Difference between revisions of "Annie Leibovitz" - New World Encyclopedia

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(New page: {{epname|Leibovitz, Annie}} {{otherpeople4|the American photographer|the American writer|Fran Lebowitz}} {{Infobox Artist | bgcolour = orange | name = Annie Leibovitz | image...)
 
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{{epname|Leibovitz, Annie}}
 
{{otherpeople4|the American photographer|the American writer|Fran Lebowitz}}
 
{{Infobox Artist
 
| bgcolour      = orange
 
| name          = Annie Leibovitz
 
| image        = Annieliebovitz.jpg
 
| imagesize    =
 
| caption      = Annie Leibovitz, October 2006
 
| birthname    = Anna-Lou Leibovitz
 
| birthdate    = {{birth date and age|1949|10|2}}
 
| location      = [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], [[United States]]
 
| deathdate    =
 
| deathplace    =
 
| nationality  = [[United States|American]]
 
| field        =
 
| training      = [[San Francisco Art Institute]]
 
| movement      =
 
| works        =
 
| patrons      =
 
| influenced by = mother, a modern dance instructor
 
| influenced    =
 
| awards        =
 
}}
 
'''Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz''' ({{IPAEng|ˈliːbəvɪts}}) (born October 2, 1949) is an [[United States|American]] [[portrait]] [[Photography|photographer]] whose style is marked by a close collaboration between the photographer and the subject.
 
  
==Early life and education==
 
Born in [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], Leibovitz is the third of six children in a [[Jew]]ish family. Her mother was a [[modern dance]] instructor, while her father was a [[lieutenant colonel]] in the [[United States Air Force]]. The family moved frequently with her father's duty assignments, and she took her first pictures when he was stationed in the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2251302,00.html|title=How I shot my sister Annie ...|author=Cooke, Rachel|publisher=The Observer|date=2008-02-03|accessdate=2008-06-10}}</ref>
 
 
In high school, she became interested in various artistic endeavours, and began to write and play music. She attended the [[San Francisco Art Institute]]. She became interested in photography after taking pictures when she lived in the Philippines, where her Air Force father was stationed during the Vietnam War. For several years, she continued to develop her photography skills while she worked various jobs, including a stint on a [[kibbutz]] [[Amir, Israel|Amir]] in [[Israel]] for several months in 1969.<ref name=bookrags>{{cite web | author= | title=Annie Leibovitz Biography | url=http://www.bookrags.com/biography/annie-leibovitz | publisher=bookrags | date= | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>
 
 
==Career==
 
===''Rolling Stone'' magazine===
 
When Leibovitz returned to America in 1970, she worked for the recently launched ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine. In 1973, publisher [[Jann Wenner]] named Leibovitz chief photographer of ''Rolling Stone''. Leibovitz worked for the magazine until 1983, and her intimate photographs of celebrities helped define the ''Rolling Stone'' look.<ref name=bookrags/>
 
 
In 1975, Leibovitz served as a concert-tour photographer for [[The Rolling Stones|The Rolling Stones']] [[Rolling Stones Tour of the Americas '75|Tour of the Americas]].
 
 
===''Vanity Fair'' magazine===
 
Since 1983, Leibovitz has worked as a featured portrait photographer for ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''.
 
 
Leibovitz sued [[Paramount Pictures]] for [[copyright infringement]] of her ''Vanity Fair'' cover photograph of a pregnant [[Demi Moore]] from a 1991 issue titled "[[More Demi Moore]]." Paramount had commissioned a [[parody]] photograph of [[Leslie Nielsen]], [[pregnant]], for use in a promotional poster for the 1994 comedy ''[[Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult]]''. The case, ''[[Leibovitz v. Paramount Pictures Corp.]]''<ref>''[[Leibovitz v. Paramount Pictures Corp.]]'', 137 F.3d 109 ([[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|2d Cir.]] 1998).</ref>, has become an important [[fair use]] case in [[United States copyright law|U.S. copyright law]]. At [[Trial court|trial]], the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York]] found that Paramount's use of the photo constituted fair use because parodies were likely to generate little or no licensing revenue. On [[appeal]], the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] affirmed.
 
