues in this very well produced volume with images of high reproduction quality featuring carefully posed compositions involving sumptuous fashion and beautiful models.

The introduction captures the spirit of the book. "It is the visual inventiveness that make the images memorable." Newton peels away respectability from the outer aura of powerful, well-dressed women to show their carnal natures. For example, in one of the first images, he shows a woman wearing a beautiful dress, who is perfectly coiffed. But the dress is totally see-through. She wears it as though it is totally opaque.

He expresses these personal visions in his own language in brief paragraphs and through the visual images that often suggest a taste for some "rough sexual trade" through the use of props and body positions.

The settings in the book are mostly at the Villa D'Este on Lake Como in northern Italy, in or around swimming pools on the French Riviera, in powerful cars and limousines, on public streets and in public places, and in hotel rooms and bedrooms.

The photographs are all reproduced here in large size with virtually flawless technical details of composition, lighting, and exposure. I have seen many of these images reproduced elsewhere (including the recent retrospective, Helmut Newton Work), but not as well as they are done here.

Through the combination of the text, notes, and large size photographs, you can appreciate more of his subtle work here than elsewhere. At his best, fashion, celebrity, and exposure are intertwined in almost inseparable ways. For example, Paloma Picasso appears wearing her own jewelry in a dress by Karl Langerfeld (who is seen on the facing page wearing a similar outfit) from which one shoulder has been peeled away to reveal her left breast, which in turn is artfully obscured behind her left arm. In a famous Newton image on the rue Aubriot in Paris in 1975, one mannish-appearing model sports a suit by St. Laurent in close proximity to a nude model wearing a chapeau by Paulette. The two and the street scene serve to focus attention unerringly on the contrast in clothing and on the clothes themselves. Nicely done!

As fine as this book is, I graded the book down one star because many of the photographs fall far below the best in the book. Many of the nudes in and around the swimming pool and in the cars were pretty ordinary, in my estimation. It would have been better to create a shorter version of the book that maintained the high standard of the best fashion work.

My favorite images in the book include:

Villa D'Este (Woman with riding crop), April 1975 (p. 9)

Elsa Peretti in Halston's bunny costume, New York, November 1975 (p. 15)

Winnie off the coast of Cannes, 1975 (p. 32)

Lisa in Saint-Tropez, 1975 (p. 34)

Peter in Saint-Tropez, 1975 (same day) (p. 35)

Photographed in Saint-Tropez, June 1975 (p. 46)

Charlotte Rampling, Arles, France, 1973 (p. 89)

My favorite quote in the book is from Mr. Newton's father, "My boy, you'll end up in the gutter."

After you examine these photographs, I encourage you to think about the ways we reduce our communication by keeping a placid, masked exterior to the world. How much more could we accomplish if we were more open? What are the best ways to express that openness?

Look deeply to see the human reality and honesty in every moment! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Even One Helmut Newton photograph...
is worth a thousand words. He just has that magic!

very big pants
Helmut newton. yuk! just another glossy athena, teenage poster loving fantasty's of an old man who should know better. How he ever managed to worm this tat into the art world i will never know. The equilvent of man holding kitten. yuk! avoid avoid avoid

Female Dominance in Sexual Symbolism
"My women are always victorious." -- Helmut Newton

This collection of Helmut Newton's work casts a special focus on his harder edge images of women as sexually domineering and manipulative. Among the fetishes and voyeuristic images are some wonderful portraits of women, as well. The book is an interesting study in how strongly the personality of the model can be injected into a portrait, especially by the objects chosen, the setting, and the way clothes are worn. The essays do an excellent job of developing your understanding of his methods.

Before going further, please be aware that these images contain much female nudity in sexual situations and one male nude. If these images were in a motion picture, some would undoubtedly go beyond an "R" rating. Many of these images are not appropriate for children, in my view.

Many people think of Helmut Newton as a fashion photographer. These images focus instead on the timelessness of the female personality and role in "overcoming the other." "The clothes . . . only have one purpose: to insufficiently conceal the long, slender female bodies . . . [which] lack innocence." In each case, the women are "defiant."

