October 2nd marks the birthday of Annie Leibovitz, the most important photographer of the “Sixties Generation.” We celebrate with a gallery of photographs that can quite rightly be said to be inspired her work.
Annie Liebovitz portrays the power of women in the artistic field. She is the perfect example for all the females out there who are being judged and have less opportunities just because of their gender. But not only she is a great role model but her body of work is such an inspiration either she is creating directed photography for Vogue or nude ablative and minimal captures for Pirelli Calendar (2000). She is creating magic that makes everyone fall in love all over again with the concept of photography and art in general
Her photography in fact transcends the category of picture-taking and really should be considered a journalistic record of the tumultuous times.
Every generation seems to have a visual artist (photographers now, painters in the past) who best captures the general zeitgeist of content animating the hearts and minds of the insurgent youth of the day.
More established newspapers always have trouble fully taking serious the concerns and protests of the pop artists and youthful rebels who have yet to work out an accurate rhetoric for their hopes and dreams.
It’s left to the artist with the discerning eye to capture their “truth” in the proper operation of a camera in the perfect moment. So it was with Annie Leibovitz and her history of her times “written” in her photographs for Rolling Stone magazine.
She better than anyone else captured the essence, meaning and importance of the Rolling Stones and rock and roll generally, as she did with Vietnam, with Nixon and Watergate.
Her photographs will now exist forever for future generations as the necessary supplement to their American history studies, the truths caught in the faces of her subjects of the times explaining so much more than the contentious mire of competing textbooks.
It is befitting that it is an Annie Leibovitz photograph that documents the last sputtering moments before the final flame-out of the “Sixties.”
It was December 8, 1980 and John Lennon, the ultimate symbol of the hope for a future of peace, love and understanding insisted on being naked in a pose of prayerful supplication before his muse and mentor, Yoko Ono.
The photograph summed up an American era. A few hours later, John was gone to the Pantheon of artists who gave their lives to the last measure.
Thank you, Annie Leibovitz, for shooting his final passport photo.
Annie Liebovitz portrays the power of women in the artistic field. She is the perfect example for all the females out there who are being judged and have less opportunities just because of their gender. But not only she is a great role model but her body of work is such an inspiration either she is creating directed photography for Vogue or nude ablative and minimal captures for Pirelli Calendar (2000). She is creating magic that makes everyone fall in love all over again with the concept of photography and art in general
For me, Annie Lebovitz has been an inspiration to me not only in art, but in literature as well. She assisted in helping me gain a wonderful perspective on portraits, and with her beautiful Queen Elizabeth spread she captured my history loving heart. Because of that one set of photographs, it helped to keep me reading, writing and enjoying the beauty and splendor that is royal monarchy.”
I find a lot of inspiration in Annie Leibovitz not only for her artistic skills, but also for the person she is and how she's dealt with various events in her life. The first photograph exhibition I've ever visited was of her works (it included the famous photo of Whoopi Goldberg) and I hold a little dear place in my mind for those and for lots of her other creations.”
– STelari
Annie Leibovitz has been a huge inspiration of mine since I first discovered what a creative medium Fashion Photography could be—in fact, she was one of the main reasons behind that realization for me. I love the way she is able to work with recognisable figures and utterly recreate them, often drawing parallels between their work and achievements and classic folk lore and fairy tales which have always inspired people. I hold a huge amount of admiration and wonder at her the amount of drive she has, the Fashion Industry is a hard one for women to succeed in and Annie is one of the few women who not only made it to the top, but has stayed there and I believe that we can all learn from this. Ultimately though, it really is the depth of her creativity and vision which always has me turning to her work when I need an injection of inspiration.”
Annie Leibovitz said, “The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.” Ultimately when I read that some years ago it summed up Photography for me and inspired me to pursue. Friends, family even, sometimes tutted or sighed when I stopped to take yet another picture. So often photographers are criticised for being behind the lens and failing to see the world properly. Annie tells it how it is, we’re quite the opposite in fact and we could be accused of seeing too much…”
– Kaz-D
Annie Leibovitz is one of the few photographers which photos stand out the most of the crowd. Her work is very various and yet they have the special touch none can copy. Her work is full of emotion but also full of beauty. It is fascinating.”
– Serinji