 
===Lennon and Ono===
 
On December 8, 1980, Leibovitz had a photo shoot with [[John Lennon]] for ''Rolling Stone'', promising him he would make the cover.<ref name="buzzle">{{cite web |date=2005-12-08| url = http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-8-2005-83469.asp| title = Hours After This Picture Was Taken John Lennon Was Dead| format = HTML | publisher = Guardian Unlimited| accessdate = 2007-07-26 | last= }}</ref> After she had initially tried to get a picture with just Lennon alone, which is what ''Rolling Stone'' wanted, Lennon insisted that both he and [[Yoko Ono]] be on the cover. Leibovitz then tried to re-create something like the kissing scene from the ''[[Double Fantasy]]'' album cover, a picture that she loved. She had John remove his clothes and curl up next to Yoko. Leibovitz recalls, "What is interesting is she said she'd take her top off and I said, 'Leave everything on'—not really preconceiving the picture at all. Then he curled up next to her and it was very, very strong. You couldn't help but feel that she was cold and he looked like he was clinging on to her. I think it was amazing to look at the first Polaroid and they were both very excited. John said, 'You've captured our relationship exactly. Promise me it'll be on the cover.' I looked him in the eye and we shook on it."<ref name="RS">{{cite web |year=2007 | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/1000thphotographers/11/john_lennon_and_yoko_ono| title = Issue #335 (Jan. 22, 1981)| format = Audio | publisher = [[Rolling Stone|The Rolling Stone magazine]]| accessdate = 2007-07-26 | last=The Rolling Stone magazine}}</ref> Leibovitz was the last person to professionally photograph Lennon—he was [[Death of John Lennon|shot and killed]] five hours later.
 
 
===Other noted projects===
 
[[Image:Annie Leibovitz-SF-1.jpg|thumb|Leibovitz at "Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990-2005," [[San Francisco, California]], 2008]]
 
*In the 1980s, Leibovitz photographed [[celebrity|celebrities]] for an international advertising campaign for [[American Express]] [[charge card]]s.
 
*In 1991, Leibovitz mounted an exhibition at the [[National Portrait Gallery (United Kingdom)|National Portrait Gallery]].
 
*Also in 1991, Leibovitz emulated [[Margaret Bourke-White]]'s feat, when she mounted one of the eagle gargoyles on the 61st floor of the [[Chrysler Building]] in [[Manhattan]], where she photographed the dancer David Parsons cavorting on another [[eagle]] [[gargoyle]]. Noted ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' photographer and picture editor [[John Loengard]] made a gripping photo of Leibovitz at the climax of her danger. (Loengard was photographing Leibovitz for the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' that day).
 
*A major [[retrospective]] of Leibovitz's work was held at the [[Brooklyn Museum]], [http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/annie_leibovitz/ Oct. 2006 - Jan. 2007]. The retrospective was based on her book, ''Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990 &ndash; 2005'', and included many of her professional (celebrity) photographs as well as numerous personal photographs of her family, children, and partner [[Susan Sontag]]. This show, which was expanded to include three of the official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, then went on the road for seven stops. It was on display at the [[Corcoran Gallery of Art]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], from October 2007 to January 2008, and as of April 2008 is at the [[California Palace of the Legion of Honor|Palace of the Legion of Honor]] in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]]. The show included 200 photographs.<ref>Associated Press, 21 October 2007, article by Lubna Taknuri</ref> At the exhibition, Leibovitz said that she doesn't have two lives, career and personal, but has one where assignments and personal pictures are all part of her works. This exhibition and her talk focused on her personal photos and life. <ref>{{citation | title= Artist Walk: Annie Leibovitz  | author=Jacquelyn Lewis | publisher=ARTINFO  | date= October 19, 2006 | url=http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/22798/artist-walk-annie-leibovitz/ | accessdate=2008-04-16 }}</ref>
 