I found his more playful images, rather than his darker side, the most rewarding. I especially liked "Sie Kommon" where the same scene is done first as dressed and then as naked. It is a stunning set of facing pages. In many other images, he appears in the photograph while taking it. Yet in other cases, the model is juxtaposed against a background object that creates a moderately sexual joke.

I graded the book down one star for overrepresenting the sexual dominance theme at the expense of Newton's other styles, since this is a "best of" book by its title. The sexual dominance images are often highly repetitive, and sometimes not particularly appealing in any way -- even as abstract compositions.

Here are my favorites in the book:

British "Vogue", London 1967 (images 3 and 4)

Tan Giudirelli for Mic-Mac, Paris 1970

French "Vogue", Paris 1975

"Sie Kommon", Dressed and Naked 1981

Jodie Foster, Hollywood 1987 (jacket cover image)

Leni Riefenstahl, near Munich 1992

Big Nude II, Paris 1980

Study for Voyeurism, Los Angeles 1989

Helmut Berger, Beverly Hills 1984

Skull and diamond necklace, Paris 1979

Andy Warhol, Paris 1974

Crocodile eating ballerina, Wuppertai 1983

After you enjoy this book, think about what you believe about women that makes these images work or not work well for you. Where do you detect "truth" and where does the image seem "made up" to you? In particular, is life this sexually tinted?

Then imagine how you would have to change these photographs in order to create feelings of love, peace, and progress. How would you benefit or not benefit from such images as compared to these?

Should the person describing the world have an agenda, or a slant . . . or simply seek to reveal the underlying overall truth that is already there?

Which one of these (if any) is Newton doing?

Overcome your stalled thinking that what you see is literally what it seems to be. This book will help you with that.

Wow...
Don't believe the nay sayers. These are stunning photos and shoots of the so called "big nudes", the celebrities and the notorious from the fifties to the eighties. A pictorial history like no other, drenched in helmut newton's decadent/art-nouveau style, it has jaw dropping scenarios with beautiful models. Like I said elsewhere, Leibowitz, Ritts, Scavullo, helmut newton. They will open your senses...

The Best of...?
The title "Best of..." reminds me of something cheezy in the audio world, but in this case as well as this book. I can't believe Helmut Newton would agree to publish this kind of quality (or lack of). This book looks like earlier works that were hacked from the cut or an porfolio deemed unworthy for professional world. Sorry, "The Best of..." just isn't. ... Read more

Book Description

For ten years – from 1984 until 1995 – Newton published his best photographs in his own magazine, Helmut Newton’s Illustrated.During this period, four editions appeared: No. 1, "Sex and Power," No. 2, "Pictured from an Exhibition," No. 3, "I was there" and No. 4, "Dr. Phantasme."Their titles were as suggestive as they were thematic and all issues quickly became sought-after collector’s items.With their provocative mixture of nudes, journalistic pictures and sensationalist portraits, these four editions of Helmut Newton’s Illustrated are considered to be among the most powerful visual documents of the 80’s and 90’s.Our complete edition brings all four together in one volume and was published in spring, 2000.It is a real power pack – 134 Newton photographs in rich duotone and color – charged with sex, power and beauty. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

not nearly enough
As a longtime fan of the fantastic Newton visual universe, I finally got to read this much awaited autobiography while on vacation under the unforgiving tropic sun....much like his favorite light. Unfortunately, the book left me wanting much, much more than mr. Newton chose to share. The first half or so of the Newton tale is rich in detail and held my imagination captive ( I almost forgot all about his life as a photographer). Newton's pre-vogue life was truly fascinating , filled with twists and turns, fate and chance , portrayed with great passion and humor...a juicy read indeed.
However, once he starts to produce work that helps define his genius, the book became very dull and lifeless. mr. Newton rushes through a very short list of moments to highlight the vogue universe that he ruled in the seventies. I was hoping to get much more insight about the great designers (YSL, mugler,valentino, versace , chanel) , models (jerry hall, lisa taylor, vibeke, iman, the entire crew of exotic -YSL-vamps), editors (polly mellon, leon tally) and art directors that participated in 'creating' Helmut Newton. Many key names were glaringly missing (one can only imagine the reasons),after all, he is the man who brought images of glamourized death to the polished pages of vogue. ....and so the mystery continues.

