Annie Leibovitz

Born in 1949 Annie Leibovitz is a famous portrait photographer who has a vast collection of work spanning decades; shooting such artists and actors as George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, The White Stripes and John Lennon. She is known for being extravagant with her pictures, often very expensive she has became a must work with artist from her amazing portraits. In 1970 she approached Jann Wenner the founding editor of Rolling Stone magazine; so Impressed with her portfolio he gave Annie her first assignment: shoot John Lennon. Leibovitz’s black-and-white portrait of the shaggy-looking Beatle graced the cover of the January 21, 1971 issue. Two years later she was named Rolling Stone chief photographer. By the time she left the magazine, 10 years later, she had shot 142 covers. In 1983 she joined Vanity Fair magazine and in 1998 she also began working for Vogue. In addition to her magazine editorial work she has created influential advertising campaigns for American Express and the Gap and has contributed frequently to the Got Milk? campaign. Here are a few examples of her work…

These are my favourite images because they are so surreal and exciting; they stretch the definition of portrait with her strange and fictional style shoots.

However she also has other powerful images that are more standard portrait style, so rather than the special effects and mad scenes it is just her and the act.

These are a complete contrast to her other portraits, they show the artists in a very raw way. With no manic backgrounds or effects just simple portrait photography. The John Lennon and Yoko Ono portrait was shot in 1980 when they had recently released their album “Double Fantasy.” For the portrait Leibovitz imagined that the two would pose together nude in which Lennon agreed but Ono refused to take off her pants. Leibovitz “was kinda disappointed,” according to Rolling Stone and so she told Ono to leave her clothes on. “We took one Polaroid,” said Leibovitz, “and the three of us knew it was profound right away.” The portrait shows Lennon nude and curled around a fully clothed Ono. Several hours later, Lennon was shot dead in front of his apartment. The photograph ran on the cover of the Rolling Stone Lennon commemorative issue. In 2005 the American Society of Magazine Editors named it the best magazine cover from the past 40 years.