Published: August 9, 2025, 14:30 (U.S. Eastern Time)

In the late 1990s, acclaimed American photographer Larry Sultan turned his focus to an unexpected subject — the quiet, middle-class homes of California’s San Fernando Valley that doubled as sets for the adult film industry. His celebrated project, later published in the 2004 photo book The Valley, revealed a striking contrast: the familiar warmth of domestic life against the staged performances of an entertainment genre rarely seen in such a context.

Through careful framing and attention to detail, Sultan documented refrigerator magnets, worn sofas, and half-finished cups of coffee — reminders of everyday life persisting amid the constructed intimacy of the sets. The result was an intimate, humanized view of an industry often portrayed only through its most explicit lens.

A Project That Began Close to Home

Sultan’s journey into The Valley began with a magazine assignment for Maxim, where he was tasked with photographing the daily life of a well-known adult film performer. The shoot unexpectedly brought him back to his childhood neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley — a region that, by the late 20th century, had become a central hub for adult entertainment production due to affordable housing, abundant filming locations, and its proximity to Los Angeles.

Instead of focusing solely on performers or explicit scenes, Sultan became fascinated with the settings themselves. His wife, Kelly Sultan, who joined him during that first shoot, recalled:

“The magnets on the refrigerator, the everyday details still alive in the home — those were what drew him in. These spaces were temporarily taken over by another kind of ‘family’ for the day.”

Suburban Homes as Temporary Film Sets

Many of the locations Sultan photographed were privately owned houses rented for a day or two by production companies. These homes, with neatly arranged living rooms, framed family photographs, and manicured yards, were briefly transformed into film sets where staged intimacy played out against the backdrop of everyday suburban life.

Longtime gallerist Yancey Richardson described Sultan’s fascination as “a parallel reality.” These interiors were familiar yet altered — recognizable as middle-class domestic spaces, but temporarily repurposed into settings for adult entertainment narratives.

Looking Beyond the Obvious

In The Valley, Sultan deliberately placed explicit action in the background or outside the frame. Scenes were often glimpsed only through a doorway, reflected in a mirror, or partially obscured by household objects. His former assistant, photographer Rebecca Bausher, remembered entering film sets where production was already underway — but Sultan’s attention would wander to overlooked details.

“We’d walk in and a scene might be happening, but he’d be drawn to something like a menorah on the table,” Bausher said.

By focusing on the quiet details, Sultan blurred the line between documentary photography and narrative storytelling, creating images that reflected the coexistence of lived-in spaces and staged performances.

Theatrical Spaces and Visible Imperfections

When Sultan worked in production studios instead of private homes, he found a different kind of visual intrigue. Studio sets often featured suburban décor, but with clear signs of artifice: exposed plywood walls, furniture arranged without purpose, and props scattered in ways that broke the illusion of real domestic life.

One image depicts an otherwise ordinary living room, its atmosphere disrupted by curtains pulled back to reveal the set wall. These imperfections fascinated Sultan, underscoring the fragile balance between illusion and authenticity.

Capturing “Anti-Dramatic” Moments

In a 2003 interview with the Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art, Sultan described his philosophy:

“I think of myself on porn sets as documenting fictions. I like the theatrical lighting and staging, but I’m making almost contra-film stills — capturing moments where the drama isn’t at its peak.”

One memorable photograph features adult film actor Sharon Wild between takes, seated on a worn mattress with vivid purple curtains and a casually draped pink fabric nearby. Unlike most of his subjects, Wild looks directly into the camera, acknowledging Sultan’s presence in a moment of quiet authenticity.

“Give me purple curtains and a red suitcase,” Sultan said with a smile in the same interview, “and I’m in heaven.”

Legacy and Continuing Influence

When The Valley was published in 2004, it received critical acclaim for its nuanced approach to a subject often treated with sensationalism. The series has since been exhibited internationally and remains a significant part of Sultan’s legacy in contemporary photography.