Gossipy self-portrait
I've been a fan of Helmut Newton since I was about 13 when, Woody Allenish, I miraculously happened upon his pictures of women. Unfortunately this book captures none of the excitement those pictures generate. He tells of growing up in Nazi Germany, his escape to China and his move to Australia. He also shares many (and there are many to share) of his sexual exploits. The problem I had, is if you take the pictures out of the book, it could almost be about anybody with an overactive libido (or imagination). All-in-all it is a gossipy read and amusing at that level but with very little to indicate what makes Newton's photographs some of the most recognizable around. If you're thinking about this book because you know his work, consider one of the books containing his photographs instead.

A revealing look at an innovative artist
I enjoyed reading the author's recollections, even though sometimes I wondered if they were wishful thinking (find it hard to believe that a 21 year old woman would be interested in a 14 year old boy - re: the bus story).

The only annoying part was having to constantly switch to the back of the book to read the photo illustrations.

A Thoroughly Enjoyable Book
There are probably very few human beings who live life, as Tennyson would say, to the lees and on their own terms. If we are to believe him in this very readable autobiography, Helmut Newton is one of them. He has always listened to his own drummer and has walked away from assignments that lesser individuals would have been afraid to leave. A lover of both beautiful women and fast cars, he names names although he does say that some of the names have been changed to protect people's privacy.

I'm a great admirer of Mr. Newton so I read this chatty memoir with relish. Born in Berlin of Jewish parents, he has lived in and travelled to many places in his career as a fashion photographer. Although obviously a perfectionist when it comes to his art, Mr. Newton doesn't appear to take himself too seriously, a great attribute for one so talented as he.

Mr. Newton's life has not always been fun and games, however. He understands the horrors of Nazi Germany from first-hand experience and spent time during World War II in an internment camp for Nazis in Australia because he was a German. Never mind that he was a despised Jew and hated Hitler as much as the Allies did.

The last third of the book is entitled "Part II: The Photographs." Here Newton shows and discusses many of his now easily recognizable images. There is no particular order to this section. There is one photograph that he calls "pornographic", in case you are interested. And we learn that he hates the PR people who surround famous actresses. I doubt that anyone would be suprised to learn that tidbit.

If you are looking for a good collection of Newton's work, you should buy any of the books that are collections of his fine photographs printed on high quality paper. (I own his book of portraits, one of my favorite photography books.) The paper here is so-so, and the photographs are not identified on the pages where they are reproduced. While this is customary in fine art books, at least the many photographs from Newton's own life that accompany the text should be captioned. I understand that this is probably the fault of the publisher and not Newton's, however.

If you are a fan of this great photographer, as I am, you will enjoy this book thoroughly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The title of fashion designer Gianni Versace's new book references his diverse clientele, who not only wear his clothing but also impact his designs: rock & roll queens Tina Turner and Madonna, fashion princesses Kate and Naomi, design lords Lagerfeld and Armani, and even the real deal, Diana, Princess of Wales. Photos of these and other fashion mavens, both in and out of Versace clothing, are interspersed with images of royalty throughout history, such as Queen Victoria, Empress Catherine of Russia, and a young Queen Elizabeth. The aesthetic juxtaposition of history and modernity, depicted in black-and-white photographs and colorful artwork, echoes the energy of the fashion world and captures the influential style of its inhabitants. The royalties from the sale of Rock and Royalty will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gianni Versace, a Fashion Genuis
Gianni Versace was a designer who loved to push the envelope. His clothes were a mixture of extremes: sexy, sleazy, colorful, tacky, and elegant. One adjective you'd never find in a sentence with the word Versace is "boring." His clothes commanded--and often got--attention, which is why he was such a favorite among celebrities such as Madonna, Elton John, Liz Hurley, Courtney Love, Prince, Jon Bon Jovi and even Princess Diana. This book is a fabulous, eye-opening collection of vivid photographs of models and rock stars in Versace: from Prince to the members of British boy band Take That. Some outfits are more releaving than others, but they're all unmistakably Versace. Diana herself is also included in the book, along with a few words of praise for the designer. Tragically, Versace was murdered in the summer of 1997, but his spirit and influence live on. This book comes highly recommended. Drop it on your coffeetable, and your guests won't want to put it down.

excellent!
A must have book for all Versace fans.

