People who know me personally understand that I am a contrarian. Those views manifest themselves in my thoughts and theories about photography and photographers. Put 100 photographers in a room and I’ll be the one saying that Ansel Adams was an assbag. And I’ll be right.
Another photographer who I feel is over praised for her photographic talent is Annie Leibovitz. It is widely believed that the reason behind Leibovitz’s success is her ability to “form an emotional bond with the subject”, I say that’s crap. If that were the case you would see her shooting silo’s of her subject which allows you to see their true self, something akin to what Albert Watson can do.
Tupac by Albert Watson
Even the photograph that made famous Leibovitz doesn’t show a one to one connection between subject and photographer, it captures a destructive obsession love shared between the subjects. It would have been interesting to see if we ever knew her name if John Lennon was not murdered shortly after his portrait session with Leibovitz.
John and Yoko by Annie Leibovitz
So why is it that we have all heard of Annie Leibovitz and she has enjoyed such success? I’m sure that part of it is due to her antics of being a bitch to the Queen of England or the media storm surrounding the so-called scandalous photos of Miley Cyrus but mostly its because her photographs are memorable due to the lavishness of them.
Take for instance these two well known Leibovitz photographs of Sting and Demi More.
Sting by Leibovitz
Demi Moore by Leibovitz
Are these two photographs interesting and visually appealing? Sure. Do they show any sort of outstanding connection with the viewer or insight to the subjects personality. No.
What do Annie Leibovitz’s photographs show us?
These images are prime examples of how having an idea and an unlimited budget can create a photograph that stands out. Whether she is showering someone with thousands of rose petals or renting Versailles Leibovitz stops at nothing to hire the talent (in the above Demi Moore photo hiring an exceptional airbrush artist), style the set or travel to exotic locations to make her shoot happen. Does that make her a good photographer? 9 tourists out of 10 can take a post card worthy photograph of Versailles assuming they show up on a nice day.
It seems that Leibovitz has become a victim of her own illusion of grandeur. In her effort to make her life imitate her art she has found herself financially bankrupt. News over the wire states:
Yet behind a facade of unlimited financial means, Leibovitz was spending her way into nightmare.
In what now appears as a disastrous decision to raise funds, Leibovitz took a 24-million-dollar loan from Art Capital Group (ACG) — in effect a high-end pawn broker — in December 2008 using her own photographs as collateral.
That debt is due September 8 and if she can’t pay up, she could lose her life’s work.
ACG, which specializes in making loans to owners of high value art works, is unlikely to adopt a soft line.
Leibovitz must “comply with the sales agreement she signed authorizing Art Capital to sell the fine art and real estate assets and to pay the invoices that are due,” ACG spokesman Montieth Illingworth said in a statement.
The over-leveraged photographer not only risks losing her photo archives, which The New York Times estimates could be worth 50 million dollars, but also her house in the trendy Greenwich Village district of Manhattan and a second home outside the city.
If she is forced to declare bankruptcy, it will then be up to the courts to decide how to distribute the assets.
As happens with so many artists (and con men) she bought into her own hype and it destroyed her. Sure some rich benefactor might swoop in and save the day but that isn’t the point here. On the one hand I appreciate spending all your fortune on your art. Sometimes I wish I could sell everything I own except my bike and my cameras and travel the world taking photographs. What true artist doesn’t have similar feelings? I have plenty of photo shoot ideas I could easily drop $100k on and it might just land me a few book deals or staff spots on some prestigious magazines, but I have a family and people who depend on me, so I refuse to be financially bankrupt to be creatively prosperous.
Does that mean I am not truly an artist at heart?
This post is tagged Tags: Annie Leibovitz, famous photographers, finance, photo shoots
I’ve never found her work very interesting, either. As I’ve said in person, this is a great parallel to our lives in advertising: anyone can be creative with unlimited resources. It’s producing creative work under restrictions (often financial) that make us true professionals.
I stopped feeling sorry for famous artists with financial woes a long time ago. She’s had every opportunity to earn a good living and provide for herself indefinitely.
I have always had a hard time looking at Annie’s work…and seeing the “connection” she claims to harvest between the viewer and the subject. What connection could I possible feel with a naked and air brushed Demi or Sting? When I look at her work, I see she’s worked hard to create a set and a seduction…but frankly, I don’t feel like I’m anything more than a voyeur… In fact…I think the work is voyeuristic…I don’t feel much warmth transmitted from the subject to the viewer (or the lens) at all.
Nixie, I agree, its more impressive to do well with limited means than to do well with a huge bankroll. A true creative can make something out of nothing.
Chessie, I often wonder if people are just so star struck at seeing a famous subject in an elaborate set that they fool themselves into thinking there is something more there.
amen – someone gives her an entire roomful of expensive props, all she does is set the focus to make sure everything comes in clear. i never felt any emotion… besides tacky.
Well, I’m gonna stick my neck out and say I loved her work in Rolling Stone and the American Express campaign. But agreed… budget helps a lot in the heavily produced stuff that gained her the most public recognition. Not crazy about the big ol’ shadow of a scrim and a C stand in that Sting shot… I know my clients wouldn’t overlook that.