Sultan passed away in 2009 after a battle with cancer, but his work continues to resonate. Today, images from The Valley — including his portrait of Sharon Wild — are featured at the Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York as part of its 30th anniversary exhibition.

By reframing adult film sets as part of a broader cultural and domestic landscape, Sultan provided a layered, human perspective on an industry typically seen through a narrow lens. His photographs capture not only performance, but also the everyday spaces that enable it — a delicate intersection of fantasy and reality preserved for future audiences to explore.

Source: CNN – The unassuming suburban homes that hosted and inspired porn sets

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The first time Cindy Crawford collaborated with the provocative fashion photographer Helmut Newton, she shed her all-American image for a glamorous rendezvous in Monte Carlo. The iconic swimwear shoot, published in the November 1991 issue of US Vogue, captured Crawford in a dark one-piece swimsuit and heels, standing confidently on a public monument in the opulent Monégasque district. Another striking image from the session featured her reclining seductively on stage before three blindfolded musicians.

However, a lesser-known Polaroid from that shoot is now resurfacing, offering a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process. The image, part of a broader exhibition showcasing Newton’s Polaroids, depicts Crawford in a black swimsuit and trench coat cinched with a wide gold belt, descending the steps of a grand opera house. This preliminary shot, which ultimately did not make it into Vogue, provides an alternate perspective on the celebrated collaboration at the peak of the supermodel era.

Polaroids as a Creative Tool

“It was more or less used by (Newton) as a sketch,” explained Matthias Harder, director and curator of the Helmut Newton Foundation, in an interview with CNN. The foundation is presenting the exhibition Polaroids as part of the European Month of Photography festival in Berlin, running until July 27.

Harder highlighted Newton’s reliance on Polaroids in the 1990s to refine composition, lighting, and overall visual storytelling. These unique snapshots have since gained recognition as standalone works, featuring in exhibitions and publications such as Newton’s 1992 monograph Pola Woman and a 2011 anthology by Taschen.

‘I’m Never Putting on a Saddle’

Renowned for infusing his work with sexuality, Newton often staged noir-inspired, intimate portraits of women in studio spaces, hotel rooms, and even cars. His infamous fetishistic image of a model wearing a horse saddle on a bed remains one of his most talked-about pieces.

Despite his provocative style, Crawford fondly recalled working with Newton. “I loved working with Helmut… He had a sense of humor about his photographs, even some of the more sexualized ones,” she shared in a 2021 Vogue video.

She embraced his distinct aesthetic, understanding his ability to push boundaries without crossing into vulgarity. “I wanted to do Helmut Newton photographs,” she stated. “I didn’t want him to photograph me looking like the Madonna—not Madonna, the Madonna—because he’s one of the few people who can get away with it, and it doesn’t look raunchy.”

The Art of Storytelling

Newton was known for weaving elaborate narratives into his photographs. During the Monte Carlo shoot, he envisioned Crawford as a wealthy widow in mourning, accompanied by a younger lover. Another captivating image, where she posed on stage with blindfolded musicians, evoked Newton’s idea of “when elegant people used to have private elegant orgies.”

Monte Carlo: A Grand Stage

In the 1980s, Newton relocated to Monte Carlo with his wife, June, though they would spend winters in Los Angeles. The glamorous setting of Monaco frequently served as the backdrop for his work, adding an element of luxury and voyeurism to his compositions.

For his first shoot with Crawford, Newton had her stroll the streets in high-fashion swimwear, drawing the attention of unsuspecting tourists, construction workers, and onlookers—many of whom inadvertently became part of the images. According to Harder, “This is probably the clue to all of his pictures—he changes everything into his stage.”

A Priceless Keepsake

June Newton documented much of her husband’s work, including moments from the Vogue shoot in her 1995 short film Helmut Newton by June. One scene captures a candid exchange where two men, enamored with Crawford, offer to pay for Polaroids with her. Seizing the opportunity, Newton asks how much cash they have, and Crawford playfully strikes seductive poses for their personal souvenirs.

