We have noticed that while some of our photos have been much appreciated amongst dA members, some have also been offered commercially, and in a context that we do not approve of. We have therefore suspended our own activity while we consider what steps to take next.

A funny thing happened ...

... the night I took the last photo (L'Hotel du Parc 6' - featured lower left). We were in a wonderful hotel in Paris, with fantastic views over the city. I took a photo of the view and suggested to Sarahjane that she posed in front of the window. For me, it was an opportunity not to be missed, but she was getting ready to go out and was too distracted, so I let the idea drop... It was a couple of days before my birthday, and she handed me a book of Helmut Newton's photos... 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' she said! I lay on the bed and leafed through the great man's work.

Our photo was taken later that evening (well about 1.30 in fact), and a couple of weeks later I decided to finish it for dA. Before doing this, by chance I had another look through Helmut's book, and the moment I saw his photo 'Bergstrom above Paris, 1975-78' of a naked girl lying in front of a picture window overlooking Paris, I realised that this was the EXACT same view that I had photographed myself two weeks ago at the hotel in Paris, just a few minor alterations to the street scene showing the passage of 30 years, but of course, there was no girl in MY photo!

...I had been lying on the bed with Helmut's photo in my hand. I had photographed the same view minutes before, and I hadn't noticed the similarity... HOW UNOBSERVANT CAN YOU GET?.. We missed the chance to do the ultimate 'Homage to Helmut' photo ... for a laugh you understand, but what a chance, if only we had known it!

I hope we'll go back to the hotel one day. I now know what room number to ask for. In Helmut's photo, the girl is holding a mirror to the camera. In ours, the girl will hold a photo by Helmut ...

'Bergstrom above Paris, 1975-78'.

She spent Sunday afternoon in bed watching SJP
I sat at home and listened to JSB... thinking of Delpht in 1643

She spent Sunday afternoon in bed watching SJP
I sat at home and listened to JSB... thinking of Delpht in 1643