Helmut Newton quotes

Helmut Newton was a German-Australian photographer renowned for his provocative fashion photography. His striking and often controversial images have appeared in leading magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. He became famous for his bold aesthetic, blending glamour, eroticism, and art. Here are 17 of his quotes:

What I find interesting is working in a society with certain taboos - and fashion photography is about that kind of society. To have taboos, then to get around them - that is interesting.

Helmut Newton

It's that I don't like white paper backgrounds. A woman does not live in front of white paper. She lives on the street, in a motor car, in a hotel room.

Helmut Newton

Technically, I have not changed very much. Ask my assistants. They'll tell you, I am the easiest photographer to work with. I don't have heavy equipment. I work out of one bag.

Helmut Newton

In the photographs themselves there's a definite contrast between the figures and the location - I like that kind of California backyard look; clapboard houses, staircases outdoors.

Helmut Newton

I like photographing the people I love, the people I admire, the famous, and especially the infamous. My last infamous subject was the extreme right wing French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Helmut Newton

I used to hate doing color. I hated transparency film. The way I did color was by not wanting to know what kind of film was in my camera.

Helmut Newton

I spend a lot of time preparing. I think a lot about what I want to do. I have prep books, little notebooks in which I write everything down before a sitting. Otherwise I would forget my ideas.

Helmut Newton

They often ask me to shoot for them. But I say no. I think an old guy like me ought not take pages away from young photographers who need the exposure.

Helmut Newton

I did find a wonderful girl last year, but the photographs that we did were more about motorcars.

Helmut Newton

Since the commercialization and banality of editorial magazine pages have made this work uninteresting, advertising has become an increasingly important part of my work.

Helmut Newton

Growing up, I was surrounded by Nazi imagery, like everybody in Germany, and for a boy obsessed with photography it left an indelible impression on me.

Helmut Newton

I like photographing the people I love, the people I admire, the famous, and especially the infamous.

Helmut Newton

The term "political correctness" has always appalled me, reminding me of Orwell's "Thought Police" and fascist regimes.

Helmut Newton

I was lucky to have my wife as the art director, and it turned out to be quite something - a great success. I'm very proud of it.

Helmut Newton

Since the commercialization and banality of editorial magazine pages have made this work uninteresting, advertising has become an increasingly important part of my work. It is interesting to compare European and American mores in regard to my work. One will notice that most of my European images have a stronger sexual content that those destined for American publication. The term "political correctness" has always appalled me, reminding me of Orwell's "Thought Police" and fascist regimes.

Helmut Newton