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Born
Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz is born in Waterbury, Connecticut to her parents Samuel and Marilyn, a llieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a dance teacher, respectively. She was the third of six children, but because her father was in the military, the Leibovitz family moved around a lot while Annie was growing up. -
Became a student at the San Francisco Art Institute
Leibovitz attended college at the San Francisco Art Institute where she studied painting. A trip to Japan with her mother during her sophomore year in college is what sparked her interest in photography. Without this trip, Leibovitz's life could have looked differently than how it appears on this timeline today. -
Assignment in Isreal
Although not a practicing Jewish woman, Leibovitz travels to Isreal and lives on a kibbutz in order to work on an assignment about “family” for the art institute. Not only did she practice and further her Hebrew, but she claims that it helped her learn more discipline. Upon her return, Leibovitz submited her portfolio to Rolling Stone. -
Starts working for Rolling Stone
Shortly after working for the Rolling Stone, the first cover photo Leibovitz had was one she took of John Lennon. It ran on the cover on January, 21, 1971. This was the first of many photos that Leibovitz took of Lennon in a 10 year period leading up to Lennon's death in 1980. -
Named Rolling Stone's Chief Photographer
At the age of 23, Leibovitz becomes the chief photographer for Rolling Stone only two years after she started. Over the next 8 years, Leibovitz photographed big-name celebrities like John Lennon, Meryl Streep, Stevie Wonder, etc., with many of her photographs being featured on the cover. Leibovitz's time at the Rolling Stone was when she began to develop her signature style using high color. -
Tours with the Rolling Stones in order to photograph them
After being with the band in San Francisco in 1971 and 1972, Mick Jagger invited Annie Liebovitz to tour with the Rolling Stones in 1975. Over the following years, Leibovitz captured many intimate moments with the band, but also got into drug usage, which almost altered her career. -
Takes photo of John Lennon
Leibovitz takes this photo of a naked Jon Lennon wrapped around a clothed Yoko only hours before he died. The poloroid photograph was used for the cover of the Rolling Stone's as a tribute to John Lennon. The American Society of Magazine Editors chose it ase the top cover of the past 40 years in 2005. -
Starts working for Vanity Fair
Behind the Scenes of a Leibovitz Vanity Fair shoot Leibovitz begins to work for Vanity Fair. She's photographed a number of celebrities for the magazine's cover. -
First book published
Her first book, Annie Leibovitz: Photographs is published and showcases work from her first 15 years of photographing. All of the photographs are celebirty portraits, which is what comes to define her career. -
Photographer of the Year
Leibovitz wins Photographer of the Year, 1984. -
Creates American Express' "Portraits" campaign
Leibovitz photographed celebrities for the campaign and her work later won her a Clio in 1987. -
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. runs a solo exhibit on Leibovitz in 1991. She is only the second living portraitist to exhibit there. -
1996 Summer Olympics
Leibovitz is the official photographer for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. -
Starts working for Vogue
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Publishes "Women" book
It's a set of pictures that captures women changing, aging, working, as Susan Sontag says, a very American project, generous, ardent, open ended. It's for us to decide, she says, what to make of these pictures. And according to NPR's Linda Wertheimer the most powerful part of the collection is the amount of diversity Leibovitz included. -
Annie Leibovitz is awarded the title "Living Legend"
The Living Legend award is given by the Library of Congress to people that "have enabled them to provide examples of personal excellence that have benefited others and enriched the nation in a variety of ways." -
Becomes Commandeur of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Its purpose is the recognition of significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields. The award was created on May 2, 1957 by the French Minister of Culture. Leibovitz won the award for her work influencial role in documenting life and pop culture. -
Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life, 1990–2005
This was an exhibit housed by the Brooklyn Museum from Oct. 20, 2006 to Jan. 21, 2007. The exhibit showcased over 200 pictures from Leibovitz's life's work thus far, which included photographs of Susan Sontag, Leibovitz's companion of 15 years. “I forced myself to take pictures of Susan’s last days,” Leibovitz says in an introduction, as if by way of answer. “I didn’t analyze it then. I just knew I had to do it.” -
Photographs 15-year-old Miley Cyrus
This photo was highly controversial; Leibovitz posed Cyrus like this and said that she felt like it was a step toward transitioning Cyrus to a more mature profile. At the time this many of Cyrus's fans were young and this photograph did not make her out to be a positive role model. Looking at it know, however many would consider this one of Cyrus's tamer stunts. -
Sued in State Supreme Court for nonpayment of $24 million "loan"
The New York Times reported "Friends and colleagues said that despite her many successes, Ms. Leibovitz has been shadowed by a long history of less than careful financial dealings. " This lawsuit suprised many people in the photography community. -
Publishes photo book “Pilgrimage”
This book took Leibovitz about two years to complete and when it was released many viewers were diappointed by it. The photographs are of objects that are somehow historically significant. Many critics felt the descriptions of the items were more exciting than the photographs. Many also felt the photographs lacked the creativity that Leibovitz often brings to her celebirty portrature.