A note from Maureen Farquhar
Fantastic photography in another large book from Versace. This book captures the 'rock chic' glamourama which the late Versace excelled at creating. The association between 'Rock and Roll', and art is full indulged here creating a empirical illusion to the Versace dynasty. The glossy presentation of the images also adds to an overall feeling of luxury. The only reason I have not given this book the top rating is for its inclusion of Elton John - who makes me sick. So what if its expensive, luxuries like this don't come cheap. ciao,

Maureen Farquhar (maureenfarquhar@yahoo.com)

Rock and Royality - Versace
This book gives a look into the classic, Calabrian influenced, luxury of Versace. This volume serves as a record of the pure decadant genius of this mega Italian talent.

Great, glamourous book!
For all of you who loves Gianni Versace clothes and really admire what he had done to the world of fashion I recommend you to have this incredible book. ... Read more

Book Description

What a sketch is for the painter is a Polaroid for the photographer, namely the first formulation of a concept, the raw material of the imagination, as it were.When Helmut Newton published a selection of his Polaroids in Pola Woman in 1992, the subculture called it a stroke of genius.It was the first time that the master let people look directly over his shoulder.We became witnesses to the magic and often intense process by which erotic fantasies become finished images; preliminary stages of a perfectly styled Newton photograph.It is remarkable, if not astonishing, that even this "raw material" possesses very original qualities and a charm of its own. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

newton's masterful polaroids
One of my favorite titles from the helmut newton library. This books offers that rare opportunity for us to see some of the "studies' that lead up to the defining newton final print. It covers both newton's personal work as well as many fashion campaigns from those magical years in the seventies at french vogue. A thrilling book for any Newton fan. many of the polaroids have notes scribbled over them that are often witty and revealing. ... Read more

Book Description

Newton’s collection of portraits from the worlds of film, fashion, politics and culture can be considered a pantheon of VIP’s.But his work is a lot more besides.From his portraits, one can see that he would have most liked to be a Roman paparazzo – as he once admitted.Anyone who had a portrait made by him knew what the result would be, and by the 1980’s there were absolutely no ‘beautiful people’ in this world who did not want to be photographed by him!In front of his camera, both men and women peeled off their covers – literally as well as figuratively.His brilliant staged creations celebrate the attractiveness and prominence of his models as well as their vanity and imperfections.Newton’s top-quality work for major fashion journals and elitist art magazines is likewise first-class erotic art.This collection was first published by us in 1985. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This arresting collection of photography features work by both Helmut Newton and his wife, actress Alice Springs. Newton's coolly elegant and sexy studies are splendidly counterbalanced by Springs's warmer and more vulnerable pieces. The book is divided into three sections: two "Us" sections, in which Newton and Springs alternately photograph themselves and each other, and a final "Them" chapter that features subjects photographed differently by each photographer. The cast is a glitzy mix of Riviera-style celebrities. Catherine Deneuve is especially sultry shot by Newton, dressed in a black negligee with a cigarette dangling from her lips just below her bedroom eyes, while in the facing portrait taken by Springs, her torso is concealed within a black turtleneck and she stares confidently and directly at the camera. Karl Lagerfeld is here before he went gray, and Gianni Versace is posed not quite languidly naked on a leopard-skin sofa. The self-portraits are revealing and occasionally disturbing. Springs is often in various states of undress in front of mirrors. Newton is most often with naked models, occasionally cross-dressed, and when he is naked is oddly wired up to various types of medical equipment such as EKG machines. Aside from a very brief introduction by Newton, there is no accompanying text in the book--not even captions--but this is a book of images, not words, and nearly all these fine photographs are worth at least a thousand of them. --Nick Wroe, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Multidimensional Perspectives of Photography
This book has one of the most interesting premises of any photography book I have had the pleasure to examine. Spouses, Helmut Newton and Alice Springs, share their photographic perspectives of each other, themselves, and the same models. These different views echo around in your mind to help you understand the personalities, purposes, and methods of two interesting photographers. In the process, you get a better understanding of the photography itself . . . and how it changes the models in our perception. By providing images over many decades, you also get a time-lapse view of a relationship and the aging process.

Before going further, let me note that this volume contains many nude images of men and women that would be past the "R" rating if this book were a motion picture.

