Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz born October 2, 1949, in Waterbury is an American portrait photographer reasoned as one of America's best. 

She developed her own style and memorable trademark through the use of bold colours and compositions whilst working for Rolling Stone. 

Her work tends to feature a range of subjects from Pop culture to Politics. It was within her early years that she developed a style of photojournalism and started working for Rolling Stone in 1970. In 1983 she began working for the entertainment magazine Vanity Fair of which her work is most familiar to her audience. During the late 1980s, Leibovitz started to work on a number of high-status advertising campaigns. Also from the 1990s to the present, she has been publishing and exhibiting her work.

Leibovitz as an artist does a range of work both with commercial purpose and for fine art projects. She photographs everything, her life and everything within it. Her style of reporting portrays itself through the power of her images. She explains within an interview that a Photographers life is working through a lens. Annie has a strong character and is always enthusiastic in all that she does, she says she can never say no to something there is always something to drive her as a person to achieve bigger and better things.




Not only is she passionate with her work but as a mother, she always puts her family first and loves to be around them as she was brought up within a strong bonded community with both family and friends. By being such a dedicated mother and through the lifestyle she had as a child she has learnt to love and travel around the world to take photographs. She has always seen life through a frame as when she was a child her family were on the move constantly within the car, like as if the window was the frame.






Initially as a child she wanted to become an Art Teacher, but she soon realised you have to be an artist previously to become a teacher to inspire new generation. So she decided to go to plenty of workshops of which she developed her love for photography even more. Where she would take photographs and discuss within a group of people the positives of the photography similarly to most artists within today's society. She was particularly inspired by Henri Cartier Bresson and Robert Frank as at the time of her childhood they were the big shots who she lived up to.

She states that 'Magazines are empty canvases waiting to be filled with imagery, powerful imagery', this is particularly why she loved working with Rolling Stones as she was able to put her own style upon the work included. From her passion for travelling she collaborated with people who shaped her world through communication, not only this but as a hard working individual she put herself out there to gain opportunities.

From her own opinion she believes that the best photography is what is around you and that you have to become part of the photograph to make the best photographs. To achieve depth and meaning within her photos she adapts to the circumstances of the shoot. By doing this she settled in well due to her natural and friendly approach. She then became the 1st female photographer that's memorable.

After building up such a career for her self she became interested in Dance and how it can be photographed, learning to convey atmosphere that had never been seen before around the stage and music. It makes you wonder what she's going to do next, she started to become an icon that everyone wanted to be a part of and follow!

In response to the video we watched about Annie Leibovitz we have to produce an image where we are using natural directed light to display a portrait successfully, and using ourselves and the camera to adapt to the scenario exactly as Leibovitz did.

This image initially inspired me for how you can see the direction of light within the photograph:

Before and After Image Response:

For my response to this artist research I decided that I wanted my image to look as natural and relaxed as possible, I chose to photograph within an indoor location as window frames are useful subjects for light to be directed onto a certain subject. It worked particularly well as i was able to control the way the light looked by the angle of the model and where she looked. I chose for the model to look away as the light fulfils her facial features creating an elegant classy look similarly to the photo that i was inspired by, this is due to the even bright light distributed, balancing out with the shadows created from the right hand side of the room. The central composition works well as it automatically grabs your attention, and although indoors the background isn't distracting. I chose a black and white filter to reflect an older era, but also to reflect Annie Leibovitz's black and white photography, her images almost have a creamy soft filter to them, due to the even tonality, similarly to what i have presented here. I also particularly love the indoor coffee shop location as it documents life as it is, with no particular set up which is what i am inspired by with Leibovitz work. Overall i particularly like this image for the peaceful atmosphere presented but also how you see the direct angle of lighting within the picture as it leads you towards the main focus.

Since researching Annie and her life i am inspired within my work to document the world around me and to make the most of each moment, working within the image rather than just taking a snap, make it work for you, the photographer!

Bibliography

DVD: 'Life Through A Lens' - Annie Leibovitz

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqiKw-futZE

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/annie-leibovitz/life-through-a-lens/16/

http://www.hamiltonsgallery.com/artists/35-annie-leibovitz/biography/