Annie Leibovitz at Work | 
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| Author: Annie Leibovitz
Publisher: Random House
Category: Book
List Price: $40.00
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Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 57
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 7.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 0375505105
Dewey Decimal Number: 770.92
EAN: 9780375505102
ASIN: 0375505105
Publication Date: November 18, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: NEW IN SHRINKWRAP. Piece of wrap missing where tag was removed. Never opened/
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Amazon.com Review
pbBook Description/b br/#x201C;The first thing I did with my very first camera was climb Mt. Fuji. Climbing Mt. Fuji is a lesson in determination and moderation. It would be fair to ask if I took the moderation part to heart. But it certainly was a lesson in respecting your camera. If I was going to live with this thing, I was going to have to think about what that meant. There were not going to be any pictures without it." br/ #x2014;Annie Leibovitz/p pAnnie Leibovitz describes how her pictures were made, starting with Richard Nixon's resignation, a story she covered with Hunter S. Thompson, and ending with Barack Obama's campaign. In between are a Rolling Stones Tour, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, The Blues Brothers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keith Haring, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Patti Smith, George W. Bush, William S. Burroughs, Kate Moss and Queen Elizabeth. The most celebrated photographer of our time discusses portraiture, reportage, fashion photography, lighting, and digital cameras./p span class="h1"strongAmazon Exclusive Essay: Annie Leibovitz on Photography/strong/span br/ pimg align="left" border="0" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/RANDO/ANNIE_LEIBOVITZ_med.jpg"/In 1977, when Jann Wenner, the editor of iRolling Stone/i, asked me to prepare a fifty-page portfolio of my pictures for the tenth anniversary issue of the magazine, I decided not to simply make a selection of photographs that had been published. I looked at everything I had done since I started working. It was a revelation. For one thing, I had no idea that I had accumulated so many photographs. You lose track of them when you#x2019;re working every day. And you see the work in a different way when you look at it from the distance of time. You get a sense of where you are going. You start to see a life./p pI had the opportunity to edit my work most thoroughly when I prepared two retrospective books, iAnnie Leibovitz: 1970#x2013;1990/i and iA Photographer#x2019;s Life: 1990#x2013;2005/i. It was thrilling to see that first book laid out chronologically. To see the pictures historically. The second book, iA Photographer#x2019;s Life/i, was assembled immediately after the death of Susan Sontag and my father. Editing the book took me through the grieving process./p pThe books are pure. They are mine. The magazines I work for don#x2019;t belong to me. It#x2019;s the editor#x2019;s magazine, and the editor has every right to use the material the way he or she wants to. It isn#x2019;t just that art directors and editors at magazines make selections that I wouldn#x2019;t necessarily make. Which they sometimes do. Or that they run pictures too small. Or that they put so much type on the pictures that you can#x2019;t see them anymore. Magazines have quite specific needs. It#x2019;s a collaboration only so far, which is true of almost all assignment work./p pWhen I began working on my new book, I thought it would be a pamphlet of maybe forty pages or so. I intended to take ten of my photographs and dissect them. They didn#x2019;t have to be my most famous pictures, just pictures that I cared about. But as I began going through the material I realized that I might as well be more ambitious. I started to think that I would try to answer every single question anyone has ever asked about how my work is done. To defuse the mystery, and the misconceptions. To explain that it#x2019;s nothing more than work. And learning how to see./p pSo my forty-page pamphlet became a 240-page book with over a hundred photographs in it. It is written for someone like the person I was at the beginning of my career, when I was in art school. A young me. I didn#x2019;t know which road I would take. Whether it would be a commercial road, a magazine road, an artistic road, a journalistic road. It#x2019;s written for that person. Someone who is interested in photography but isn#x2019;t sure how they want to use it./p pThe book is more emotional than I had imagined it would be. But, most importantly, it is my edit. No one is going to care about, or understand, your work the way you do, and if you are going to explain it you have to be able to present it the way you want to. That#x2019;s what a book can do better than any other medium./p piSee Annie Leibovitz's 15 favorite photography books./i p(Photo credit Paul Gilmore)/p
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| Customer Reviews:
 Biographical Notes, Technical Insights, and Inspiration . . . Portrayed on a Too Small Page November 29, 2008
