Amazing Annie Leibovitz Facts For Photography Lovers
Gallery
Anna-Lou Leibovitz is an American photographer best known for her captivating photos of celebrities, which generally feature her subjects in intimate situations and poses.
One of 'Rolling Stone' magazine's most iconic cover images is Leibovitz's polaroid photograph of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, taken five hours before Lennon's murder. Annie Leibovitz is the first woman to have a feature show at Washington's National Portrait Gallery.
Annie Leibovitz was named a 'living legend' by the Library of Congress. She started working as a commercial photographer for 'Rolling Stone' magazine in 1970, and she rapidly rose through the ranks and became the first woman to be designated as Chief Photographer.
She left the magazine and went to work for 'Vanity Fair', where she honed her style of posed and brightly lit photos. She currently contributes to 'Vanity Fair' and 'Vogue' on a regular basis.
Anna-Lou Leibovitz, born on October 2, 1949, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Marilyn Edith (Marilyn Leibovitz) and Samuel Leibovitz, was the third of six children. She was born in the United States and is a third-generation American.
Samuel Leibovitz was a known lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force with Romanian-Jewish ancestry, and her mother was an Estonian-Jewish modern dance instructor. During the Vietnam War, her family frequently traveled due to her father's service postings, and she took her first photographs while he was stationed in the Philippines.
Marilyn Leibovitz's involvement with dancing, music, and painting sparked Leibovitz's interest in the arts. Annie has three children, Sarah Cameron Leibovitz, Susan Leibovitz and Samuelle Leibovitz.
She became interested in many artistic pursuits and began to create and play music while attending Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Leibovitz studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute with the idea of becoming an art instructor. Instead, she took her first photography workshop in high school and switched her major to photography at San Francisco Art Institute.
Robert Frank and Henri Cartier-work Bresson's work influenced her. She continued to hone her photography talents in San Francisco while working at various professions for several years, including a stay at a kibbutz near Amir, Israel, in 1969.
If you like reading about Annie Leibovitz, you should read further to know more about her in detail. There are lots of interesting questions that have been answered for you.
Get going to read what Annie Leibovitz studied, or what Annie Leibovitz did. Also, for more fun information, you can check out our Albert Einstein facts article and our article full of facts about Cuba.
What is Annie Leibovitz most famous for?
The portrait of a completely nude Beatle John Lennon with his fully dressed wife Yoko Ono, taken only hours before John Lennon was assassinated, is widely regarded as Leibovitz's best work to date and is what she is most famous for. The shot was used on the cover of the 'Rolling Stone' Lennon memorial edition.
Her most famous images include actress Whoopi Goldberg peering out of a bathtub full of milk with only her face, arms, and legs; TV star Roseanne Arnold mud-wrestling with her husband Tom; and artist Christo wrapped in cloth like one of his artworks.
Andy Grundberg, a photographer and critic, noted that Leibovitz 'exaggerates the particular trait of the celebrities' public image in a hilarious and deflating way.'
She became Chief Photographer for 'Rolling Stone' magazine at the age of 23 and worked there from 1973 to 1983. Leibovitz quit 'Rolling Stone' in 1983 and went to work for 'Vanity Fair' as Chief Photographer.
Leibovitz's images for the magazine covered a wider spectrum of topics, from presidents to literary legends to teen heartthrobs. Unfortunately, Annie Leibovitz's photos were also noted for their extravagant costs, which ultimately became the source of serious financial problems.
'Vanity Fair' has published Leibovitz's stunning, and often contentious, portraits of celebrities on a number of covers to date. Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Whoopi Goldberg, and Caitlyn Jenner, are among the most well-known celebrities to grace the cover.
Another of Leibovitz's most famous celebrity photographs is of the late artist Keith Haring, who painted himself like a canvas for the photo. She is known for her insight and ability to make her subjects become physically involved in her work.
Her art was featured in a show at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.
How did Annie Leibovitz get famous?
