Annie Liebovitz is an American photographer probably most well known for her work for Rolling Stone magazine. She seems to have a talent for capturing really intimate moments.
Leibovitz's trademark technique is her use of bold primary colours and rather strange poses. Her unique shots made the cover of Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair many times.
This iconic cover shot was taken just hours before Lennon was shot and killed, Dec. 8, 1980. Leibovitz has said that her original concept for the shot was to have both Lennon and Ono appear nude but Ono was uncomfortable. After taking a Polaroid she knew that this was how the final image should be. I think that although she never originally intended for Ono to be clothed it definitely worked out better this way. The image perfectly captures a relationship and with Lennon naked and Ono clothed you get a sense that he needs her and is vulnerable without her.
This image of Whoopi Goldberg was for Vanity Fair. The image is shot from above and what I like most about it is the way her skin contrasts with the bath tub full of milk so prominently. Goldberg was an up and coming stand up comedian at the time and the image is fun and reflects that perfectly.
There are so many iconic photographs taken by Leibovitz but I find myself drawn to this less famous image of the White Stripes. I love how the image is saturated against the bold use of the red and white colours. The image is taken in what appears to be a bit of waste land and you get the impression they are practicing before going out into a circus. I think the image is a bit wacky and reflects the slightly abnormal personality of the band.
Although I am not a fan of Annie Liebovitz's recent work for Disney, I admire her work for magazines and find her a huge inspiration to try things that are different and at times controversial.
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