Annie Leibovitz: Famous Photos, Life, and Controversies

Annie Leibovitz defines an era through her lens, with more than 140 Rolling Stone covers and portraits from John Lennon to Queen Elizabeth II. This article examines the woman behind the camera, her iconic images, and her personal life.

Born: October 2, 1949, Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S. · Years active: 1970–present · Rolling Stone covers: Over 140 · Famous subjects: John Lennon, Queen Elizabeth II, Madonna, Demi Moore · Notable award: Royal Photographic Society Progress Medal

Seven key facts about Annie Leibovitz reveal one pattern: her career spans multiple eras of pop culture.

Why Is Annie Leibovitz So Famous?

Her Role at Rolling Stone

Leibovitz started working for Rolling Stone in 1970, just two years after the magazine’s founding. By 1973, at age 24, she became the publication’s chief photographer — the first woman to hold that role (Britannica). Over the next decade she shot more than 140 covers, capturing musicians on tour, backstage, and in candid moments that defined the rock-and-roll aesthetic of the 1970s (About Photography).

Iconic Celebrity Portraits

Her images go beyond conventional celebrity photography. The portrait of a nude John Lennon curled around a fully clothed Yoko Ono, taken on December 8, 1980, became an instant cultural artifact when Lennon was murdered just hours later (Singulart). That photograph has been reproduced, referenced, and analyzed more than almost any other celebrity image of the 20th century.

Influence on Portrait Photography

Leibovitz’s style — carefully staged, superbly lit, rich in color and narrative — changed how magazines approach celebrity portraiture. The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame notes that her work “redefined the art of the celebrity portrait.” She moved from Rolling Stone to Vanity Fair in 1983, and later shot for Vogue, expanding her range to include world leaders, athletes, and royalty (About Photography).

The pattern: her ability to merge intimacy with celebrity redefined portrait photography.

What Is Annie Leibovitz’s Most Famous Photo?

The John Lennon and Yoko Ono Photograph

The image of Lennon and Ono, taken in their apartment at the Dakota building, ranks as Leibovitz’s most recognized work. It was commissioned for a Rolling Stone cover and shot in a swift session that produced several frames. Of those, the one with Lennon naked and curled around Ono — who is fully clothed in black — became the image the world remembers (Singulart).

The Queen Elizabeth Photograph

In 2007, Leibovitz photographed Queen Elizabeth II for a state visit portrait. During the session, she asked the Queen to remove her crown to achieve a more informal look — a request that reportedly displeased the monarch. The resulting photograph, which shows the Queen in full regalia but without the crown, was later described by palace insiders as “not appropriate” but was ultimately approved for release (Singulart).

Other Contenders: Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg

Two other Leibovitz images sparked significant conversation. Her 1991 Vanity Fair cover of a naked, pregnant Demi Moore was both celebrated and condemned for breaking taboos around pregnancy and nudity. In 1984, her portrait of Whoopi Goldberg submerged in a bathtub of milk became another hallmark of her ability to blend surrealism with celebrity (Singulart).

The implication: controversy often accompanies the most memorable portraits.

Is Annie Leibovitz LGBTQ?

Her Relationship with Susan Sontag

Leibovitz met writer and critic Susan Sontag in the late 1980s. The two developed a deep, decades-long bond that included living together and traveling. While many observers assumed a romantic relationship, neither woman publicly confirmed its exact nature (Britannica).

Public Statements on Sexual Orientation

Leibovitz has declined to label her sexuality in interviews. She has said that she doesn’t believe in announcing one’s sexual orientation, preferring to let her work speak for itself. She has three daughters, all born via surrogate, but has never publicly identified as lesbian, bisexual, or queer (Wikipedia).

The implication: Leibovitz represents a generation of public figures who lived openly without labels. For many in the LGBTQ community, her relationship with Sontag is seen as a quiet but significant example of queer visibility in the arts.

Were Annie Leibovitz and Susan Sontag Lovers?

The Nature of Their Relationship

Leibovitz and Sontag met in the late 1980s, when Sontag was already a towering cultural critic. They collaborated professionally — Sontag wrote text for Leibovitz’s book Women — and lived together for stretches. After Sontag’s death from leukemia in 2004, Leibovitz spoke of her as “my best friend” but never confirmed a romantic involvement (Britannica).

Impact on Leibovitz’s Work

Sontag’s influence on Leibovitz’s photography is widely noted. The book Pilgrimage, a deeply personal project shot between 2009 and 2011, is seen by many critics as a response to Sontag’s death — a journey through places and objects that held meaning for both of them (Hamiltons Gallery).

The pattern: their relationship remains one of the most fascinating ambiguities in Leibovitz’s biography. Whether romantic or platonic, the emotional intensity is unmistakable in her later work.

How Many Children Does Annie Leibovitz Have?

Her Daughters: Sarah, Susan, and Samuelle

Leibovitz has three daughters. The oldest, Sarah, was born in 2001. Susan, born in 2005, was named after Susan Sontag. The youngest, Samuelle, was born in 2008 (Wikipedia).

The Role of Surrogacy

All three children were conceived through surrogacy. Leibovitz has spoken about the process as a deliberate choice made later in life after her relationship with Sontag ended and she felt ready to become a mother. She has described motherhood as “the best thing that ever happened to me” (Wiser Than Me).

Why this matters: Leibovitz broke another mold by building a family on her own terms, without a partner, at a time when single motherhood by choice was still unusual in the public eye.

Timeline: Annie Leibovitz’s Career in Key Dates

Ten milestones trace Leibovitz’s evolution from Rolling Stone intern to cultural icon.

These milestones show a career that continually evolved while maintaining a distinct visual signature.

Quotes That Frame the Artist

It was just one of those things that happened. I didn’t mean any offense.

— Annie Leibovitz, on the Queen Elizabeth crown incident, as reported by Singulart

She was described as ‘married to her camera’ and ascetic about her personal life.

— Profile in Wiser Than Me

For aspiring portrait photographers, the trade-off is clear: capturing iconic images often means navigating personal boundaries. Those who succeed, like Leibovitz, treat each subject as a collaborator rather than a prop — and the result is an intimacy that cannot be staged.

Related reading

• Beatrix Potter: Biography, Facts, and Kate Middleton Connection
• Joan Crawford: Death, Feuds, and Enduring Legacy

For a deeper look into her career and most celebrated work, see Annie Leibovitzs biography and famous photos.

Frequently asked questions

Annie Leibovitz remains a defining force in portrait photography, shaping how we see celebrity and power through her lens.