Reflecting on the moment, Crawford quipped in House of Style, “A Helmut Newton photograph for 1,000 francs? These guys are making a good bargain.”

This rediscovered Polaroid not only sheds light on Newton’s meticulous creative process but also immortalizes a golden era of high fashion, where the line between art and reality blurred under the lens of one of photography’s most daring visionaries.

Source: CNN – What this Polaroid of Cindy Crawford reveals about a 1991 swimwear shoot

The post Cindy Crawford’s 1991 Vogue Shoot: A Rare Polaroid Reveals Untold Moments appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Russian-born American photographer Anastasia Samoylova, known for her striking photography, is deeply engaged with the climate crisis in Florida. Her work often intertwines beauty and existential dread, presenting unsettling images of the state’s declining landscapes. A passionate admirer of “Barbie,” Samoylova found resonance in the movie’s exploration of difficult topics, including the character Barbie’s startling question, “Do you guys ever think about dying?” This, she says, is exactly the message she’s been trying to convey: “This is all pink and attractive, but we are going to die.”

Currently featured in exhibitions at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Saatchi Gallery, Samoylova’s work explores Florida’s vulnerability to climate change. Her 2019 series “Flood Zone” paints a surreal, eerie picture of the state’s crumbling pastel-pink environments—cracked, bubblegum-colored concrete, flooded pools, uprooted palm trees, and displaced alligators. These haunting images differ from the typical portrayals of climate change, like starving polar bears and raging wildfires. “Everything is intertwined,” Samoylova explains, emphasizing that climate change isn’t some distant, abstract threat but something impacting us today.

Samoylova moved to Florida in 2016 and quickly began documenting her new surroundings, capturing the state’s extreme weather and aging infrastructure. Nearly eight years later, in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Milton, the relevance of “Flood Zone” has only grown. The storm killed over a dozen people and left millions without power, highlighting the urgency of her work. Yet, Samoylova resists being labeled an “environmental photographer.” She believes that the very act of photographing the world around her comes with the responsibility to reflect on the present moment—something beyond a simple label.

Her approach to photography is subtle yet impactful. By using an observational style, she avoids overwhelming viewers with direct political messaging, opting instead to offer thought-provoking images that spark reflection. “How do you communicate these complex subjects without making them off-putting?” she asks. Samoylova’s use of Florida’s bright, cheerful streets—often associated with tourists—then pulls viewers into a deeper conversation about the existential threats looming over the environment.

Despite her focus on Florida’s crises, Samoylova’s work carries a dark, poetic beauty that invites creative interpretation. She loves watching viewers engage with her images, leaving the work open-ended for personal reflection. One of her most powerful images, “Gator” (2017), features an alligator suspended in murky water. The image could be interpreted in many ways—whether the alligator is in a flooded street or a backyard pool—but Samoylova sees it as an allegory. “These beasts have been here forever. We are the ones encroaching on their habitat,” she explains.

Samoylova also draws comparisons to British author J.G. Ballard’s dystopian novel The Drowned World, which imagines a world consumed by water. In her alligator photo, she sees a metaphor for Florida’s future—where rising seas and extreme heat overwhelm the state. “This is Florida today—29°C (84°F) in November,” she notes. “We’re already at the bottom of that reservoir.”

Despite the apocalyptic tone of her work, Samoylova remains hopeful. While she doesn’t consider herself an optimist, she believes in the possibility of positive change. Her upcoming project, “Transformations,” will focus on global climate solutions, showcasing innovations like solar panels, green roofing, urban gardens, and corporate efforts to tackle climate change. “We need a bit of hope,” she says, reflecting a belief that change, however slow, is possible.

Through her evocative photography, Samoylova captures not just the beauty of Florida, but also the fragile state of its landscapes. Her work challenges us to confront the pressing environmental issues of our time—while also reminding us of the potential for transformation and renewal.

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