Annie Leibovitz is an American portrait photographer known for her work photographing celebrities. Some of her most famous photos include her portrait of John Lennon taken on the day he was murdered and many album covers. She became the first woman to hold an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 1991. The document then provides analyses of 5 celebrity portraits by Annie Leibovitz, describing the photographic techniques, composition, and symbolic meanings conveyed in each image.

1. Annie Leibovitz
Portrait Photographer

2. Biography
Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz is an American
portrait photographer. She photographed John
Lennon on the day he was murdered, and her
work has been used on numerous album
covers and magazines. She became the first
woman to hold an exhibition at Washington's
National Portrait Gallery in 1991.

3. Photo Analysis

4. Photo 1
Photography Category:
Celebrity photography.
Purpose:
The purpose this photo is to show Meryl Streep's face.
Image Content and Meaning:
This image is of Meryl Streep, it is a close up portrait to emphasize her
face which uses a short depth of field and lighting that is subtle and
soft. The first thing I notice in this image is the models make up and her
eyes. Her face has been painted white and her eyes have been made
darker in order to draw the viewer in and emphasize her eyes. The
next thing I notice is how the model is pulling her face which creates a
sense of illusion and also gives the impression it is some kind of visual
metaphor. It could represent how the model is adaptable to all the
different roles that she plays as an actress. The image could also be
telling a story and symbolising the real Meryl Streep as she is pulling
the mask away. The background is dark and simple and the models
shirt is also plain which makes her stand out more to the viewer as the
rest of the image isn't distracting. Artificial lighting is used in the
photograph as it is taken in a studio rather than outside. This photo
gives connotations of mental health as Meryl Streep is shown to be
removing a mask on her face.

5. Photo 2
Photography Category:
Celebrity photography.
Purpose:
The purpose this photo is to show Leonardo DiCaprio.
Image Content and Meaning:
This image is a portrait of Leonardo Dicaprio, the first thing I notice in
this image is the model holding a swan which has wrapped itself
around his neck like a scarf. It stands out clearly due to the contrast of
colours as the background of the image and the models jumper are
very dark compared to the swan. The background is also simple and
has a narrow depth of field which doesn't distract the viewer and helps
them focus on the swan. You notice straight away that the artist has
followed the rule of thirds as the models face and whole body lines up
with the intersection points, drawing your attention to the subjects
face and eyes. The left side of the image has also intentionally been
blurred whereas the right side hasn't in order to draw the viewer's
attention to the model. Very bright harsher lighting has been used
which in turn actually softens the whole image. This gives
connotations of Leonardo being soft and gentle like the swan who is
used as an accessory in the image.

6. Photo 3
Photography Category:
Celebrity photography.
Purpose:
The purpose this photo is to show the woman in the photographs facial
expressions.
Image Content and Meaning:
These images are portrait style of Care Blanchett, where the lighting in
the image is quite harsh in both images. The first thing that stands out
in this image are the two different facial expressions that are being
pulled which remind me of the comedy and tragedy masks. The 2
different faces show two different emotions and personalities and
symbolises the different roles Cate can play. The background has been
kept simple and a broad depth of field has been used so the viewer
keeps their focus on the model. The colours in the image are black and
white which adds contrast and tones to the image and also give the
image a different feel to them, where there is more drama going on
compared to if the images were in colour. Artificial lighting is used in
the photograph as it is taken in a studio rather than outside. This photo
gives connotations of mental health as it shows the same woman with
opposing facial expressions.

7. Photo 4
Photography Category:
Celebrity photography.
Purpose:
The purpose this photo is to show Angelina Jolie.
Image Content and Meaning:
This image is a mid shot of Angelina Jolie which uses no colour.
Due to the fact that the actress is wearing dark clothing and
has dark hair, the white of her face and hand stand out against
the black background. The image uses rule of thirds as the
models face is on the right of the image. The photo also
features direct address as the model is looking directly at the
camera. Artificial lighting is used in the photograph as it is
taken in a studio rather than outside. The model in the image
has a very relaxed facial expression and is leaning her head on
her hand. This photo gives connotations of simplicity as it
features only the model who is wearing black clothing to blend
in with the black of the background.

8. Photo 5
Photography Category:
Celebrity photography.
Purpose:
The purpose this photo is to show Russell Brand as Captain Hook from
Peter Pan.
Image Content and Meaning:
The image features Russell Brand in a landscape image set in a cave. In
the photo Russell Brand is wearing red pants, a white shirt, a red coat,
and is holding a sword and a hook. His costume can easily be
recognised as Captain Hook’s costume from Peter Pan. Russell Brand
is also shown to be standing on a crocodile which is another well
known symbol from the movie Peter Pan. The lighting in the image is
coming from behind the model which is shown to be the opening of the
cave in which the image is set. The model in the image is shown to be
trying to escape from the crocodile and fight it off with his sword in a
similar way to how Captain Hook does in the movie. He is also wearing
natural makeup in the shot. The props in the shot include the crocodile,
the hook and the sword. Each prop is there to make the character
more recognisable as Captain Hook. This photo gives connotations of
danger as Russell Brand is shown to be balancing on a crocodile,
however because of his pose there are also connotations of comedy to
reflect that he is a famous comedian.