Annie Leibovitz at Work Hardcover – November 18, 2008

This reviewer and long-time professional and amateur photographer has been waiting for a book containing this information to be published for years. And it's finally here and I for one am very grateful. For years I've wondered how Annie managed to take that incredible picture of a nude John Lennon kissing a fully dressed Yoko Ono while they were both lying on the floor. I had no idea that it was only a single test shot and that it was a Polaroid taken on the afternoon of his murder. That fact alone almost makes me revise my opinion of Polaroid photos. That small Polaroid certainly could be successfully reproduced for other uses. Interestingly enough, Annie relates how strongly both John and Yoko felt about this image. You'll have to read the book to find out, however, I'm not going to tell. Another photograph I've always admired was the Whoopi Goldberg picture with her mostly submerged in an old-fashioned bathtub of milk. How in the world did she persuade people to pose in such fantastic situations? Who knew that after only a few frames of her famous portrait of the Blue's Brothers, John Belushi would storm out of the shoot and was so upset with the blue paint she had put on his face that he wouldn't speak to her for six months? The nude profile photograph of a very pregnant Demi Moore was another of those remarkable photos I wanted to know more about. All these and many other nagging questions about the subjects of some of her famous pictures are answered in this autobiographic tome. Those were only the subjects I was personally most curious about, but I was also interested in how a student in the San Francisco Art Institute who didn't even care much for Rock and Roll music would end up as the photographer for "Rolling Stone." That story had always interested me. How she was asked to go on tour with the Rolling Stones was another riveting tale. To make that coverage even more exciting Andy Warhol and Robert Frank (a photographer who Annie considers almost a God) were also on that particular tour making a documentary film about the Stones. Truman Capote was there too. This was the same young woman who John and Yoko had asked the "Rolling Stones" writer interviewing them "why he had a kid taking all the magazine's pictures?" They were used to being photographed by the most famous photographers in the world. The kid's pictures of them proved to be the most lasting and among their personal favorites. There is a section in the book about her general photography philosophies and the technical equipment that she used to make her pictures over the years and how it has changed. There is also a section that answers the 10 most often asked questions that people want answered. There is something for everybody. For a photographer or a "Rock & Roll" music fan, this is a "Must Read." For the average person, it's just a "great read." This is one of the most interesting books about a photographer's life and work that I've ever read and I've read and reviewed hundreds of them. It was difficult, almost impossible to put aside this page turner once I peeked at the photos and started reading. So many of my long-term questions were answered and I didn't have to die and go to heaven in order to gain that enlightenment. Neither do you, dear reader.

I have been a fan of Annie Leibovitz's photography for a long time. As an amateur photographer I thought this would be a good addition to my library and understanding of photography. While it is not the coffee table book many people expect, it is a wonderful peek into the life of this iconic photographer in her own words. Beginning with her first camera and moving through some of her more memorable pieces, Ms Leibovitz is very insightful, interesting and thought provoking about the life of a photographer as well as some of the historic moments she lived through and was a part of.It was a thoroughly entertaining quick read. I have returned to some of the photographs and her accompanying narration some of which stuck with me for a long while after the initial read.However, if you are expecting a book that will technically explain each of her photographs or give you a better understanding of how a camera functions, this is not the book for you. If you want to hear stories from the heart of someone who has spent her life working in the field of photography, I recommend this wonderful book.

I bought this book because as a small travel publisher I have quite a library of photography books, and I thought this would be a unique addition.I was right, but it's not what I expected.A better title would be "Annie Leibovitz: On Work."This is not a coffee table book, and it's not mainly photographs. For each image there's at least a full page of editorial, maybe two or three pages, as the author describes how each shot came about and her thoughts about the experience. The book is smaller than you might think--a little shorter and narrower than a Time magazine--and the photos smaller than you'd expect. Few are larger than a postcard.There's no dust jacket, just a paper band that wraps around the bottom.I was expecting the book to include technical shot-by-shot details, with background images showing reflectors, stylists and such. No such luck. Leibovitz does, however, include an insightful essay about the equipment she has used over the years, as well as an FAQ list. "What advice do you have for a photographer that's just starting out?" "Stay close to home." (She goes on to elaborate.)The stories, though, are interesting, much like those in A Camera, Two Kids, and a Camel. Because Leibovitz has such a clean writing style, and her subjects are often celebrities, the book is a pleasant read, and every bit the unique addition to my library I was hoping for. Now that I've spent some time with it, I actually prefer that the book isn't bigger; it's much easier to sit back and spend time with it this way.Getting back to the images, some of them really stayed with me. Besides the famous shot of Demi Moore that became a cover of Vanity Fair, there's another one, straight on, with the top of the naked actress fully exposed. A shot of Arnold Schwarzenegger on a white stallion looks like something from Herbert List. A simple portrait of Patti Smith has the revealing facial details and expression like the best work of Richard Avedon. Then there's a 1980s photo of Rev. Al Sharpton getting his hair done at a beauty salon. Made me laugh out loud.I know many of these shots have been published before, but it is interesting to be able to flip from one to the other.Here's the chapter list:1. Nixon's Resignation2. The Rolling Stones3. John and Yoko4. Conceptual Pictures5. Advertising6. Al Sharpton7. Arnold Schwarzenegger8. Dance9. Demi Moore10. Performance11. Peak Performance12. War13. O.J. Simpson14. Impromptu15. Patti Smith16. Fashion17. Nudes18. Groups19. Presence and Charisma20. Being There21. My Mother22. Sarah23. Susan24. Hollywood25. The Queen26. The Process27. The Road West28. Equipment29. Ten Most-Asked Questions30. Publishing History

I recently finished to read this book, and a realized that it's a story book not a photography one. There's feels and situations of Annie, how she resolved some problems, persons that she admired, funny gags and some technical comments. This book entertain, inspire, tells magnificent stories and make close us to the human side of Leibovitz. when I opened the book the first time I wanted more photos in the book but thinking better, is ok in this way. You will really want to get another book of her, and know more of his work.

Replacing a copy of a beloved book my dog ruined years ago. This is exceptional quality and came very quickly. My only negative comment is that the photo shows the original narrow paper band/wrap at the bottom of the book, which is not included with this copy; having said that, I did not really expect it. Extremely happy otherwise.

súper recomendado si te interesa la fotografía de retrato, moda o celebridades

Great read and great photos. Her own short explanations of intent for each shoot and also some stories that came out of it.

Compré este libro aprovechando que Annie Leibovitz estaba por Asturias para recoger su Premio Principe de Asturias... Fue un momento inolvidable estar en su conferencia, levantar la mano cuando preguntó quien había comprado su libro (puesto que la conferencia que dió estaba basada practicamente en esta obra) y ... llevarse el libro firmado por ella para casa... No tiene precio.

PRINTED IN ITALY. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY!!! WOW!