The book has a few brief comments by Helmut Newton to set the stage. "The book shows the work of two photographers . . . [who] have lived together for fifty years." " . . . [B]ut neither is usually present at the other's photographic sittings." " . . . [N]either one has in any way influenced the other's way of approaching their subjects." "I can see the truth and simplicity in the portraits of Alice Springs." "[She has] been an actress and a painter before she has taken up the camera seriously if somewhat sporadically." "As for myself, I recognize the manipulation and editorialising in my photographs."

Alice Springs looks for the core of the person, and captures the realities of daily life and aging very well. She shows you the joking and self-absorbed sides of Helmut Newton that help explain the stylized and challenging images that he is famous for producing. Helmut Newton obviously adds a gloss and a pose to everything, that gets his editorial position out. But it's fun in this context, much more so than in his other work. I found myself reevaluating his work after seeing these images by Alice Springs.

Here are my favorite images in the book by Alice Springs:

Of Helmut Newton -- Spain 1956; Rue Aubriot, Paris 1971; Ritz, London 1976; With Sylvia, Ramatuelle 1981; Monte-Carlo, 1987; Hollywood 1988, 1991

Of Alice Springs -- Ramatuelle, France 1975; Vail, Colorado 1996

Princess Caroline and son, Monte-Carlo 1985; Karl Lagerfeld, Monte-Carlo 1983; Rudi Gernreich, Los Angeles 1985; Tina Chow, Beverly Hills 1986; Angelica Houston, Hollywood 1983; Antonio Lopez, Paris 1977

Here are my favorite images in the book by Helmut Newton:

Of Alice Springs -- June as Hedda Gabler, Melbourne 1960; In our kitchen, Rue Aubriot, Paris 1972; Hotel Volney, New York 1982; Rue Aubriot, Paris 1974; Ramatuelle 1976

Of Helmut Newton -- Photomation, Paris 1970s; With wife and model, 1981; Clinique St. Jean, Cagnes-sur-Mer, 1997

Birgit Nielsen, Monte-Carlo 1987; Gianni Versace, Lake Como, Italy 1994; Donatella Versace, Off coast of Antibes, 1990; David Hockney, Los Angeles 1988; Peter Beard, Paris 1996

After you see this remarkable book, I suggest that you have some fun with your family. Take a day, bring a camera for each person, and make photographs of each other and the same subjects. Do this once a year to develop a better sense of your perspectives and relationships. Then comment on each other's work, and create a scrapbook or album out of this sharing. You'll have a lot of fun looking back on these images in future years.

Take a good look . . . and see more!

helmut at/with his best
Great book I been througt it a hundred times already. You will find out where he gets his great influences from! Also see junes great work, that greatly resembles his work! If you like Helmut Newton this is a must! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Dynamic Fashion Poses and Compositions from Magazines
Before discussing this book, let me caution readers that the book contains many examples of female nudes, a number of which are in overt sexual situations. This book would be at least "R" rated if it were a movie. Treat it accordingly. I saw nothing that was not in good taste, but people who wish to avoid such images should be forewarned. When originally published, some of these images were considered quite controversial.

The strength of this book is Helmut Newton's outstanding fashion photography. The weakness is that it is displayed in facsimiles from the magazines rather than as a collection of perfectly reproduced photographs. This approach allows you to see how the photographs work with the layouts and designs. Also, the poses and compositions (both strengths of Newton's) are very clear for your consideration. The actual images themselves are often reproduced very poorly, however, sometimes looking like something that came off of a bad copier.

Unlike many of the great photographers of the 20th century who saw themselves as artists first, Newton saw himself as existing primarily through publications. "I realized very early on that the most important factor would be to be published, with a by-line . . . ." This made him see the artistic life of his work as secondary. "If any of these photographs end up on gallery or museum walls or in the possession of collectors, well all the better . . . ." Think of him as the exact opposite of Ansel Adams in how he wants his work to be expressed and remembered.

This book contains more than 500 pages of color, and black and white images from over 3000 that Newton published through 1998. The examples come mostly from French Vogue (beginning in 1961), Queen, Jardin des Modes, British Vogue, Elle, Daily Telegraph Magazine, American Vogue, Nova, Marie Claire, Deutsche Vogue, Amica, Vanity Fair, Paris Match, Allure, and Stern. Most of the examples are from the 1960s and the 1970s.

