Helmut Newton is one of the legends of modern photography. Born in Berlin in 1920, he realised as a child that the allure of a woman was stronger than anything else. With his cool and elegant images, tinged with eroticism and fetishism, he created an unmistakable style that soon made him one of the world's most innovative and influential fashion photographers. However you interpret his images, there is no denying the enormous influence he has had on fashion photography. His subjects are often staged erotic performances and situations, often with a dominant woman at the centre. His use of low lighting with dramatic shadows creates a sense of drama. He was very impressed by the black and white films he saw of Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, and liked the harsh studio lighting that cast sharp shadows across their faces. Although Newton's images are fictional scenarios, the style is almost documentary and somewhat reminiscent of paparazzi shots. He has said that what fascinated him about this kind of expression was the illusion of capturing the forbidden and the scandalous - famous people caught in the act.
Helmut Newton's large black and white images, called 'Big Nudes', are among the photographic series that form the core of his work. As early as 1980, he created a series of images on this theme, inspired by police identification photos of German terrorists. The project began in Paris and lasted thirteen years. In 1981, Newton left Paris to settle permanently in Monte Carlo, where Nancy La Scala was photographed in 1990.

Helmut Newton's large black and white images, known as "Big Nudes", are among the photographic series that form the core of his work. As early as 1980, he created a series of images on this theme, inspired by police identification photographs of German terrorists. The project began in Paris and lasted thirteen years. In 1981, Newton left Paris to settle permanently in Monte Carlo, where Nancy La Scala was photographed in 1990.
The model in the photograph, Nancy La Scala (b. 1965), is an American actress who works in film, television series and theatre. She has also had a long career as a model. From a young age, she left the country to model in Europe and New York, walking the catwalks for YSL, Givenchy and Christian Lacroix. She has also appeared in fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia, L'Officiel and Marie Claire. One of her favourite photographers was Helmut Newton. Their popular collaboration has been documented in several of Newton's books and photo series.

On the occasion of the exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2011, an example of the complete series "Big Nudes" was acquired for the museum's collections.