She may be one of the most famous, beloved photographers of the 20th and 21st century and therefore may be thought of as a boring and obvious choice, but Annie Leibovitz has always provided me with copious amounts of inspiration.
Leibovitz was born on October 2, 1949 in Waterbury, Connecticut. She attended the San Francisco Art Institute, where she majored in painting. Her father was in th
e Air Force and while stationed in the Philippines, Leibovitz began her first foray into photography and honed her skills for several years afterwards. Leibovitz started working with Rolling Stone magazine shortly after it launched in 1970. In 1973 she was named chief photographer of the magazine and continued to work for the magazine until 1983. Leibovitz's early photographs of musicians and celebrities alike, which showcased a very intimate side of her subjects, is what later on defined the photographic style that Rolling Stone magazine would later become known for. After leaving Rolling Stone, Leibovitz went on to work for Vanity Fair, Vogue and other publications.The central theme of her work has always been intimate portraiture with creative use of environment and props to bring out and enhance her subject's qualities and personalities.
But aside from portraits of the actual subject, she has also indulged in multi-person portraits of celebrities acting a part in several different themed spreads for Vanity Fair. For example, her fashion spread for Vanity Fair magazine titled "Killers Kill, Dead Men Die."
I was unable to find information on whether Leibovitz has a particular gallery or museum that represents her but she's had her work shown at several establishments, including The Corcoran Museum in Washington D.C.
Here is a link to an interview with Leibovitz on NPR's "All Things Considered."
