Since we discussed portrait photography this week, I thought that I'd write a little bit on Anne Leibovitz. While I already knew that she had photographed practically every celebrity, I really didn't know much else about her. While searching for some background info, I found an interesting interview with her on Powells.com where she discussed one of her books. She explains that when she attented the San Fransisco Art Institute, she studied "personalized reportage...a la Robert Frank and Cartier-Bresson" and when she first started working at Rolling Stone she thought that she was more of a photo-journalist. However, she soon realized that she was much more of a portrait photographer. She explains that, "In a portrait, you have room to have a point of view and to be conceptual with a picture. The image may not be literally what's going on, but it's representative." (http://www.powells.com/authors/leibovitz.html)
I found this interview particularly interesting as Leibovitz is responsible for a number of amazing images. After reading more about her, I now understand that each image is a deliberate means of representing a message. One of her messages, as she explains in the interview, is to disprove the stereotype that as women age they are no longer beautiful. This photo of Barbara Bush is in
cluded in her book Women and is likely meant to convey this message.
cluded in her book Women and is likely meant to convey this message.Whereas before I only admired the Leibovitz's actual portraits, I now admire her personal mission as well.
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