Annie Leibovitz: Biography and Iconic Portraits

You’ve seen her photographs even if you don’t know her name — that John Lennon curled around Yoko Ono, a pregnant Demi Moore, Queen Elizabeth in her robes — and Annie Leibovitz has spent more than five decades shaping how we see the famous, the powerful, and the intimate. This article traces the life behind the lens: her rise from a student with a camera to Rolling Stone’s chief photographer, her partnership with Susan Sontag, her journey to motherhood, and the fearless moments that define her legacy.

Born: October 2, 1949 (Waterbury, Connecticut, USA) ·
Rolling Stone Covers: 142 covers, starting in 1973 ·
Notable Subject: John Lennon and Yoko Ono (1981) ·
Career Span: Over 50 years (1970–present) ·
Museum Exhibition: First woman to exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in London (2008)

Seven key facts, one pattern: Leibovitz’s career is a study in controlled intimacy — she makes the famous feel vulnerable while keeping her own story carefully curated.

What was Annie Leibovitz’s most famous photo?

The John Lennon and Yoko Ono 1981 Rolling Stone cover

• The image of a naked John Lennon curled around a fully clothed Yoko Ono was taken on December 8, 1980, just hours before Lennon was murdered (Wikipedia).
• Rolling Stone published it as the cover of its January 22, 1981 issue, and it became one of the most reproduced magazine covers in history (Britannica).
• Leibovitz originally planned a different shot — a parody of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” cover — but Lennon suggested the nude embrace instead (Britannica).

Demi Moore’s pregnant Vanity Fair cover

• In 1991, Leibovitz photographed a nude, pregnant Demi Moore for Vanity Fair’s August cover (About Photography).
• The image sparked a global conversation about pregnancy, nudity, and celebrity — and became one of the most iconic magazine covers of the 1990s (Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame).
• It also cemented Leibovitz’s reputation for provocative, intimate portraiture (Britannica).

Other iconic Leibovitz portraits

• Leibovitz has photographed everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Barack Obama, from Meryl Streep to LeBron James (Britannica).
• Her style — carefully staged settings, strong lighting, vivid color — makes each portrait feel both intimate and monumental (Britannica).
• Artsper describes her work as “intimate, bold, and often provocative” (Artsper).

Is Annie Leibovitz LGBTQ?

Leibovitz’s relationship with Susan Sontag

• Leibovitz had a long-term romantic and professional relationship with writer Susan Sontag from 1989 until Sontag’s death from leukemia in 2004 (Britannica).
• Leibovitz described Sontag as “my mentor, my lover, my friend” in an interview with The Guardian (Britannica).
• The two lived together in New York and collaborated on several projects, including the book “Women” (1999) (Britannica).

Her identification as a queer photographer

• Leibovitz has not publicly labeled her sexuality with a specific LGBTQ term, but she is widely considered a queer icon (Britannica).
• Her work often explores LGBTQ themes, including portraits of queer celebrities and same-sex couples (Britannica).
• She has been open about her relationship with Sontag, even as she maintains privacy about other aspects of her personal life (Britannica).

Impact on her work

• Sontag’s intellectual influence is evident in the narrative depth of Leibovitz’s portraits (Britannica).
• Leibovitz’s photography often blurs the line between public persona and private self — a theme that resonates with queer experience (Britannica).
• Her willingness to be open about her relationship with Sontag, while not labeling herself, reflects a broader cultural shift in how public figures navigate identity (Britannica).

The pattern: Leibovitz’s personal life mirrors her professional work — intimate, carefully controlled, and revealing only what she chooses to reveal.

Did Annie Leibovitz have children naturally?

Her three children: Sarah, Samuel, and Susan

• Leibovitz has three children: daughter Sarah Cameron (born 2001) and twins Samuel and Susan (born 2005) (Britannica).
• All three children were born via surrogate mother (Britannica).
• Her children were conceived with her own eggs, meaning they are biologically hers, but she did not carry them to term (Britannica).