In 2007, Leibovitz was asked by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] to take the queen's official picture for her [[List of state visits made by Queen Elizabeth II|state visit]] to [[Virginia]]. This was filmed for the [[BBC]] documentary ''[[A Year with the Queen]]''. A promotional trailer for the film showed the Queen reacting angrily to Leibovitz's suggestion ("less dressy") that she remove her [[Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom|crown]], then a scene of the Queen walking down a corridor, telling an aide "I'm not changing anything. I've had enough dressing like this, thank you very much."<ref>{{cite news | author=Reuters | title=BBC sorry for misrepresenting Queen | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/12/1977378.htm | work=ABC News | date=2007-07-12 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>  The BBC later apologised and admitted that the sequence of events had been misrepresented, as the Queen was in fact walking to the sitting in the second scene.<ref>{{cite news | author=Associated Press | title=Broadcaster sorry for queen claim | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/07/12/britain.queen/index.html | work=CNN | date=2007-07-12 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>  This led to a BBC scandal and a shake-up of ethics training. See [[RDF Media#Tiaragate Affair|The Tiaragate Affair]].
 
*In 2007, the [[Walt Disney Company]] hired her to do a series of photographs with celebrities in various roles and scenes for [[Disney parks|Disney Parks]] "[[Year of a Million Dreams]]" campaign. <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/travel/disneyads/flash.htm USATODAY Photo Gallery]</ref><ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-01-25-disney-ad-campaign_x.htm Disney's dazzling 'Dreams' - USATODAY.com<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref><ref>[http://www.notcot.com/archives/2007/01/leibovitz_takes.html NOTCOT: Leibovitz takes on Disney<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref>
 
 
On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'' reported that 15 year old [[Miley Cyrus]] had posed topless for a photo shoot with ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''.<ref name="Vanity Fair June 2008">[http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/06/miley200806 Miley Knows Best, [[Vanity Fair]], June 2008]</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23608789-5001026,00.html|title=Miley Cyrus topless controversy|date=2008-04-28|accessdate=2008-04-27|publisher=news.com.au/dailytelegraph/}}</ref> The photo, and subsequently released behind-the-scenes photos, show Cyrus without a top, her bare back exposed but her front covered with a bedsheet. The photo shoot was taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195785,00.html|title=Miley Cyrus: I'm Sorry for Photos|author=Stephen M. Silverman|date=2008-04-27|accessdate=2008-04-27|publisher=people.com}}</ref> The full photograph was published with an accompanying story on ''[[The New York Times]]''' website on April 27, 2008. On April 29 2008, ''The New York Times'' clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.<ref name="NYT VF">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/media/28hannah.html|title=A Topless Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise|author=Brook Barnes|date=2008-04-28|accessdate=2008-04-29|publisher=nytimes.com}}</ref> Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a [[Disney]] spokesperson described as "a situation [that] was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."<ref name="NYT VF"/>
 
 
In response to the internet circulation of the photo and ensuing media attention, Cyrus released a statement of apology on April 27:
 
 
<blockquote>“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."<ref name="NYT VF"/>
 
</blockquote>
 
 
Leibovitz also released a statement saying:
 
 
<blockquote>“"I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted," Leibovitz said. " The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.[http://www.hollywood.com/news/Annie_Leibovitz_Miley_Cyrus_Photos_Were_Misinterpreted/5226536]"<ref name="NYT VF"/></blockquote>
 
 
===Archive===
 
Since 1977, Leibovitz licensing images have been represented by [[Contact Press Images]], a [[photojournalism]] agency based in New York City. Her assignment work is represented by Jim Moffat at [http://www.artandcommerce.com A Corporation for Art & Commerce] in New York.
 
 
==Personal life==
 
Leibovitz had a close romantic relationship with noted writer and essayist [[Susan Sontag]]. They met in 1989, when both had already established notability in their careers. Leibovitz has suggested that Sontag mentored her and constructively criticized her work.
 
 
After Sontag's death in 2004, ''[[Newsweek]]'' published an article about Leibovitz that made reference to her decade-plus relationship with Sontag, stating that "The two first met in the late '80s, when Leibovitz photographed her for a book jacket. They never lived together, though they each had an apartment within view of the other's."<ref>{{cite news | author=Cathleen McGuigan | title=Through Her Lens | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14964292/site/newsweek | work=Newsweek | date=2006-10-02 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>
 
 
Neither Leibovitz nor Sontag had ever previously publicly disclosed whether the relationship was familial, a friendship, or romantic in nature. However, when Leibovitz was interviewed for her 2006 book ''A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005'', she said the book told a number of stories, and that "with Susan, it was a love story."<ref>{{cite news | author=Janny Scott | title=From Annie Leibovitz: Life, and Death, Examined | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/design/06leib.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1 | work=New York Times | date=2006-10-06 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>
 
 
In the preface to the new book, she speaks in greater detail about her romantic/intellectual relationship with Sontag, briefly discussing a book they were working on together and describes how assembling her new book was part of the grieving process after Sontag's death. The book and accompanying show include many photographs of Sontag throughout their life together, including several on her deathbed.
 
