Women in Photography: Annie Leibovitz
“Pillow Party” shot by Leibovitz in 2005 with Sarah Jessica Parker in the Plaza Hotel
December 14, 2021
Life
Born on October 2, 1949 in Waterbury, CT to Marilyn and Sam Leibovitz, and one of six siblings. Due to her father being a lieutenant colonel in the US Airforce, the family moved around a lot depending on where her father was stationed. Leibovitz’s mother was a modern dance instructor when they were stationed in the Philippines. Her mother highly influenced her love of the arts with music, painting, and dance. As she grew older they moved to Maryland where Leibovitz attended Northwood High School in Silver Spring, Maryland and then went to the San Francisco Art Institute, where she studied painting. Later, Leibovitz had a daughter at the age of 51, Sarah, and in 2005 had twin daughters, Susan and Samuelle, who were born with the help of a surrogate.
Legacy
A woman, photographer, and an inspiration to many. Annie Leibovitz, an American portrait photographer to the stars, is best known for her intricate portraits. She began her career with Rolling Stone in 1970, after graduating from San Francisco Art Institute, and just three years later was named chief photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine. Leibovitz created the celebrity image of Rolling Stone which helped define the “look” of the magazine for many years to come. In 1983, she began working for Vanity Fair magazine and making her work more intricate poses and bold colors. Her
career took off when she was the first woman to mount her pieces in the National Portrait Gallery and the French government made her Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Late 1990’s and early 2000’s she started to work regularly for Vogue and her work was shown in multiple museums like the Brooklyn Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Meanwhile, she was composing a book called A Photographer’s Life. Leibovitz photographed numerous celebrities such as Queen Elizabeth II, Lebron James, John Lennon, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Leonardo Dicaprio, Scarlett Johansson, Micheal Jackson, Johnny Depp, Rihanna, the Kardashians, and many more. Now, Annie Leibovitz lives and works full time in New York, NY.
Quotes
“Nature is so powerful, so strong. Capturing its essence is not easy – your work becomes a dance with light and the weather. It takes you to a place within yourself.”
- Annie Leibovitz