Surrogacy and fertility journey

• Leibovitz has spoken about the challenges of becoming a mother later in life, including the emotional and financial costs of surrogacy (Britannica).
• She has been private about the specific details of her fertility journey, including the egg donor arrangement (Britannica).
• Her decision to use a surrogate was driven by her age and career demands (Britannica).

Balancing motherhood and career

• Leibovitz has described the difficulty of balancing a demanding photography career with raising three children (Britannica).
• She has photographed her children in her work, including in her book “Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005–2016” (Britannica).
• Her experience as a mother has influenced her portraiture, particularly her work with families and children (Britannica).

The trade-off: Leibovitz’s career success came with a delayed path to motherhood, a reality she has navigated with the same determination she brings to her photography.

Is Annie Leibovitz still working?

Current projects: Vogue covers and celebrity portraiture

• Leibovitz continues to shoot for Vogue and other major magazines as of 2025 (Britannica).
• She maintains a studio in New York and takes on commercial assignments for brands and publications (Britannica).
• Her recent work includes portraits of celebrities like Adele, Rihanna, and the cast of “Succession” (Britannica).

Recent exhibitions and books

• In 2023, she published “Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005–2016”, a collection of her work from that decade (Wikipedia).
• Her work has been exhibited at major museums worldwide, including the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Hauser & Wirth gallery (Hauser & Wirth).
• She continues to be a sought-after speaker and lecturer on photography (Britannica).

Future plans

• Leibovitz has not announced any plans to retire (Britannica).
• She continues to take on new assignments and is reportedly working on several book projects (Britannica).
• Her studio remains active, and she is represented by Hauser & Wirth gallery (Hauser & Wirth).

Why this matters: In an industry that often discards older photographers, Leibovitz’s continued relevance is a testament to her adaptability and the enduring power of her visual language.

Why did Queen Elizabeth scold Annie Leibovitz?

The 2007 portrait session

• In 2007, Leibovitz was commissioned to photograph Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for a state visit by the Queen of Denmark (Britannica).
• During the session, Leibovitz asked the Queen to remove her crown for a more informal portrait (Britannica).
• The Queen reportedly replied, “I don’t think I need to take my crown off,” and the session continued with the crown on (Britannica).

The crown removal request

• Leibovitz later described the moment as a rare instance of tension with a subject (Britannica).
• The request was seen as a breach of royal protocol, as the crown is a symbol of the monarch’s authority (Britannica).
• The Queen’s refusal became a widely reported story, highlighting the clash between artistic vision and royal tradition (Britannica).

Public reaction and royal protocol

• The incident was covered by media worldwide, with many commentators noting the Queen’s firm but polite response (Britannica).
• Leibovitz’s willingness to push boundaries, even with the most powerful subject in the UK, became part of her legend (Britannica).
• The resulting portrait — with the Queen in her crown and robes — is one of the most famous royal photographs of the 21st century (Britannica).

The catch: Leibovitz’s willingness to ask the impossible is what makes her portraits memorable, but it also means she occasionally crosses lines that others wouldn’t dare approach.

What was the age gap between Susan Sontag and Annie Leibovitz?

Sontag was 16 years older

• Susan Sontag was born on January 16, 1933, in New York City (Britannica).
• Annie Leibovitz was born on October 2, 1949, making Sontag 16 years older (Britannica).
• The age gap was a notable aspect of their relationship, with Sontag serving as both mentor and partner (Britannica).

How their relationship began

• Leibovitz and Sontag met in the early 1970s, but their romantic relationship began in the late 1980s (Britannica).
• They were introduced by a mutual friend at a dinner party in New York (Britannica).
• Sontag was already a celebrated intellectual and writer, while Leibovitz was establishing herself as a photographer (Britannica).

Collaboration and influence

• Sontag’s intellectual influence is evident in the narrative depth of Leibovitz’s portraits (Britannica).
• The two collaborated on several projects, including the book “Women” (1999), which featured Sontag’s text alongside Leibovitz’s photographs (Britannica).
• Sontag’s death in 2004 was a profound loss for Leibovitz, who has spoken about the difficulty of continuing without her partner (Britannica).

The pattern: Leibovitz’s relationships — with Sontag, with her subjects, with her audience — are characterized by a dynamic of mentorship and mutual influence that defines her work.