Donald Mitchell (Boston)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Any fan of Annie Leibovitz will want to read and cherish this book. The words and images will mean the most to young people dreaming of having a career in photography who wonder about how she got started. br / br /Annie Leibovitz's photography has surrounded and informed us for so long that it has become part of the landscape, perspectives that we employ and too often take for granted. In Annie Leibovitz at Work, she takes us behind the camera a little to understand her motivations, her family, her career, her assignments, her purposes, and how those iconic images were constructed. I enjoyed the book very much but I found that it had two flaws that bothered me: She is a usually little too coy in holding back details that her disclosures make enticing. The page sizes are too small to properly display the images. The print quality is excellent, but you can only do so much when images intended for full magazine pages or portraits are displayed in 3 inch by 5 inch formats. A minor weakness is that some of the images she talks about aren't portrayed (presumably either a space or a permissions problem, but it is disappointing whenever it happens). br / br /Here are some of the poignant stories in the book: br / br /1. Taking the last portrait of John Lennon and Yoko Ono before John was murdered. br / br /2. Photographing the Rolling Stones on tour while trying to keep a nervous independence from the parties and the crush of fans at the end of a concert. br / br /3. John Cleese nearly suffocating to get the picture of pretending to be a bat hanging from a tree. br / br /4. Capturing Al Sharpton at the beauty parlor. br / br /5. Arnold Schwarzenegger changing his image through her photographs. br / br /6. The story behind the pregnant cover of Demi Moore. br / br /7. Cindy Sherman wanting to disappear in her portrait. br / br /8. Capturing the war in Sarajevo. br / br /9. The slaughter in Rwanda. br / br /10. Posing OJ during his LA trial. br / br /11. The arrogant photograph of the new White House team in town (December 2001). br / br /12. Philip Johnson and his glass house. br / br /13. Agnes Martin br / br /14. Queen Elizabeth br / br /Of the technical details, I was most interested in her descriptions of how she put together multiple shots to appear as one image. br / br /Here are some of the many iconic images in the book: br / br /Richard Nixon leaving the White House, Washington, D.C., 1974 br /Hunter S. Thompson and George McGovern, San Francisco, 1972 br /Tom Wolfe, Florida, 1972 br /Apollo 17, the last moon shot, Cape Kennedy, Florida, 1972 br /The Rolling Stones, Philadelphia, 1975 br / br /Keith Richards, Toronto, 1977 br /Mick Jagger, Chicago, 1975 br /Mick Jagger, Buffalo, New York, 1975 br /John Lennon, New York City, 1970 br /John Lennon and Yoko Ono, New York City, December 8, 1980 br / br /Tess Gallagher, Syracuse, New York, 1980 br /Robert Penn Warren, Fairfield, Connecticut, 1980 br /Bette Midler, New York City, 1979 br /Meryl Streep, New York City, 1981 br /The Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi), Hollywood, 1979 br / br /Steve Martin, Beverly Hills, 1981 br /Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California 1984 br /Keith Haring, New York City, 1986 br /John Cleese, London, 1980 br /Andree Putnam, New York City, 1989 br / br /William Wegman and Fay Ray, New York City, 1988 br /Evander Holyfield, New York City, 1992 br /Willie Shoemaker and Wilt Chamberlain, Malibu, California, 1987 br /The Reverend Al Sharpton, PrimaDonna Beauty Care Center, Brooklyn, New York, 1988 br /Arnold Schwarzenegger, Malibu, California, 1988 br / br /Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sun Valley, Idaho, 1997 br /Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rob Besserer, Cumberland Island, Georgia, 1990 br /Mark Morris, Cumberland Island, Georgia, 1990 br /Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Paducah, Kentucky, 1988 br /Demi Moore, Culver City, California 1991 br / br /Cindy Sherman, New York City, 1992 br /Carl Lewis, Pearland, Texas, 1996 br /Sarajevo, 1993 br /Soccer Field, Sarajevo, 1993 br /Blood on a mission-school wall, Rwanda, 1994 br / br /Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Los Angeles, 1995 br /Patti Smith, New Orleans, 1978 br /Patti Smith, New York City, 1996 br /Puff Daddy and Kate Moss, Paris, 1999 br /Ben Stiller, Paris, 2001 br / br /Natalia Vodianova, Stephen Jones, and Christian Lacrois, Paris, 2003 br /Keira Knightley and Jeff Koons, Goshen, New York, 2005 br /Kirsten Dunst, Versailles, 2006 br /Cabinet Room, The White House, Washington, D.C. December 2001 br /Nicole Kidman, Charleston, East Sussex, England, 1997 br / br /Johnny Depp, New York City, 1994 br /Cate Blanchett, Los Angeles, 2004 br /Philip Johnson, Glass House, New Canaan, Connecticut, 2000 br /William S. Burroughs, Lawrence, Kansas, 1995 br /Agnes Martin, Taos, New Mexico, 1999 br / br /Marilyn Leibovitz, Clifton Point, New York, 1997 br /Sarah Cameron Leibovitz, New York City, 2002 br /Susan Sontag, Paris, 2003 br /Sharon Stone, Angelica Huston, and Diane Lane, Los Angeles, 2006 br /Kirsten Dunst, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy, Los Angeles, 2006 br / br /Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, Los Angeles, 2006 br /Helen Mirren and Kate Winslet, New York City, 2006 br /Jack Nicholson, Los Angeles, 2006 br /Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, London, 2007 (4) br /Hillary Clinton, New York City, 2003 br / br /Take a close look and enjoy! br / br / br /
A terrific introduction to the art and reflections of Annie Leibovitz November 24, 2008
Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL))
