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I much prefer books and movies that are biographical.

I love knowing about REAL people.

Earlier this week I watched an awesome documentary on the life of one of my favorite photographers, Annie Leibovitz. It was entitled, Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens.

What’s so astonishing about Annies’ body of work is that it encompasses such a wide variety of photography. From her raw black and white photos to her spectacular surreal images, she runs the gamut of visual delights.

She has shot for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines; capturing musicians, movie stars, and political figures.

Annie has a brilliant way of never compromising her own creative style as a true artist, yet at the same time is a highly successful commercial photographer.

You most definitely know a Annie Leibovitz photograph, because she puts her unique stamp on it.

All of the celebrities who were interviewed in this documentary, shared that Annie has the remarkable ability to capture the true essence of who they are. She has a way of knowing how to get that one perfect shot; exposing their souls.

“Between Annie and her subject is a transcendence. There is magic.”

She is notorious for being a perfectionist and demanding, yet everyone who has ever worked with her or been photographed by her said that it doesn’t come from a temperamental ego, but rather because she has clear vision of what the end result should be, and won’t stop until she gets it.
Being an OCD perfectionist myself, I can totally relate. Ironically, Annie Leibovitz and I share the same birthdate.

I would like to share some of Annies' work with you. I’ve selected a diversity of photographs, so you can get an idea of her amazing talent.

Life through a lens….
Inside the Peninsula Hotel

Po' Monkey's Lounge, Merigold, Mississippi
Emmylou Harris

Mary J. Blige
Willie Nelson

Bette Milder (Rolling Stone)

Leonardo DiCaprio (Vanity Fair)
Queen of England

Nicole Kidman (Vogue)
Julianne Moore as The Little Mermaid

Keira Knightly in the Wizard of Oz (Vogue)
Mikhail Baryshnikov as Peter Pan




Have a picture perfect weekend everyone!

X





*Note: To discover more of Annie Leibovitz, please go here.

48 comments:

  1. I've always been a huge Annie Leibovitz fan! She's got a very distinctive style, just like you said. When you see photos, you get that "would that be her feeling... " and usually it is!

    That Nicole Kidman shot just speaks right into my chic fashionsita heart. You are not surprised...!? If only I could slip into that gorgeous gown and setting... if only for a brief passing moment!

    Have a fab weekend - I have a picnic planned with some dear American gals here in Paris!

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  2. I enjoy reading autobiographies too Ron. Love these photos - the one of Julianne Moore is amazing!

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  3. Bonjour Susu~

    Isn't Annies' stuff so unique?

    "When you see photos, you get that "would that be her feeling... " and usually it is!

    Exactly!

    OMG, I had such a hard time selecting photos for this post because I loved all of the ones I saw online. It took me FOUR days to narrow it down to just these 12. When I saw the one of Nicole Kidman, I thought, "I'm definitely using that one!" Isn't is so glamorous? You would look faaaaaaabulous in that dress!

    Thanks so much for stopping by Susu! Always a delight!

    Have a great time on your picnic. Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  4. Good Morning Akelamalu~

    There's nothing like autobiographies and biographies isn't there? They fascinate me!

    Isn't the photo of Julianne Moore spectacular? She's one of my favorite actresses. She so talented and equally as beautiful!

    Thank you for stopping by, m'dear!

    Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  5. True artist at work! Never seen some of these. Love the first one and the one of the wueen is amazing. All are brilliant!

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  6. Hiya SuzieCate~

    It's funny you mentioned the first one because the second I saw it, I was attracted to it too. It's shot at such a COOL angle.

    Love the one of the Queen too. So royal!

    If you enjoy documentaries and photography, please check out the film. It's wonderful.

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, dear lady!

    Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  7. Ron, those pictures are fabulous! She is definitely one talented lady and her images are awesome.

    I too am an 'information-junkie' and only like to read things that I actually 'learn' something from (ok- you CAN learn from trashy romance novels but come on, why make yourself feel worse about your own life than necessary..)

    As for OCD- count me in too...

    (are you sure you really aren't my long lost twin brother that I somehow was seperated from at birth...? OH YEA- you're OLDER than me...) hahahahahahahaha......(could you be my great-great grandpappy maybe???) teehee...

