48 AMERICANWAY
DECEMBER 15 2008
Legendarycelebrityportrait-
istAnnieLeibovitz isarguably
as famoustodayasanyof the
peoplesheshoots.Atage59,
witha résuménonpareil—one
that includesa long-standing
relationshipwith
VanityFair
,
exhibitsatsomeof theworld’s
mostprestigiousgalleries,and
several stunningcoffee-table
books—Leibovitz isathoughtful,
funny,andpassionateartist, re-
sponsible forsomeof themost
indelible imagesofourtime.
Inhernewbook,
AnnieLeibo-
vitzatWork
, thephotographer
surveysher40-yearcareer in
candid, intimatedetail,pulling
backtheveiloncelebrities,her
creativeprocess,andwhystill
photographsstillmatter.Though
she’sshoteveryone fromDemi
MooretothequeenofEngland,
agooddealofLeibovitz’smost
famouswork isdevotedtomusi-
cians.Asthechiefphotographer
for
RollingStone
inthe1970sand
’80s, shecapturedonfilm leg-
endaryartistsJohnLennon, the
RollingStones,andMarvinGaye,
tonamebuta few.Formorethan
adecade, shedefinedthe lookof
themagazine,ofmusicians,and
ofmusic itself.Here, sheopens
upabouther relationshipwith
music,pastandpresent,and
revealswhichartistsshe’ll love
forever.
Youhavephotographedmany
ofthegreatestmusicalartistsof
thepast40years,andthework is
absolutelysublime.What’syour
approachtoshootingmusicians?
I thinkwhenyou’redoingportrait
photography,which iswhat Ido,
youkindofneedtofall in love
withwhomeveryou’reshooting,
andthat—falling in love— issort
ofaeuphemismforbeingcom-
pletely,unhealthilyobsessed
withyoursubject. [
Laughs
] It’sa
kindof love. It’sdefinitelyanob-
session. It’skindofcuckoo,but
it’show Ishoot. I followedMick
Jaggeraroundforfiveyears inthe
1970s,and Ineverputmycamera
down,and Inevergotbored.