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Annie Leibovitz is a well-known photographer. The first time I came to know of her was her work with "Rolling Stone" in the early 1970s. Later, she did photography for "Vanity Fair" and Vogue." This is an interesting volume. It is not a simple compilation of her photos, a coffee table book. The photos normally have a brief essay surrounding the pictures. Of her time at "Rolling Stone," as her career began, she observes (Page 11): "Being a photographer was my life. I took pictures all the time, and pretty much everything I photographed seemed interesting." br / br /The heart of the book is photographs surrounded by her prose. One illustration is when she was designated the tour photographer for the Rolling Stoners' 1975 tour (I saw the group twice in Buffalo, NY that year--once indoors and once outdoors; what a trip!), although she also shows photos from 1977 (Catch Keith Richards lying down or with his son Marlon). She shows us several photos to give a sense of the tour. One of my favorites is Mick Jagger jumping into the air (see page 32). But it is her observations that make this an especially interesting part of the book, as she provides context for the photos. br / br /Another interesting pair of photographs look at the singer Patti Smith. One photo was taken in 1978 and took place in a very hot room, with the singer sweating profusely (page 123); the other was taken about two decades later after the death of Smith's husband. Both photos capture something telling about the singer, just as the prose adds its own part to telling the story. br / br /There are photos of Leibovitz' family, telling us something about the photographer as well as her family. On page 171, there are just four lines of her words to go with a photo of Susan Sontag, but those few lines are, for me, powerful. Another fascinating part of the book is several views of Queen Elizabeth II. The photos seem to provider a sense of this monarch that go beyond just a representation. And the prose in which the photos are embedded also add to the story. In a sense, as with other sections of this book, the prose and photos have a kind of synergistic relationship (obviously, I like the book by saying this!). The section called "The Road West" has two evocative images from Monument Valley that are most affecting. Other segments of interest: John and Yoko, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and Hollywood. br / br /This is a well done volume, wedding some exquisite photographs with the artist's reflections. The two go together well, making this a pretty compelling work. br /
Loved this book. November 24, 2008
Tammy Marcelain (Abilene, TX)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
I loved reading Annie Leibovitz At Work, it was so easy to read, very personally written. Almost like a conversation over coffee. Loved reading about Annie's inspiration and how she thinks through her images. Remarkable journey.
The stories behind the shots November 22, 2008
Jeff Foley (Mechanicville, New York United States)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
"At Work" provides a wonderful overview of Annie Leibovitz's career. And what a career it has been -- she's been on the road with the Rolling Stones, she's photographed the Queen of England, the list goes on and on. br / br /Unlike many photo/text books, this is not a how-to book. Sure, there is information on the equipment used for particular shoots, etc. That's not at all what "At Work" is about, though. Instead, it seems to be more about Ms. Leibovitz's progression as an artist. She shares the difficulties, occassional insecurities and successes she's had throughout the years. br / br /Rather than a behind-the-scenes look at the technical side of photography, "At Work" is (in my mind, at least) a behind-the-scenes examination of Ms. Leibovitz's growth as a photographer. And, while the photos are wonderful, they are not necessarily the book's focus -- they illustrate the book's stories. br / br /"At Work" is a quick read that I'm guessing I'll return to several times. I really appreciate that Ms. Leibovitz has shared the human side of high-end photography. Her journey certainly has been worth reading about, and it makes for a fantastic read.
The mind of the artist November 18, 2008
Julie Neal (Sanibel Island, Fla.)
81 out of 81 found this review helpful
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. br / br /I was right, but it's not what I expected. br / br /A better title would be "Annie Leibovitz: On Work." br / br /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. br / br /There's no dust jacket, just a paper band that wraps around the bottom. br / br /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.) br / br /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. br / br /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. br / br /I know many of these shots have been published before, but it is interesting to be able to flip from one to the other. br / br /Here's the chapter list: br / br /1. Nixon's Resignation br /2. The Rolling Stones br /3. John and Yoko br /4. Conceptual Pictures br /5. Advertising br /6. Al Sharpton br /7. Arnold Schwarzenegger br /8. Dance br /9. Demi Moore br /10. Performance br /11. Peak Performance br /12. War br /13. O.J. Simpson br /14. Impromptu br /15. Patti Smith br /16. Fashion br /17. Nudes br /18. Groups br /19. Presence and Charisma br /20. Being There br /21. My Mother br /22. Sarah br /23. Susan br /24. Hollywood br /25. The Queen br /26. The Process br /27. The Road West br /28. Equipment br /29. Ten Most-Asked Questions br /30. Publishing History
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