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  8. Helloooooooo Finally Getting to Even~

    So glad you enjoyed these photos. I swear to god, I think I have a frustrated photographer inside of me; waiting to come out because pictures fascinate me. I can sit and look through photography books for HOURS. One of these days I'm going to get myself a really nice digital camera and start taking photos.

    "I too am an 'information-junkie' and only like to read things that I actually 'learn' something from..."

    OMG, me too. I really should get a side job doing research, because I love looking things up.

    "are you sure you really aren't my long lost twin brother that I somehow was seperated from at birth...? OH YEA- you're OLDER than me...) hahahahahahahaha......(could you be my great-great grandpappy maybe???"

    HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!

    Isn't it FUN being OCD?

    NOT!

    Thanks so much for stopping by! Always so nice sharing with you!

    Have a fab weekend!
    X

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  9. they are stories and soundtrack delivered in still picture form. how is that even possible? I'm familiar with some of the images, but not all. Count me in the column of ardent admirers of Ms. Leibovitz's work.

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  10. Hello Diane~

    "they are stories and soundtrack delivered in still picture form. how is that even possible?"

    OMG...you are sooooo right! What keen perception you have!

    Isn't Annie amazing? The documentary totally went deep inside her personal life. It was so interesting. I'm an even BIGGER fan now.

    Thanks for stopping by, Diane!

    Have a dynamite weekend!

    X

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  11. Annie is definately in a class all by herself. She is an amazing photographer. I wish I had 1000th of her talent!

    Hope your weekend is picture perfect too.

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  12. Hola Peg~

    "Annie is definately in a class all by herself."

    Absolutely! I've never seen any other photographer that excels in the various genre's like she does.

    Always great seeing ya, dear friend!

    Have a glorious weekend!

    X

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  13. Wow.... WOW!!

    No foolin'......WOW!!!

    I'm out of the loop of 'who's who' but WOW can this gal capture a whole lot in one little click.

    Geeze, I wonder how many she weeds through before she finally picks.
    This from a weeder and a picker. LOL

    Enjoy your weekend sir!

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  14. Hiya Mel~

    Isn't she FAB?

    "Geeze, I wonder how many she weeds through before she finally picks.

    This from a weeder and a picker."

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA....oh, me too!!!

    And it's funny, because Annie Leibovitz is a Libra and there was a scene in the documentary where she was trying to select photos for a book, and couldn't. "Too many choices", she said.
    Earlier in her career she actually had someone who worked with her, who would select the final pictures that would go into a magazine, because she had such a hard time.

    So glad you enjoyed her photos! Being a photographer, I knew you would appreciate these images.

    Thanks for stopping by, dear lady!

    Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  15. Whoa---from the waist down, that mermaid is a dead ringer for my high-school prom date...

    Cheers!

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  16. Cheers Suchtightslacks~

    "Whoa---from the waist down, that mermaid is a dead ringer for my high-school prom date..."

    Bwhahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    Funny!

    And that just reminded me of the movie Splash!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Enjoy your weekend!

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  17. I had seen this documentary awhile back and still have it taped. She's an amazing talent and surely inspires. I did not know she had shot the DeCaprio pic. It's one of my favorite pics.

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  18. Greetings Rebecca~

    Welcome! Thanks for stopping by and sharing a comment. Nice to meet you!

    OMG...so you've seen the documentary?? Isn't it FABULOUS? I had always been an admirer of her work, but didn't know too much about her personal life. The film gave such a wonderful glimpse into how she started, which was so interesting to me.

    Isn't the shot of DeCaprio exquisite? There's another one (black and white) of him with a swans' neck wrapped around his. It's beautiful.

    Please stop by anytime!

    Enjoy your weekend!

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  19. Hi Ronnie,
    This is one of those times when you have to bow down to greatness!Ms. Leibovitz's work is so incredible.
    I think that creativity is a gift.
    Iam always challenging myself when I photograph to "see more" and beyond. Sometimes it works,other times not at all.But if I don't try,I will never know.

    Thank you for sharing Ron.Have a fun weekend!
    XO

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  20. I love Annie too! How about the photo she shot of Demi Moore when she was pregnant. The first "belly"shot of its kind and one that has been repeated and copied numerous times over the years. She is truly gifted and has the eye. I love the photo you posted of Nicole Kidman. That is such a elegant shot...I would love to get into a dress like that and strike a pose just like that. It is living art.