Mr. Newton's style is very lively. His models have strong personalities, and usually dominate the scene. They are also active, creating an excitement that draws attention to them. For example, he has a great talent for capturing models as they start to fall into a swimming pool.

In many cases, suble humor adds to the picture, as with the swimming pool props. I especially liked the photographs where Mr. Newton appears in the photograph through his use of mirrors. Equally amusing were the photographs where the models photographed themselves using mirrors in the same way.

As sexual mores and tastes loosened up over the years, Mr. Newton's work became more playful and free. I also thought it worked better. I enjoyed the brief essays in the book in which he explained how his relations with editors affected his assignments and the style limitations which he had to observe.

Seeing these images made me hunger for a similar book filled with luscious, perfectly-reproduced images of just these photographs on large pages of great paper. Hopefully, a publisher will indulge me in the future. Now that will be a more than five-star book!

After enjoying the poses and compositions, I suggest you think about where in your life you may be presenting yourself or your ideas in ways that steal much of their power. How can you ovecome that tendency?

Put your best foot forward, whenever possible.

The fabulous Helmut's work through the eyes of Vogue!
This retrospective shows Helmut's work as it appeared in numerous (mostly european) Vogue magazines. It's great to see how his photography was marketed through the decades. This collection is focused mostly on his 60's and 70's work. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

postcard helmut
a good postcard-type size book of beautiful photographs

The paperback to give as an introductory Newton gift
This is a very tiny (145x190mm) paperback with 112 pages containing essential plates by Mr. Newton. ("Newton for dummies".....?)

The format brings to mind the TASCHEN postcard paperbacks except that the pages in this petite book are bound, so it'll survive normal use.

It starts with some pondering text by Mr. Marshall Blonsky. On page 17, Mr. Philippe Garner reveals that the original "Private Property" work contains three suites of portfolios each containing 15 original selenium toned signed prints, with a total of 45. The monochrome images date from between 1972 and 1983. I can not even imagine what such a set would cost if it would be for sale....

The price for this paperback is so slight (10.95 USD printed on the back of my paperback) that it is well worth the purchase if only to glance trough it for a while...and then end up in giving it away and investing in a real book by Mr. Helmut Newton.

The Essay Is the Strength of This Pocketful of Newton
This small pocket volume of Helmut Newton's work features one of the best essays I have read on his fashion photographs. The softcover version shows 45 small images from 3 large-sized portfolios of his photographs. Few of the images reproduce well in this work due to their extremely small size, even though Mr. Newton directed the printing. To his credit (and that of the printer), the details are unusually well dilineated for small images.

This book would earn an R rating if it were a motion picture.

To me, Mr. Newton's fashion work is most often about sexual fantasies involving women where the women are eager participants in the frolicing. The fantasies are often rather extreme and of a hard-edge variety. They are not for those who look for purity and spirituality in sexual relations.

Some of the quotes in this book capture the feeling of Mr. Newton's work here very well. "Newton is an erotic powder keg, a vicious knife, in the midst of the 16th arrondissement salon." This refers to his focusing on upper class women in his fantasies. Mr. Newton himself said, "I don't deserve to be called King of Kink." That title was given to him by others for his tendency to invoke what are considered by many to be symbols of bondage. As Matthew Klein said (and most would agree), "His fantasies are extraordinary." "He puts into play strange forces of domination, of the exploitive . . . ." To a large extent, his photographs deal with his own sexual language and imagination. Within this, his women are shown as being strong people.

As reproduced here, these are my favorite images:

Jenny Kapitan, Berlin, 1977 (She is unclothed, encased in a leg cast and a neck brace, while leaning on a cane, but maintains a dignified beauty and strength.)

Hotel Room, Paris, 1976

Tied up Torso, Ramatuelle, 1980

Self-Portrait with wife and model, Paris, 1981 (This is perhaps his most famous self-portrait, and is a signature work to many.)

David Bowie, Monte Carlo, 1982

Sylvia in my studio, Paris, 1981

Woman examining man, Saint Tropez, 1975 (A confident, well-dressed woman appraises a passing man while sitting in a male-dominant posture -- an interesting role reversal as a social commentary.)