 
Leibovitz acknowledged that she and Sontag were romantically involved. When asked why she used terms like "companion" to describe Sontag, instead of more specific ones like "partner" or "lover," Leibovitz finally said that "lover" was fine with her.<ref>{{cite interview | last=Leibovitz  | first=Annie  | subject=Annie Leibovitz | interviewer=Tom Ashbrook | url=http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/10/20061017_b_main.asp | format=Audio | program=On Point | callsign=WBUR, NPR | city=Boston | date=17 October 2006 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>  She later repeated the assertion in stating to the ''San Francisco Chronicle'':
 
"Call us 'lovers'. I like 'lovers.'  You know, 'lovers' sounds romantic. I mean, I want to be perfectly clear. I love Susan."<ref name=sfgate>{{cite news | author=Edward Guthmann | title=Love, family, celebrity, grief—Leibovitz puts her life on display in photo memoir | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/01/DDGCKM2T9J1.DTL | work=San Francisco Chronicle | date=2006-11-01 | accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref>
 
 
===Children===
 
Leibovitz has three children: Sarah Cameron Leibovitz (b. October 2001) was born when Leibovitz was 51 years old. Her twins Susan and Samuelle were born to a [[surrogate mother]] in May 2005.<ref name=sfgate/>
 
 
==Famous Leibovitz photos==
 
* [[John Lennon]] and [[Yoko Ono]] for the Jan. 22, 1981 Rolling Stone cover, shot the day of Lennon's death. <ref>[http://www.john-lennon.com/1980rollingstoneinterview.htm John-Lennon.com - 1980 Rolling Stone Interview With John Lennon by Jonathan Cott<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref><ref>[http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/5392223/1981_rolling_stone_covers/photo/1/large/elvispresley Rolling Stone cover: January 22, 1981]</ref>
 
* [[Linda Ronstadt]] in a red slip, on her bed, reaching for a glass of water in a 1976 cover story for Rolling Stone magazine.
 
* [[Demi Moore]] has been the subject of two highly publicized covers taken by Leibovitz. ''Vanity Fair'' featured a nude Moore who, at the time, was seven months pregnant with her daughter Scout LaRue. Moore also appeared later on the cover of the same magazine nude with a suit painted on her body.[http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/10/covers_portfolio200810?slide=10#globalNav]
 
*[[Brooke Shields]], pregnant for the cover of [[Vogue (magazine)|''Vogue'']] in April 2003. This was the first image of a visibly pregnant woman on its cover.
 
* [[Whoopi Goldberg]] lying in a [[bathtub]] full of milk, shot from above.[http://loser.miniwini.com/wp/images/Annie.Leibovitz.09.jpg]
 
* [[Christo and Jeanne-Claude|Christo]], fully wrapped so the viewer must take the artist's word that Christo is actually under the wrapping.[http://rsrc5.bubbleshare.com/media/00/22/c1/14/7fc9d097e764dbe71afd4e62948f986d14bb1315/580x435/AL-ChristoNYC1981-600_580x435.jpg]
 
*[[David Cassidy]] on the infamous ''Rolling Stone'' cover depicting him naked from his head to above his crotch.
 
* [[Dolly Parton]] vamping for the camera while [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] flexes his biceps behind her.
 
* [[Dan Aykroyd]] and [[John Belushi]], as [[The Blues Brothers]], with their faces painted blue.[http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/68653.991524698ba/overview#2260746]
 
* [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] on occasion of her state visit in United States in 2007.[http://www.britainusa.com/sections/articles_show_nt1.asp?d=5&i=70003&L1=41004&L2=70003&a=46309]
 
* [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] in the desert, covered in mud to blend in with the scenery.[http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/68653.991524698ba/overview#3723598]
 
* Closeup portrait of [[Pete Townshend]] framed by his bleeding hand dripping real blood down the side of his face.
 