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  21. Wonderful. To me the photographs are so realistic they appear like real life scenes frozen in time.

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  22. Bonjour Barbara~

    Isn't she MARVI????

    "I think that creativity is a gift."

    Yes...

    "I am always challenging myself when I photograph to "see more" and beyond. Sometimes it works,other times not at all.But if I don't try,I will never know."

    You GO, girl!

    That's the thing with creativity....

    ...he has to be tried. Experimented with. Stretched. To be created.

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by today, my friend!

    Hope you and Mr. Didier are having a wonderful weekend!

    XO

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  23. Good Morning Susie~

    "How about the photo she shot of Demi Moore when she was pregnant."

    Yes, it's a gorgeous shot.

    Funny, I was going to use that one too!!!

    In the documentary, Demi Moore shared what it was like to create that photo and how orginally it was taken just for her and Bruce Willis. But. when Annie saw it, Vanity Fair decided to use it. It made history!

    The one of Nicole is probably one of my own personal favorites. It's so GLAMOROUS, isn't it?

    "I would love to get into a dress like that and strike a pose just like that."

    You GO, Susie! Vogue...strike a pose!

    Thank you for stopping by, my friend! Always a joy!

    Have a great weekend!

    X

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  24. Good Morning Valerie~

    "To me the photographs are so realistic they appear like real life scenes frozen in time."

    Yes, they do, don't they? Especially the ones that are surreal-looking. In the documentary, it showed how some of those were created. Simply amazing!

    Hope you're enjoying a a beautiful Saturday, dear lady! Thank you for stopping by!

    X

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  25. Thank you for sharing this wonderful and provocative glimpse into the body of work of this talented photograher. I too, love reading about people's lives and I am a rabid fan of the Biography Channel. Thoroughly enjoyed this piece. http://Back2Brooklyn.blogspot.com

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  26. Annie has been a favorite of mine for years. She is just sheer genius. I've got a couple of books on her work but need to check out that doc.

    It puzzled me that someone so brilliantly talented was very inept with her finances but then again, she's an artist and they are usually not good with money! ;)

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  27. Hi Gal From Brooklyn~

    Awwww...I'm so glad you enjoyed this post on Annie! Me too, me too! Anything (book, movie) that is about real people I adore!

    OMG, I wish I had cable just to watch the Biography Channel, it's brilliant! I end up renting all the Biography Channel movies at the video store.

    Thanks so much for stopping by today!

    ALWAYS so nice seeing you!

    Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  28. Hiya Nitebyrd~

    "She is just sheer genius."

    Isn't she? You're gonna LOVE the documentary because it really goes inside her life.

    OMG...Yes, I just started reading stuff online about her financial problems at the moment. But I thinkg you're right...usually artists are not good with money.

    Thanks for stopping by, Sis!

    Hope you're enjoying a faaabulous weekend!

    X ya!

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  29. hello dear sweet ron, firstly please accept apologies for my very bad blogging behavior, especially my lack of comments to you dear friend...life has been ridiculous lately and i have been online only rarely..... that said, this is such a wonderful post and she is one of my all time favorites and you have chosen some fab ones here...i think that one of willie is my number one of these and probably of ALL hers, tho her body of work is far more than i know...someday when i am rich, i shall buy that hunky coffee table book for whatever it costs.... anyway, glad to know you love her too...and that one at the top of the stairwell is astounding in that, how did she take it? anyway, dear friend, thanks for being there, i know you are still sending me your kind energies... i hope to be back soon. ♥xoxoxoxoxox

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  30. Helloooooooo Dearest Linda~

    No apologies ever needed, my wonderful friend. I know you've been busy with your fabulous art work and taking good care of yourself. Please feel free to stop by whenever you wish. I love whenever you pop by!

    I KNEW you would enjoy these photos and had a feeling you knew Annies' work very well. Isn't she faaaaaaabulous? I agree, the one of Willie is so exquisitly raw and beautiful. That's what I love about her work - she goes from one extreme to the other.

    Rawness to surreal!

