You may remember the magazine cover showing a naked, pregnant Demi Moore. She also never publishes a photo without the model’s consent. This gave rise to a picture that Yoko says is the best depiction of her relationship with John Lennon. However, on the day of the shoot, Yoko Ono didn’t want to undress, and Leibovitz didn’t push her to do so. Her original plan was for the two lovers to be naked, and neither of them had a problem with this. © Annie Leibovitz John Lennon and Yoko Ono, New York City, December 8th, 1980. Considering the intimacy we can feel in so many of her pictures, this strategy apparently works for her. During the shoot she shows them the results on her camera or on a computer. Before starting, she explains on the level what they can expect and reassures them that she really does know what she’s doing. While her role model Richard Avedon excelled at getting what he wanted out of his subjects with his eloquence, Leibovitz just focuses on taking pictures with a musical accompaniment, which patches over the silence that is unpleasant for so many.įor her, what’s most important is to build up the subject’s trust and respect for her abilities. Annie Leibovitz has noted more than once that chatting with her subjects is not her strong suit. Create a Trusting Environmentĭo you often fumble in small talk at shoots? Don’t despair. Your subject will feel far more natural with you, which will be reflected in your photos. You’ll get to know each other, and you’ll be better at depicting their key features-as much as this is possible in just one or two pictures. In part because of this experience, Leibovitz says that if you’re photographing a stranger, you should spend much time as you can with them before the shoot. © Annie Leibovitz Marilyn-Leibovitz, Clifton Point, New York, 1997. This advice has its deeper level too-to quote her biography: “Discover what it means to be close to your work, to be intimate with a subject.” (Annie Leibovitz: At Work. Those closest to you are more likely to be tolerant when it comes to experiments, challenges, and requests of all kinds, playing with perspective and viewing angles, and long minutes configuring the camera, lights, etc. When asked what she’d recommend to beginning photographers, Annie Leibovitz always says to turn to your family and friends. Train While Photographing Your Family and Friends
She has photographed John Lennon in Yoko Ono’s embrace just hours before his death, followed the Rolling Stones on a wild tour, and captured president Richard Nixon’s last days in office-and is the only American to have photographed Queen Elizabeth II.Įven though she’s surrounded by a dozen aides and she photographs Hollywood stars, she moves in the same reality as you do, and her photographs can actually bring you lots of valuable tips for your own work. Annie Leibovitz is one of the world’s most famous portrait photographers.