Annie Leibovitz

Why I chose Annie:
I chose the other photographer as being Annie Leibovitz due to the strong bold use of the colour and different tones she highlights in her photographs. The use of the formal element tone helps contrast different objects in each image and separate them from another while also similarly building a strong relationship for the audience to see. I love how she uses portraits as her style and also how she represents people with a different meaning in each photograph. Personally I feel that Annie Leibovitz is an excellent photographer and her reputable name in the world of photography and media is shown due to her beauty in the photos. The photographs below show how Annie uses the formal element of tone in order to create a contrast and build relationships that are obvious to the viewer.

Bio:

Photographer Annie Leibovitz was born October 2, 1949, in Waterbury, Connecticut. In 1970 she took a job at Rolling Stone magazine. In 1983 she began working for the entertainment magazine Vanity Fair. During the late 1980s, Leibovitz started to work on a number of high-profile advertising campaigns. From the 1990s to the present, she has been publishing and exhibiting her work.

One of my favourite collections by Annie was her representation of Disney. For me this photo is a stunning photograph as the use of colour and tone separate the couple who are wearing light toned clothing to the dark mysterious backdrop. 

I chose this photograph as I feel the contrast in colours is great for showing a build of relationships between the three people. The females white dress contrasts immediately with the males skin colour and therefore highlights him. This to me represents him being shown as an authoritative figure while a relationship is built through the positioning of the three people in the shot. They are all close together which enables the audience to presume that they are a family. The background and the surrounding colours are dark and represent a tense atmosphere to me. 

I like this photograph as it is completely different and for me presents no meaning. The use of placing the girl in such an isolated place which is deserted makes the viewer question what her reason is. The use of pattern and depth are also shown through the buildings either side of her as they seem to grow smaller in size as they grow further away from the camera while the dull colours contrast with the girls nude skin colour. 

This photo is by far my favourite from Annie Leibovitz. What I love most about it is the use of tone and colour while highlighting the girls innocent face. The girls skin tone is light which is a huge contrast to the light blue tones which create the glow of her eye. The formal element of reflection is also shown in this picture through the glisten in her eye. I love this photo through the use of angle, the close up portrait shot is great for showing the vulnerability of the girl while the hair covering her face adds to the nature of the image.

Influence and Summaries: 

Annie Leibovitz work has inspired me in the portraiture aspect of photography. It consists on most of her work and they are all stems off different, intriguing ideas. For me, each character is shown with there own meaning even when they are pulling no expression. The use of colour and tone sets the mood and instantly gives the audience a feel as to the meaning of the photograph and the feelings of the characters. I feel like Annie's portraits and use of shots help her photos stand out as some of the best portraits there are. The next image by myself was inspired by the work of Annie Leibovitz. Although I took this image in a shoot first inspired by mapplethorpe, the brightness of the eyes in nearly all of her work makes them stand out and creates an attachment with the audience. In the below image, I changed the background to make it black, while keeping the lighting up as their is a lack of shadows in her work. I then turned the image to black and white and kept the colour of the eyes which was enhanced by a royal blue colour.

Overall, Annie Leibovitz marketing and contextual work has inspired me to produce work thats different but that has a meaning. The last portrait shot of the girl shows how you can combine different formal elements, but still have a simple effective photograph. I still like her work just as much as I did in the beginning and she is one of the most interesting photographers I have studied in photography.