Her signature style of photography evolved into wild, exciting portraits of celebrities. Annie Leibovitz has photographed celebrities ranging from Ellen DeGeneres to Bill Clinton during the course of her career.
Annie became the first woman to photograph Joan Armatrading for an album in 1978, spending four days doing so. Annie shot a pregnant Demi Moore in 1991.
The shot, which was used on the cover of 'Vanity Fair', sparked outrage and established a trend, with many pregnant celebrities wanting to pose for similar photos. It is regarded as one of the most well-known celebrity images ever taken.
Annie Leibovitz became the first American to photograph the official portrait of the British Royalty, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2007. This was her most iconic image exhibited in Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington.
Photographs of celebrities such as Whoopi Goldberg, Sylvester Stallone, Caitlyn Jenner, Keith Haring, Suri Cruise with her parents Tom and Katie Cruise, and, more recently, Mark Zuckerberg with his pregnant wife, Priscilla Chan, are among her most well-known works.
She was also the lead photographer for the 2016 Pirelli calendar, which included women like Amy Schumer, Serena Williams, and Patti Smith.
What techniques does Annie Leibovitz use?
In 1983, Leibovitz was hired by 'Vanity Fair' magazine for her novel lighting approach and use of vivid colors and positions.
Early images by Leibovitz were black and white. She began utilizing color film when 'Rolling Stone' began printing in color in 1974, constructing elaborate settings for the magazine's covers.
According to 'ArtNews', she said, 'I was never taught about lighting in school; instead, I was only taught black-and-white photography. As a result, I had to teach myself about color.' Despite this, she immediately established her own Annie Leibovitz style, which is known for its vibrant color and ability to print beautifully.
Leibovitz has photographed a handful of the biggest names in entertainment during her time with 'Rolling Stone' and other magazines. Here celebrity photographs include keyboardist-singer Stevie Wonder, rocker Bruce Springsteen, film director Woody Allen, country songbird Dolly Parton, pop singer Linda Ronstadt, actress Meryl Streep, dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, and action film star Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Her famous portraits of celebrities started off as snapshots, catching the subject in the moment.
She quickly realized, however, that she had the ability to put others at ease, allowing them to let down their guard. She pushed her renowned subjects to perform strange or ridiculous things for her photoshoot, which often showed more about their personality than a 'straight' portrait could.
Another key to Leibovitz's success is her thorough pre-shoot research: she reads their books or poetry, watches their movies or performances, and spends time observing them in their daily life when possible.
In 1999, she released 'Women', a collection of titled photographs with an essay by her partner, intellectual and writer Susan Sontag. Susan Sontag passed away in 1989.
What camera does Annie Leibovitz use?
As a top photographer, Annie Leibovitz uses many different cameras. The Mamiya RZ67 was the camera of choice for this woman portraitist for many years. Annie also used the cameras listed below:
Hasselblad 500 C/M
Fuji 6x9 medium format camera
Minolta SRT-101
Nikon D810
Canon 5D Mark II
Hasselblad H5D
Most Annie Leibovitz photography is shot with Canon DSLRs, including the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and IV, as well as Hasselblad digital cameras, but Annie's favorite analog camera of the 1980s and 1990s was the Mamiya RZ67.
Did You Know...
The most iconic Annie Leibovitz work was on display at the Brooklyn Museum as part of a nostalgic trip inspired by her book, 'Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990–2005.'
The book 'Olympic Portraits' featured a collection of Anna Lou Leibovitz's black-and-white iconic images of American athletes, including Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson. In Atlanta, Georgia, Annie served as the official photographer for the Summer Olympics.
Leibovitz enrolled as a staff photographer at 'Rolling Stone' in the '70s. She enrolled as a staff photographer when her career had just begun.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting, family-friendly facts articles for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our Annie Leibovitz facts article, then why not take a look at our article full of Barak Obama facts or our Rosa Parks facts article.
First image by Franz Johann Morgenbesser.
Second image by Franz Johann Morgenbesser.
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
