Helmut Newton (1920–2004) was a German-Australian photographer best known for his provocative and stylised fashion photography, which challenged conventions and helped redefine visual culture in the latter half of the 20th century. Born in Berlin, Newton fled Germany in 1938 and eventually settled in Australia, where he served in the army and later established himself as a professional photographer. He rose to international prominence during the 1950s and 1960s through his work with magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle. Newton’s striking style combined glamour, eroticism, and a bold, cinematic quality. His black-and-white images often featured confident, sexually assertive women, confronting traditional representations of femininity and influencing generations of photographers. Notable series such as Big Nudes, White Women, and Sleepless Nights solidified his status as both a fashion innovator and an artist. Though he spent much of his life in Paris and Monte Carlo, Newton’s legacy continues through the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, which he founded shortly before his death. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential—and controversial—fashion photographers of the 20th century.

Helmut Newton’s photographs have been shown in many high‑profile exhibitions, including Helmut Newton: Grand Palais Retrospective in Paris (2012), White Women • Sleepless Nights • Big Nudes in Rome (2013), and Helmut Newton: Legacy at the Museum für Fotografie in Berlin (2021‑22), among others. His work also appears in exhibitions like Brands (Berlin, 2022‑23), Polaroids (Berlin, 2025), and a centenary show Helmut Newton 100. Many of his pieces are in permanent display at the Helmut Newton Foundation’s