Annie Leibovitz is perhaps best known to the general public for her shoots for magazines like Rolling Stone in the 1970s and Vanity Fair and Vogue since the 1980s. The photographer has held numerous exhibitions around the world, is the subject of an acclaimed documentary, and her work is recorded in a number of books, including one titled Annie Leibovitz: At Work. 

The Leibovitz legacy

Among her most famous photographs is an iconic image of Lennon with his wife Yoko Ono that was shot for the cover of Rolling Stone, just hours before he was assassinated. Leibovitz is also the photographer behind a famous series of images depicting pregnant celebrities, tastefully shot, including Demi Moore and Brooke Shields. 

Recently, Leibovitz was criticised by many parents for taking the seductive shot of teen superstar Miley Cyrus that appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair. “I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful," Leibovitz commented. 

The culture of celebrity

What draws people to Leibovitz’s work is the intimacy between subject and viewer, even though the subject is usually a celebrity. "I've always been more interested in what they do than who they are,” Leibovitz says of these images. “I hope that my photographs reflect that." The same concept applies to all of Leibovitz’s work, whether it depicts soldiers or showgirls, mothers and daughters or supermodels.