Annie Leibovitz’s incredibly atmospheric and powerful photos first appeared in the 1970s issues of the Rolling Stone magazine. Works of such mastery could not go unnoticed – Annie quickly achieved stardom and began shooting for Vanity Fair and Vogue. Today, her photos can be seen not only in magazines and advertising posters but also in national museums and galleries around the world.
Early Years
Annie was born on October 2, 1949, to a family of a United States Air Force officer. Due to her father’s work, the family often moved around the country. “When you were practically raised in a car, it’s easy to become an artist. You see the world in a ready-made frame, ”says Annie.
Upon returning to San Francisco, Leibovitz enrolled in a photography course. At that time, she was already in her second year at the Faculty of Arts. The drawing class was focused on abstraction and expressionism, which was incomprehensible to Annie. She wanted to see the result of her work, to do something important, so Leibovitz opted for photography.
First Success
In 1970, Annie decided to show her pictures to the Rolling Stone magazine. She came with a suitcase of photos: protests, anti-war rallies in San Francisco and Berkeley, and Israel, where she lived for a while. The artistic director saw her potential and hired Annie. She quickly became one of the leading photographers and worked for Rolling Stone for 13 years.
In the early 70s, professional photographers preferred to shoot with Nikon, so Annie switched her Minolta for one. As her career progressed, she started carrying three cameras with her because she didn’t want to waste time by changing lenses. In addition, the zoom technique was not widely accepted in those years – the photographers had to build the exposure themselves.
Meeting Celebrities
A photoshoot of John Lennon was her first major assignment from Rolling Stone. John and Yoko were very surprised that the editors had sent a young and embarrassed lady to the interview, but they still treated her like a professional. “John is a true legend, someone I looked up to – he taught me that I can be myself.”
Leibovitz took three Nikons, a 105mm lens, and a light meter. She was using this lens when John suddenly looked into the camera. It was this photo that was chosen for the cover of his interview.
In 1980, Annie took a nude photograph of John hugging his wife. A few hours after the shooting, the musician was killed. The cover with this photo has become a cult classic.
In 1975, Annie worked as a tour photographer for The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger invited her to join the tour, and the editors of the magazine agreed. The photographer believed that the project would be successful if she completely merged with the group and their way of life. Unfortunately, during this period, she became addicted to drugs. Annie recovered from her addiction only after moving to New York.
New Horizons
In the early 1980s, Annie realized that she wanted to move on and began filming for Vanity Fair. Before that, the photographer was associated only with rock and roll. This decision led her into the world of commercial and fashion photography. As a result, Leibovitz started to pay more attention to angles, style, and the image of those in front of her lens. During this period, her mentor was Bea Feitler, a famous and influential designer and the editor of Vanity Fair.
In 1983, Leibovitz began collaborating with Vogue. She shot advertising campaigns and projects for the American Ballet Theater and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Relationship with Susan Sontag
In 1988, Annie met Susan Sontag. Susan was a famous writer at the time, and she needed promotional shots. She became one of Leibovitz’s closest friends. Susan, like no one else, could contemplate, discuss and criticize her pictures.
Leibovitz always wanted to do something meaningful for America, so Susan offered a joint project called American Women. In 2000, they published Women, a book featuring Annie’s photos, and an essay by Susan. This is a collective portrait of American women of various professions, social strata, and religions. The photographer realized that she discovered something completely new in her craft. “I’ve never seen such a diversity, it was a very emotional experience.”
There was a strong emotional and intellectual bond between Annie and Susan. In 2001, Annie gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Sarah. By that time, Leibovitz was already 52, and Sontag was 68. A few years later, Annie decided to have another child from a surrogate mother. Susan died without seeing the newborn twins Susan and Samuelle Leibovitz.
Unstoppable
In 2016, Annie released a sequel to the Women project (WOMEN: New Portraits). The project includes both the old photos taken in 1999 and the new ones featuring Gloria Steinem, Michelle Obama, and Adele.
Annie is 71 now and devotes more time to her family. Nevertheless, she continues to shoot and teaches the art of photography online. Ever since her young years, she wanted to help others discover their artistic capabilities. A living icon, Annie Leibovitz gifted her unique vision and talent to the world and, hopefully, will astonish us with her mastery many more times.
