Another part of our photography assignment pertaining to studying professional photographers was to compare two professionals, one from the past and one from the present. Annie Leibovitz has consistently been my favorite portrait photographer, she has shot too many famous names to count and her pictures always turn out unique and exotic. She has an amazing way of capturing the subjects personality and interests all within one photo. Born in 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut to a father that was in the Air Force, Leibovitz took her first photos when he was stationed in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. Her first major job shooting photos came about in 1970, when she was appointed staff photographer for the newly created Rolling Stone Magazine. In 1973 she was appointed their chief photographer and held that position for 10 years, her intimate and unique photos defining the style the magazine would hold for many years to come. Her next and most well known position was as head photographer for Vanity Fair Magazine. Leibovitz’s style has always appealed to me, she puts her subjects in imaginative poses, using bright colors and intense lighting. Her photos are packed with visual elements with the subjects always in striking poses. Annie Leibovitz has changed the way popular culture icons are photographed.
Photo of Willie Nelson shot by Leibovitz.
A photo from Leibovtiz's shoot with the band The White Stripes
Irving Penn was born in New Jersey in 1917. He studied design and had several paintings published in the earlier part of his life. His first job that led to his life as a photographer was with Vogue Magazine where he was hired to create cover illustrations and then moved on to photograph covers .Penn developed a highly stylized, graphically compelling form of fashion photography which did much to define post-war notions of feminine chic and glamour. In his fashion and portrait photography, Penn favored the use of a neutral backdrop of gray or white seamless paper, or alternatively, the use of constructed architectural sets which created striking effects. Penn also created numerous still life compositions for the magazine. In 1953 Penn opened his own commercial studio and almost immediately became one of the most influential and successful advertising photographers in the world. Penn differed from Leibovitz in that instead of capturing all of his subjects in front of backdrops that were familiar or complementing to them he carried with him a portable studio backdrop even when shotting nomads in North Africa or Peruvian Indians, he got rid of any notion of spontaneity or naturalism. Penn constructed a set of upright angled backdrops, to form a stark, acute corner. Posing his subjects within this tight, unorthodox space, Penn brought an unprecedented sense of drama to his portraits, driving the viewer’s focus onto the person and their expression. Clarity, composition, careful arrangement of objects or people, form, and the use of light characterize Penn’s work. Penn also photographs still life objects and found objects in unusual arrangements with great detail and clarity.
Members of The Ballet Society photographed by Penn
Peruvian children shot in a studio set up by Penn in Cusco, Peru.
Blog Post by: Mackenzie Hatcher