    The staircase is also one of my favs. I think she may have taken it by hanging her camera over the edge of the hand rail and looking down. The woman has NO FEAR. In the documentary, they showed her hanging out of a helicopter; taking photos of NYC. I almost died, looking at her - HA!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear friend! I hope you're feeling well. Yes, I am sending you energy, hope you're feeling it!

    ((((( Linda ))))

    xoxoxoxoxo

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  31. I have always liked Annie. Her photos are wonderful. Many times I've looked at photography books while sitting in the cafe at B's and she's always in them. I don't know if she's my favorite photog of all time... hmm... I'd have to think about that as I do like a few others work but she has amazing creativity, you cannot deny that.
    Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend. xo

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  32. Hello Crystal Chick~

    "Many times I've looked at photography books while sitting in the cafe at B's and she's always in them."

    Me too! I love going into B's on a rainy day and sit with a cup of coffee; looking through photography books. One of my other favorite photographers is Ansel Adams. LOVE the black and whites!

    I know that you, being a photographer probably have several artists you also enjoy.

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, M!

    Always grrrreat seeing ya!

    Hope your weekend was awesome!

    X

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  33. she is so exceptionally talented
    the photos you've chosen shows how eclectic her style is and how truly visionary she is

    thanks for a great post

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  34. Hello Lady Dianne~

    "she is so exceptionally talented."

    Oh...isn't she amazing?? I knew, knew, knew you loved her!!

    And thank you for sharing the PERFECT word.

    visionary!

    You're so right!

    Thanks for stopping by, dear lady!

    Hope you and the gang had a super weekend!

    X ya's!

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  35. The wife and I saw an Annie Leibovitz exhibit several years ago. It's amazing to see the real photos. They're quite large, and each one is a masterpiece. She's truly an accomplished and gifted photographer. Excellent post!

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  36. Helloooooooo Herman~

    "The wife and I saw an Annie Leibovitz exhibit several years ago. It's amazing to see the real photos."

    OH. MY. GOD. You actually saw Annie Leibovitz's photos in person?!?!?!?

    I am soooooooo jealous!!!

    But, sooooooo happy for you!

    I bet they look ever more fabulous in person.

    Yes, a masterpiece!

    Thanks sooooo much for stopping by and sharing on this post, my friend!

    I soooooo enjoyed your comment!

    Hope you and the family had a super weekend!

    X

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  37. she's an awesome photographer. not to overshadow her financial problems with her talent, but it's a bit sad about the debt she's in.

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  38. Hiya Val~

    Yes. I hadn't really understood the depth of debt she is in until I started doing research for this post.

    OMG....it's A LOT$$$

    But, as you shared....she's an awesome photographer.

    Thanks for stopping by, Val! Hope you had a great weekend!

    X

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  39. I do wish she could photograph me. I would love to see what she finds in me. It's like she can extract a person's soul. Photography is such an amazing medium.

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  40. Hi Jen~

    "I do wish she could photograph me."

    Oooooo....me too!

    " It's like she can extract a person's soul."

    That's what everyone who has ever been photographed by her has shared. They also said, being photographed by her is like sitting down and talking to an old friend. Very comfortable.

    I honestly think I'm a frustrated photographer. I find the medium amazing too!

    Thanks for stopping by, my friend!

    X

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  41. Annie Leibovitz is simply AMAZING! She is the most talented photographer of ALL time.

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  42. Hi Meleah~

    "She is the most talented photographer of ALL time."

    I totally agree!

    And she's a LIBRA!!!!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Have a great evening!

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  43. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, But the one you have listed as Scarlett Johannson in the wizard of oz is actually of keira knightly.

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  44. Hello Anonymous~

    Thank you so much for stopping by and for the correction.

    Way to go!

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  45. Greetings Dreamlife/Classic Style~

    I agree! Isn't she WONDERFUL?

    Thank you for stopping by!

    Enjoy your evening!

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  46. great pics!!!! LOVE This post!!! love Annie Leibovitz!!! :)

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  47. Greetings Sigrid~

    Welcome! Thank you for stopping by and sharing a comment. Nice to meet you!

    Glad you enjoyed. Don't ya just LOVE Annie???

    The documentary that I spoke of in this post is AWESOME!

    Stop by anytime. You're always welcomed!

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