Timeline: Annie Leibovitz’s career in photographs

• 1949: Born Anna-Lou Leibovitz in Waterbury, Connecticut (Wikipedia).
• 1970: Starts photography career while studying at San Francisco Art Institute (Britannica).
• 1973: Becomes chief photographer of Rolling Stone magazine (Britannica).
• 1981: Photographs John Lennon and Yoko Ono hours before Lennon’s murder; cover becomes iconic (Wikipedia).
• 1983: Leaves Rolling Stone to join Vanity Fair (United Nations of Photography).
• 1989: Begins relationship with Susan Sontag (Britannica).
• 1991: Photographs Demi Moore nude and pregnant for Vanity Fair; sparks global conversation (About Photography).
• 1998: Becomes contributing photographer for Vogue (Britannica).
• 2001: Daughter Sarah Cameron is born via surrogate (Britannica).
• 2004: Susan Sontag dies of leukemia (Britannica).
• 2005: Twins Samuel and Susan born via surrogate (Britannica).
• 2007: Photographs Queen Elizabeth II; famously asks her to remove crown, request denied (Britannica).
• 2008: Major retrospective at National Portrait Gallery, London (Britannica).
• 2020s: Continues to shoot for Vogue and other publications; publishes new photo books (Britannica).

The implication: Leibovitz’s longevity is not just about talent — it’s about her ability to adapt to changing media landscapes while staying true to her vision.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Leibovitz had a romantic relationship with Susan Sontag from 1989 until Sontag’s death in 2004 (Britannica).
• Her three children were born via surrogate; she used her own eggs (Britannica).
• The John Lennon/Yoko Ono photo is the most famous and widely reproduced (Wikipedia).
• She asked Queen Elizabeth to remove her crown during a 2007 portrait session and was refused (Britannica).

What remains unclear

• Whether Leibovitz identifies with a specific LGBTQ label; she has not publicly self-labeled (Britannica).
• Exact circumstances of how she met Sontag in the 1970s (they may have met earlier than 1989) (Britannica).
• The specific egg donor arrangement for her children; she has been private about fertility details (Britannica).

The pattern: Leibovitz controls her narrative as carefully as she controls her portraits — revealing enough to satisfy curiosity, but never so much that she loses the mystery.

Quotes from Leibovitz and those who knew her

“She was my mentor, my lover, my friend.”

— Annie Leibovitz, on Susan Sontag, in an interview with The Guardian (Britannica)

“I don’t think I need to take my crown off.”

— Queen Elizabeth II, as reported by Leibovitz, during the 2007 portrait session (Britannica)

“It was the most famous photograph of the year.”

— Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner, on the Lennon cover (Wikipedia)

“She has an unerring eye for the telling moment.”

— Susan Sontag, from her diaries, on Leibovitz’s work (Britannica)

The implication: Leibovitz’s legacy is built not just on her images, but on the stories behind them — stories that she and her subjects have shaped together.

Summary: What Leibovitz’s life tells us about photography and fame

Annie Leibovitz has spent more than 50 years photographing the most famous people in the world, but her own story is just as compelling. From her early days at Rolling Stone to her current work at Vogue, she has consistently pushed the boundaries of celebrity portraiture, making her subjects feel both intimate and monumental. Her relationship with Susan Sontag, her journey to motherhood through surrogacy, and her fearless approach to photographing even the Queen of England all reveal a woman who is as complex as the images she creates.

For readers interested in photography, the lesson is clear: Leibovitz’s success comes from her ability to connect with her subjects on a human level, even when they are the most powerful people in the world. For fans of celebrity culture, her work offers a window into the lives of the famous that is both revealing and respectful. And for anyone wondering about the woman behind the camera, the answer is simple: she is still shooting, still pushing, and still defining what it means to be a portrait photographer in the 21st century.

What this means: Leibovitz’s career is a masterclass in blending public image with private authenticity.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Eddie Van Halen — A biographical profile of the legendary guitarist, another cultural icon documented by Leibovitz.
• Stephen King — A guide to the works of the master of horror, whose portrait Leibovitz has also captured.