Sie Kommen, Paris, 1981 (A group of undraped runway models march forward confidently and boldly as though they are "modeling their own skin." This image is often shown with the clothed version next to it, but not in this book.)

Andy Warhol, Paris, 1976

Personally, I think that Mr. Newton is a better portrait artist than a fashion artist. This volume suffers for being light on portraits.

After viewing these images, I encourage you to think about how fantasies can be inspiring rather than salacious. What is the line between the two? What does an image have to look like to inspire both women and men in a sexual situation? In any other situation?

Be open to seeing the world for its best potential, always!

B- / C+
This book isn't bad. But I feel that it shouldn't be on the top of your list of books to buy in this area. There are some nice pictures in it. But nothing that really ketchs my eye.

a good miscellaneous of early Newton's works
The book stands out for its accuracy in selecting intriguing images in Newton's portfolio, from portraits to fetish, from fashion to voyeur, all pictures being really well executed and showing the posh world Newton is famous for. The quality of printing is good: what really hit is the deep of the blacks and the contrast of the images, dark even in plain sun. A simple book to enter by the main door the world of the most erotic photographer of the last three decades. ... Read more

Book Description

AMAZONS AND STARS IMMORTALIZED BY THE MASTER OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PROVOCATION

Turning 80 is not so bad when the occasion is marked by a sweeping retrospective of your life's work.An exhibition of 300 Helmut Newton photographs, curated by June Newton and TASCHEN editor Manfred Heiting, opened on October 30th, 2000 at the National Gallery in Berlin. TASCHEN is proud to bring you HELMUT NEWTON - WORK, the catalog of the exhibition. WORK features for the first time all aspects of Newton’s oeuvre: carefully selected fashion and advertising photographs, nudes, portraits, montages and experiments. All together, photographs that span Newton's entire career as one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century.

Embracing without reservation the somewhat menacing sexuality of strong women, Newton’s work has a history of creating extreme discomfort – even outrage - in the viewer.Legs apart, breasts exposed or girded in erotically charged undergarments, these über-women stare the viewer down and dare him or her to approach.Even in the notorious shot of a model wearing both riding boots and a saddle, Newton’s women truly own their sexuality and that is a threatening stance to many.Knowing this about his work, celebrities allow themselves a more blatantly sexual persona in front of his camera than they might for any other photographer resulting in truly astonishing images of Sigourney Weaver, Catherine Deneuve, Elisabeth Shue and others.

WORK is the perfect book for those who coveted TASCHEN’s record-breaking book of Newton’s work, SUMO, but who could not meet its $1500 price.WORK is SUMO for the rest of us! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Newton book to purchase...and keep
If you plan on buying only a single hardcover photographic book by Helmut Newton I strongly recommend this one. (It probably will not be the last you buy anyway...)

The book cover quality is not the best possible but the price is at par with that. Luckily the printed, amply sized pages (279 numbered) are very good. The publisher is TASCHEN, Cologne and the book is printed by EBS, Verona 2000, at least the one I have

The book contains undisputably many of the icons of Mr. Newtons work the most striking, as always, in monochrome. The book has also several color plates.

On page 29 there's a statement that is a guidline for my own, and certainly many others work; "Nothing has been retouched, nothing electronically altered. I photographed what I saw."

5/5
Published to coincide with the huge touring exhibition arriving at ICP later this month, Work is both a catalog of the exhibition and the first comprehensive review of all aspects of Helmut Newton's photographic life, ranging from fashion shots to nudes and portraits and some of his more experimental work. Some viewers might be offended by some of his more extreme images -- the woman on all fours with a saddle on her back springs immediately to mind -- but their beauty and technical perfection is undeniable. Newton often focuses on the threatening sexuality of women, often placing them in confrontational poses in seemingly incongruous settings. Balancing out his more overt images, however, are portraits that display a fragility and peace that serves to underscore the impact of his more outre work. The breadth of Newton's styles and his technical virtuosity are simply staggering. Containing many new and previously unseen works, Work is a must for any devotee of photography.(

An Eye of Art
I swear Master H. has peered into my mind! Photograhy as it should be, Photography as it is meant to be. A captured thought in your mind or a captured picture in your own eye. Taste the visuals of this well put together book of b&w & color. Enjoy it as it is. Pace yourself with or without your Martini, and let the Princess of Hanover steal your thoughts as she did mine! If you have never danced along the edge, you will........

