Annie Leibovitz documentary on American public television

[stevme]

Public broadcasting is showing a terrific 1 1/2 hour documentary on Annie Leibovitz, tracing her career from her early days with Rolling Stone, with plenty of great images -- which are good even at the reduced resolution of broadcast television. You can even see her using her M6, I think it is.

You can find a discussion of the program here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmast...ibovitz_a.html

Steve

[abrewer]

Thanks for the info Steve.

1AM tonight here in Indy...

Where is that TIVO manual???



Thanks.

Allan

[grober]

Saw the lead-in for this quite by accident last night on our local NPR station. I then watched the entire program without moving once from my perch. It's very well done. If you watch the credits at the end, I believe one of her sisters had a major hand in the production. If that's true, it's nice to see her family applaud and highlight her talent and great success.

I knew nothing of her briefly mentioned drug use whilst she was an acolyte and photographer to many of the famous rock stars of the past. Great to learn that her family coaxed her into professional assistance which was helpful in motivating her to kick what would surely have been a fatal addiction.

You'll see her use a black M camera (with motor drive) on several available light shoots. And was that an old Leicaflex as seen in one fleeting historical clip from her past?

-g

[LJL]

Agree with grober here. I too was "riveted" once I turned it on. It just seemed too short. So much great material, shots, backstories and narrative. Really well done, but wished there was even more. I have been a big fan of hers from that first Rolling Stone cover, and felt this documentary did a very nice job trying to hit the high spots and also peek a bit more into Annie the person.

Lots of great camera action and very good coverage of the actual shoots. Well worth one's time to watch and enjoy one of the great photographers of our time for sure.

LJ

[arthury]

Thanks!
Looks like there's also a separate Robert Capa story as well in the PBS schedule.

[garyp]

As they say: check your local station - this was shown in Nasville last Wednesday the 3rd.
Her early work, to me, is far better than her current VF studio productions.

[johnwolf]

Since we're on the topic of photographer documentaries, I can't help but mention the best I've seen. In "War Photographer" Christian Frei's team follows James Nachtwey for three years.

Nachtwey doesn't shoot Leica--at least not in the film--but it really shows the most powerful potential of photography, IMO. Think Mother Teresa with a camera.

I saw the film during the "Concerned Photographer" exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, but the DVD is now widely available. It really makes you question where you're headed with your own work (and life).

John

[stevme]

I recorded the whole thing on TIVO. Unfortunately, I don't think there is any legal way to share this . Perhaps PBS will make a tape or DVD available for sale, since the documentary is of interest to photographers, but also to those with an interest in US social history. Thanks for the tip on War Photographer.

Steve

[garyp]

You can pre-order now on Amazon; don't remember the release date.

[WPalank]

Steve,
Thanks for the heads up as I would probably have missed it. I just watched it tonight after my DVR taped it at 1AM in the morning. I have just e-mailed 3 friends telling them that it is the best thing that they can do for their photography this year. Amazing!
Cheers,
bill

[peterb]

The show was really cool. It was produced by Annie's sister and it really gives an insight into her growth and development in conceptual portraiture as well as the journey through the various media who wanted her images to adorn their pages.

As for the equipment...yes friends she is seen in some scenes using an M6 with what sounded like an auto-winder (gzzzk gzzzk gzzzk) which threw me considering the base wasn't all that much deeper than usual (it couldn't be the M8 could it?).

But primarily her weapon of choice is the Mamiya MF which when you consider her concepts she really needed it.

P

[johnwolf]

The show is not listed in my local (Chicago) PBS schedule. I'll try to find in on DVD.

I looked at here new book in the bookstore the other day. I must say I was uncomfortable with many of the images of Susan Sontag. I'm all for honesty and truth in photography, and I'm sure Liebowitz's heart is in the right place, but I dont' understand her choices. The pictures seem exploitive to me, and not a proper public legacy of a great woman and writer.

John

[glenerrolrd]

Originally Posted by stevme

Public broadcasting is showing a terrific 1 1/2 hour documentary on Annie Leibovitz, tracing her career from her early days with Rolling Stone, with plenty of great images -- which are good even at the reduced resolution of broadcast television. You can even see her using her M6, I think it is.

You can find a discussion of the program here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmast...ibovitz_a.html

Steve

Thanks for bringing this to my attention..great show ..

[abrewer]

I meant to post earlier, as I did end up sitting through the show until 2:30AM here and getting to work late the next day.

Her early work is true photojournalism to my mind. She's shooting M's for the most part and her sister even remarks on her debt to Bresson and the small camera revolution.

What is telling to me, though, is throughout the program she continues to fall back on the Leica: shooting Baryshnikov when it's obvious both are fully into middle-age...shooting her kids at a picnic table even up to today...she's a lifer.

I hope everyone here gets a chance to see it. It's really interesting, particularly with regard to how theatrical how technique has become to accomodate her publisher's needs.

Thanks.

Allan

Originally Posted by johnwolf

The show is not listed in my local (Chicago) PBS schedule.

The documentary was on show in the Chicago area in the middle of the night (around 4am) on both 4 and 5 January. Thanks to my usual jet lag I was able to watch it twice

[dhsimmonds]

Originally Posted by abrewer

Her early work is true photojournalism to my mind. She's shooting M's for the most part and her sister even remarks on her debt to Bresson and the small camera revolution.


Allan

Seeing this I guess most forum members have already seen the Charlie Rose interview with Henri Cartier-Bresson in 2000, if not try this google link:
Charlie Rose - HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON - Google Video