Newton posing in front of one of his works in 1991
One part scandal and one part glamour, Helmut Newton's photography coupled androgyny and conflict with classic fashion silhouettes. German-born Newton was one of the most controversial and influential photographers of the 20th century. His photography often posed starkly dressed women — sometimes wrapped in bondage leather or sparse accessories, many times in shocking poses — against regal backdrops. His best-known imagery consisted of simple black-and-white female nudes, and his works were featured in magazines from Harper's Bazaar to Playboy. Newton's photography constantly pushed the envelope with its hypersexualized concepts and bizarre narratives. Like his work, Newton's life also tended toward the strange and complex. He died at the age of 83 in 2004 by crashing his Cadillac into the Los Angeles Chateau Marmont while vacationing with June, his wife of 50 years.