Why do we love Annie?

For the past 30 years, one woman has primarily formed our images of celebrity. Annie Leibovitz has become the most famous photographer in the world by providing intimate and arresting portraits of some of the most well known faces of our time. Almost every truly famous photograph of a celebrity we can think of—a naked, pregnant Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg in a bathtub full of milk, a nude John Lennon curled around a fully clothed Yoko Ono—were framed by her camera. After receiving her degree from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1970, Annie became the lead photographer for Rolling Stone magazine, and helped establish the unique cachet and pinnacle achievement appearing on that cover signified for musicians and other entertainers. Appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone simply would not have meant the same thing if it didn't also mean being photographed by Annie. Over the years, her work has appeared in practically every major publication, including Vanity Fair, for which she shoots almost every cover. Annie simultaneously humanizes and iconizes her subjects, illuminating some unique aspect of their characters while glorifying the beauty we treasure. The DOLs especially owe a debt to Annie for providing some of our most treasured images of some of our favorite men.

Biography:

Born - October 2, 1949
Westport, Connecticut

Achievements:

• 1969—Lived on a kibbutz in Israel, took part in an archeological dig at King Solomon's temple
• 1970—Began shooting for Rolling Stone magazine. Her first assignment was Grace Slick
• 1971—Received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute
• 1973—Became chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine
• 1975—Commissioned by the Rolling Stones to document their world tour
• 1983—Became first contributing photographer for Vanity Fair magazine
• 1983—First solo exhibition shown
• 1983—First book, Annie Leibovitz: Photographs, is published
• 1984—Named "Photographer of the Year" by the American Society of Magazine Photographers
• 1985—Commissioned as the official portrait photographer for the World Cup Games in Mexico
• 1987—Created the popular "portraits" campaign for American Express, for which she won the Clio Award and the Campaign of the Decade Award from Advertising Age magazine
• 1987—Received the American Society of Magazine Photographers "Innovation in Photography" award
• 1990—Founded the Annie Leibovitz Studio in New York City
• 1990—Received the Infinity Award for applied photography from the International Center for Photography
• 1990—Documented the creation of the White Oak Dance Project for Mikhail Baryshnikov
• 1991—Became one of only two living photographers to have an exhibition of her work at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, called Annie Leibovitz, Photographs 1970-1990
• 1993—Her pictures of war-ravaged Sarajevo are displayed for the newly reopened Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• 1994—Work honored with a show in the National Gallery of Art in London
• 1995—Commissioned to create the official portfolio for the Olympic Games in Atlanta
• 1999—Inducted into the Art Directors Club hall of fame
• 1999—Launched the exhibit Women, publishing a book of the photographs with an essay from Susan Sontag. The book features photographs of women from all walks of life. The exhibit begins at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC, and travels all over the United States
• 1999—Cover of the Year Eisenstadt Award for Outstanding Magazine Photography from the Columbia University School of Journalism for this pic of Jim Carrey