Newton preferred to shoot in streets or interiors, rather than studios. Controversial scenarios, bold lighting, and striking compositions came to form his signature look. Newton always demonstrated a healthy disdain for easy or predictable solutions. He established a particular style marked by erotic, stylised scenes, often with sado-masochistic and fetishistic undertones. In October 2003 he donated an extensive photo collection to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, establishing the Helmut Newton Foundation.