Annie Leibovitz a Brief Look

¶ … camera was climb Mt. Fuji. Climbing Mt. Fuji is a lesson in determination and moderation. It would be fair to ask if I took the moderation part to heart." (Leibovitz and DeLano 1) -- Annie Leibovitz Annie Leibovitz, born on October 2, 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut, is an American portrait photographer whose career has lasted over the decades beginning with Rolling Stone magazine in 1970. In just three short years, her stint in Rolling Stone magazine led her to her first position as chief photographer of Rolling Stone that she kept for a decade.

She was the working force behind the Rolling Stone look and the rise of the magazine in the late seventies and early eighties. How was she able to accomplish such a feat? It is in the way she connects with her subjects. She desires to open their souls, hearts, and lives to the camera. This intimate look into her subjects is what gained her popularity among those that viewed her photographs. Some influences that helped her develop her artistic expression are Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank.

She felt they represents a style of personal reportage and it helped her form her identity and style within the world of photography. Some notable milestones in her career was when she photographed Joann Armatrading. She was the first woman to do so. In December of 1980, she photographed another well-known public figure, John Lennon for Rolling Stone and although there were some difficulties as Lennon wish to be photographed with Yoko and Leibovitz wanted a photograph of him by himself, she made it work.

It is through her adaptability that one sees her true talent for taking photographs. In August of 1991 and again in August of 1992, Annie Leibovitz photographed Demi Moore for the covers of Vanity Fair. "Moore's pregnant body also pointed its viewers to an interesting interplay between male/female bodies and male/female sexualities that has recently emerged in pop culture." (Cunningham 1) In one picture Moore is pregnant, in the other she is topless covered in body paint.

Leibovitz captured the transition from motherhood to sexy, powerful woman within the course of one year. It is images like these that represent that ability of Leibovitz to capture the essence of transformation and feminine power. Leibovitz has had an amazing career. Her photographs shine and captivate the world. What also piqued the interest of her fans was her personal life. Until 2004, Leibovitz had a long standing and close relationship with essayist and writer, Susan Sontag. The relationship began in 1989 and was never stated as romantic or platonic.

Regardless of what the status of their relationship was, it was the kind of relationship that left an indelible mark in Leibovitz and perhaps helped her further develop her identity and style as a photographer. While Leibovitz had some financial difficulties in 2009, having to put her snaps up for collateral, she has bounced back from her troubles. She was able to set aside her legal and economic problems and continue her work. She has photographed.