Annie Leibovitz

Born on October 2, 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut, was the third child of six to a family that traveled around a lot because of her father’s military job. Annie Leibovitz first photos were taken on a base in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. Using the military base darkroom, Annie Leibovitz continued to take pictures and develop a passion for photos and art in general. She attended the San Francisco Art Institute after convincing her parents to let her live there. In 1970, Annie Leibovitz started working for the newly launched magazine, the Rolling Stone. While working in the photo department, Leibovitz was able to photograph multiple celebrities; her first was John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Her photo shoot of John Lennon was to be on the cover of the Rolling Stones, making it her first cover shoot. Through the shoot Lennon wanted Yoko Ono in the pictures and when they were taken, it had framed their relationship so perfectly and beautifully that Lennon wanted to make sure it would be on the cover of the magazine. Annie Leibovitz was the last professional photographer to take John Lennon’s picture alive, as he was shot five hours later. Leibovitz also toured with The Rolling Stones during their Tour of Americas in 1975, even though it was against most the people she knew. During that tour, Leibovitz took multiple amazing photos, but also started to try drugs, which she eventually got hooked on. After her tour, She came back to be given the position of chief photographer, a title she held for 10 years. In the 1980’s Annie Leibovitz style of bold colors and poses, landed her a job at the magazine Vanity Fair. Since then, Leibovitz has taken multiple photo shoots with celebrities and has done multiple campaigns. Annie Leibovitz has an incredibly unique and distinct photo style, and prefers taking photos for her private clients, saying that they are her greatest works because of the incredible personal connection that is made.