Helmut Newton's Most Unrestrained Work
Mr. Helmut Newton's work continues to have the ability to shock, and this exhibition catalog from the recent 80th birthday celebration show at the German Center of Photography at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin will definitely get your attention.The images contain many new and previously unpublished works by Mr. Newton.For those who like his aggressive and humorous views of women as leaders in sexual fantasy, this book is a must.For those who like his close-ups of faces more, this book will be a disappointment.

Before going further, let me mention (as the jacket cover images certainly suggest) that this book is rife with female nudity in sexual situations of an extreme nature.I suspect it would be hard to get this book rated as an "R" if it were a motion picture.The book is inappropriate for children, so make your purchase decision accordingly.

The essays in the book are the best part.I thought they captured the spirit of Mr. Newton's work especially well.Here are a few key phrases about the subject matter of his work that I liked and found particularly apt:

"women who take the lead"

"women who love and desire"

"women who are both responsible and willing"

"imagination and reality merge"

Mr. Newton was born in Berlin in 1920 and had to leave with his parents to escape persecution by the Nazis in 1938.It is very fitting that this show be held in Berlin, and that it contain some very wonderful images he shot in Berlin of women just before the Wall came down there.

He does not add much to his work to help you understand it.His view is that "a photographer . . . should be seen and not heard."His messages are very overt, so I think you see what he had in mind.

The works displayed here are primarily his female nudes and sexual fantasies.These involve female nudes in both domestic and public situations (as well as ones where they are treated like objects, such as the woman hanging from the wall like a part in an auto assembly plant), contrasts with clothed women (using the same models), as participants with mannequins (evoking the famous Newton humor), and as contrasts between the use of color and not for the same scenes.

The brilliant part of this book is its design.Facing pages always present a problem for photography book designers.What should be the relationship?In almost all cases, the facing pages here dialogue powerfully with one another and add to your understanding of each image.There are also some stunning color montages that could keep you occupied looking at them for hours.

Some viewers will be offended by the most extreme of the images that display women as objects.These are meant to be criticisms of that perspective, so they are meant to offend.Offend they will.To me, the most powerful is a woman hunched over on a bed facing down with a saddle on her back.

Of course, some may be even more affected by seeing the carefully posed statements employing his wife, Ms. June Newton, the show's curator, as the unclad model.

Many of my favorite images of his were missing from the book.Among my favorites available here include:

Chatillon Mouly Roussel & Dormeuil, French Vogue, Paris, 1979

Pierre Cardin, French Vogue, Theoule, France, 1992

Faye Dunaway, Vanity Fair, Los Angeles, 1987

Ralph Fuentes, Vanity Fair, Venice, Italy, 1995

Walking Women (clad and unclad), Vanity Fair, Paris, 1981

Sie kommen (clad and unclad), Vanity Fair, Paris, 1981

To me, Mr. Newton's greatest genius is in his ability to capture the personality of the model.This draws him in closer to the subject, and his aim is unerring.I missed seeing more of his portraits in this volume.

The editor deserves commendation for including some of each of Mr. Newton's many experimental styles.His virtuousity with technique has not been shown in one volume before.

The quality of the paper and reproduction are outstanding, and you will be very pleased with the representation of the images in this volume.

After you finish seeing these images, I suggest you think about how we can move beyond these perceptions of who a woman is.Does identity have to be so sexual to be honest?In a world of sexual equal opportunity, how should women think about themselves and how should men think about them?Those questions still need a lot of work photographically.

Look closely and have a great good laugh at the outrageous humor!

Helmut Newton Work
This beautifully bound and printed tome is a must for any Helmut Newton fan.If you are looking for an introduction to Newton's work, this is an excellent starting point.Included are many of the master's better known photos, as well as many not frequently seen. The photos are sumptuous. The quality is exceptional. Why are you waiting???? Buy this book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

CANT HARDLY WAIT
THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR YOUR BEDSIDE TABLE! THE STORIES WITHIN IT'S COVERS COME ALIVE AND SPARK ACTION IN BETWEEN YOUR COVERS! VERY HOT! ... Read more