Asia Calarco, Madrid

The brief was to create a series of photographs inspired by the style of a randomly assigned photographer. When I picked Helmut Newton, I knew I wanted to lean into the tension and mystery his photographs are known for.

I found myself drawn to his 1983 photograph of Debra Winger. Something about how effortless the image felt really drew me to it — confident, slightly distant, and seductive without being flashy. That was the kind of mood I wanted to explore throughout the series.

Rather than directly recreating Newton’s work, I focused on capturing the same atmosphere through styling, posing, and lighting. Shadows were kept deep, expressions restrained, and compositions intentionally simple to allow the mood of each image to speak for itself.

My friend Asia was kind enough to model for the project, helping bring the visual direction to life.