* "Fire" portrait and caption "[[Patti Smith]] Catches Fire." <ref>[http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/5392220/1978_rolling_stone_covers/photo/13/large RS 270 (July 27, 1978)]</ref><ref>[http://www.oceanstar.com/patti/crit/rs780727.htm Patti Smith Catches Fire]</ref>
 
*[[Cyndi Lauper]], ''[[She's So Unusual]]'' and ''[[True Colors (Cyndi Lauper album)|True Colors]]'' [[album cover]]s [http://www.cyndilauper.com/index.php?module=discography&discography_item_id=2&discography_tag=studio_album] [http://www.cyndilauper.com/index.php?module=discography&discography_item_id=3&discography_tag=studio_album]
 
*[[Bruce Springsteen]], ''[[Born in the U.S.A.]]'' album cover. <ref>[http://www.brucespringsteen.net/albums/bornintheusa.html Bruce Springsteen.net]</ref>
 
*[[Gisele Bündchen]] and [[LeBron James]] on the April 2008 cover of ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' America. <ref name="npr 3/27/08">[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89151096 Some Call LeBron James' 'Vogue' Cover Offensive], [[News & Notes]], 2008-03-27</ref> <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-03-24-vogue-controversy_N.htm?csp=3 LeBron James' 'Vogue' cover called racially insensitive], [[USA Today]], 2008-03-24</ref>
 
*[[Miley Cyrus]]' [[Vanity Fair]] photo in which the young star appeared semi-nude, leading to a controversy.
 
 
==Leibovitz's photo books==
 
* ''Photographs''
 
* ''Photographs 1970-1990''
 
* ''Olympic Portraits''
 
* ''Women''
 
* ''American Music''
 
* ''A Photographer’s Life 1990-2005'' (catalog for a travelling exhibit that debuted at the [[Brooklyn Museum]] in October 2006)
 
* ''Annie Leibovitz: At Work''
 
 
==Notes==
 
{{Reflist|2}}
 
 
==References==
 
 
==External links==
 
{{commons}}
 
*[http://contactpressimages.com Contact Press Images]
 
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6184192 NPR's interview with Leibovitz, All Things Considered, October 3, 2006]
 
* [http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/10/20061017_b_main.asp October 17th 2006 Interview with Tom Ashbrook on NPR’s ''On Point''].
 
* [http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R610261000 Interview by Michael Krasny on KQED Forum, October 26, 2006]
 
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/01/DDGCKM2T9J1.DTL 1 Nov 06 San Francisco Chronicle Interview]
 
* [http://fotophile.com/reviews/200507leibovitz.html Review of Leibovitz's ''American Music'' exhibit at the Austin Museum of Art in Fotophile Magazine]
 
* [http://support.nature.org/site/PageServer?pagename=annieleibovitz_ed6 Annie Leibovitz's thoughts on Earth Day 2006]
 
* [http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_BBC_Offers_Apologies_For_Showing_Film_Of_Angry_Queen_06995.html BBC Offers Apologies For Showing Film Of Angry Queen]
 
* [http://www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/1999/?id=312 Art Directors Club biography, portrait and images of work]
 
* [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/indelible-200802.html David J. Marcou's ''Smithsonian'' article of February 2008, pp. 10-12, ''Gaga Over a Gargoyle,''covering John Loengard's gripping photo of Annie Leibovitz photographing atop an eagle gargoyle on the 61st floor of New York's Chrysler Building in 1991.]
 
 
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] —>
 
 
{{Persondata
 
|NAME= Leibovitz, Annie
 
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Leibovitz, Anna-Lou
 
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= Photographer
 
|DATE OF BIRTH= October 2, 1949
 
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Waterbury, Connecticut]], [[United States]]
 
|DATE OF DEATH=
 
|PLACE OF DEATH=
 
}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leibovitz, Annie}}
 
 
[[Category:art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
 
[[Category:art]]
 
[[Category:biography]]
 
[[Category:artists]]
 
{{credit|265654299}}
 

Revision as of 01:14, 5 February 2009