Task 3 - Photographer Image Construction

Helmut Newton

 Original

YSL

In Helmut Newtons image for Paris Vogue in 1975, we see a breakthrough image of the time. There are two images that are very similar, the first is the original, featuring the nude woman ‘Rue Aubriot’ for French Vogue, Paris. The second is the one produced from the original, but used as an advertisement for Yves Saint Laurent called ‘Le Smoking’. If we focus on the original image first, it follows his style which a lot of people deemed ‘Porno Chic’. His work outraged feminists, which only increased the attention his work was receiving, and in one instance they destroyed his images being exhibited by splattering paint over them. The naked model has her arm on the model in the suit but she looks like she is made from stone, like the affection that the nude model is giving to her is not being felt, received or reciprocated. The nude model looks as though she has been trying to get through to the suited woman but is just about to give up, both faces are emotionless. We are given access to the top half of the nude lady and almost full access to the woman in the suit, she has quite a manly pose with the cigarette and the foot outstretched on the pavement. The aim, especially the YSL image, is to show the new tuxedo suit, which was the first of its kind to be accepted in the fashion world/popular culture. It began this style of clothing for women that was made popular by this image by Newton. It was seen to give women power as they now had the option to wear the clothes worn by men who were seen as powerful and influential, and by wearing these similar clothes they too would be perceived in the same way. The gaze within this work features in such a way that the woman expresses her own attitude to herself, and how she wants to appear to men. Wearing the suit and the stance she is presenting in the image, she is commanding the power that men receive. She is drawing power from being impressive in the eyes of the viewer and almost assuming the role and idea of the mans presence is dependant upon the promise of power.