Annie Leibovitz is an iconic American photographer whose stunning portraits of cultural figures have redefined modern photography. From her groundbreaking work for Rolling Stone to capturing intimate moments of celebrities and public figures, Leibovitz has mastered the art of storytelling through images. Her career reminds us of the power of vision, creativity, and perseverance, showing that with dedication and a unique perspective, one can leave an enduring legacy in the world of art and photography.
"What I end up shooting is the situation. I shoot the composition and my subject is going to help the composition or not."
"When I say I want to photograph someone, what it really means is that I'd like to know them. Anyone I know I photograph."
"When you are younger, the camera is like a friend and you can go places and feel like you're with someone, like you have a companion."
"I shoot a little bit, maybe two rolls, medium format, which is 20 pictures, and if it's not working, I change the position."
"I feel a responsibility to my backyard. I want it to be taken care of and protected."
"Computer photography won't be photography as we know it. I think photography will always be chemical."
"The camera makes you forget you're there. It's not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much."
"If I didn't have my camera to remind me constantly, I am here to do this, I would eventually have slipped away, I think. I would have forgotten my reason to exist."
"In a portrait, you have room to have a point of view. The image may not be literally what's going on, but it's representative."
"I've created a vocabulary of different styles. I draw from many different ways to take a picture. Sometimes I go back to reportage, to journalism."
"My lens of choice was always the 35 mm. It was more environmental. You can't come in closer with the 35 mm."
"When I started working for Rolling Stone, I became very interested in journalism and thought maybe that's what I was doing, but it wasn't."
"Lennon was very helpful. What he taught me seems completely obvious: he expected people to treat each other well."
"At my Rolling Stones' tour, the camera was a protection. I used it in a Zen way."
"When you go to take someone's picture, the first thing they say is, what you want me to do? Everyone is very awkward."
"There must be a reason why photographers are not very good at verbal communication. I think we get lazy."
"Sometimes I enjoy just photographing the surface because I think it can be as revealing as going to the heart of the matter."