immediacy

 

while i'm on my polaroid and birthday bandwagon,  helmut newton's gem of a book, "polaroids" also found it's way to me (via my dear friend - thanks a!). including over 300 polaroids, this ideal coffee table book documents shoots taken for paris vogue, yves saint laurent, and various other projects.  the introduction explains how newton used these polaroids as test shots before shooting on film. the immediacy of the polaroids played a perfect ally to the impatient helmut. by using these shots, he was capable of seeing the image in real time. he would then adjust lighting, framing, and composition to his benefit. he would take so many and they became so plentiful that he used to use them as coasters during dinner parties.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/helmut-newton-helmut-newton