Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz is an American photographer, a true master of portraits of celebrities. Her photographs are known all over the world, but not everyone knows who the author of the most popular photographs in the world is. John Lennon, Whoopi Goldberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie, Barack Obama and Elizabeth II - there were a variety of characters in front of her camera.
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Annie was born in 1949 in Waterbury, USA. She was the third of six children in the family of an Air Force officer and his wife. Her great-grandmother and great-grandfather on the mother's side were Jewish emigrants from Russia, and parents of her father came to America from Romania. Family was often travelling because of her father's job, and Annie's first photographs were taken in the Philippines, where her father was quartered during the Vietnam War.
At the beginning Annie Leibovitz wanted to become an art teacher, so after school graduation she entered the San Francisco Art Institute. In her third year of studies, she decides to stop it and leaves with archaeological expedition to Israel for excavations of the palace of King Solomon. This is where Annie started to think to devote her life to the art of photography.
One day she was flipping through the magazine sent by a friend - issues of "Rolling Stone". Watching photographs of musicians became the starting point of her creative path.
At the beginning Annie Leibovitz wanted to become an art teacher, so after school graduation she entered the San Francisco Art Institute. In her third year of studies, she decides to stop it and leaves with archaeological expedition to Israel for excavations of the palace of King Solomon. This is where Annie started to think to devote her life to the art of photography.
One day she was flipping through the magazine sent by a friend - issues of "Rolling Stone". Watching photographs of musicians became the starting point of her creative path.
Annie Leibovitz
On her return from Israel to the States, she meets the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Rolling Stone" and becomes a freelance press photographer of it. Leibovitz's talent was appreciated - after a few years she becomes the main photographer of the most popular magazine in the musical environment. During the next 13 years, she tirelessly aimed the camera lens at famous musicians, actors and politicians. Many of her photographs subsequently acquired worldwide fame.
From 1983 Annie works at "Vanity Fair" magazine, for which she makes portraits of celebrities.
From 1983 Annie works at "Vanity Fair" magazine, for which she makes portraits of celebrities.
One of most famous photographs by Annie Leibovitz was taken on December 8, 1980.
It was photo session of John Lennon for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. After several attempts to make a single portrait of Lennon (what the magazine wanted), she suggested that both him and his wife Yoko Ono could be on the cover.
Annie asked John to take off his clothes and snuggle up to Yoko. The photographer remembers: "Yoko asked if she needs to take off at least the upper part of her clothes, and I answered - no, it is not necessary, not yet understanding what the image should be. When John hugged her, it was amazingly strong. It looked like she was cold and he warms her up." The first tryout on Polaroid enthralled both of them.
It was photo session of John Lennon for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. After several attempts to make a single portrait of Lennon (what the magazine wanted), she suggested that both him and his wife Yoko Ono could be on the cover.
Annie asked John to take off his clothes and snuggle up to Yoko. The photographer remembers: "Yoko asked if she needs to take off at least the upper part of her clothes, and I answered - no, it is not necessary, not yet understanding what the image should be. When John hugged her, it was amazingly strong. It looked like she was cold and he warms her up." The first tryout on Polaroid enthralled both of them.
John said: "In this shot you showed our relationship exactly as they are. Promise me that it will be on the cover." I looked into his eyes and realised that the deal was done.
As fate would have it, this photograph, taken by Leibovitz, was Lennon's last one. Musician was killed five hours later..
The Issue with this cover was released, only with the logo of the magazine, on January 22, 1981. In 2005, the American Society of Journal Editors recognised it as the best magazine cover over the past 40 years.
The Issue with this cover was released, only with the logo of the magazine, on January 22, 1981. In 2005, the American Society of Journal Editors recognised it as the best magazine cover over the past 40 years.
Today Leibovitz is still at the peak of popularity, her every photo-session instantly becomes famous.
You can follow Annie Leibovitz Facebook page to see her works.
Leibovitz also has her own column in Vanity Fair where she talks about her shootings for the magazine and the creation of a cover story for the next issue.
You can follow Annie Leibovitz Facebook page to see her works.
Leibovitz also has her own column in Vanity Fair where she talks about her shootings for the magazine and the creation of a cover story for the next issue.