Helmut Newton was a German-Australian photographer born in Berlin in 1920. He grew up in a wealthy family but was expelled from school due to his fascination with photography. In 1936, he began an apprenticeship with photographer Elsie Simon, but was forced to flee Germany two years later during Hitler's persecution of Jews. After briefly being interned, he joined the Australian army and later changed his name to Newton. He opened a small photo studio in Melbourne and began contributing fashion photos to international magazines in 1961, helping to establish a new, stark and provocative style in the industry. Newton died in 2004 after losing control of his car in Hollywood at age 83.