Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is most famous for her long tenures shooting iconic covers for both Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. She was the chief photographer for Rolling Stone for 10 years, famously shooting the final portrait of John Lennon hours before his death in 1980. She later moved to Vanity Fair, where she established her highly theatrical, grand-scale celebrity portrait style.

Her most famous photograph is the image of a naked John Lennon curled up in a fetal position against a fully clothed Yoko Ono. The photo was taken on December 8, 1980, just hours before Lennon was assassinated outside the Dakota apartment building. The intimate, vulnerable pose was reportedly inspired by the cover of the couple's album Double Fantasy.

Yes, Leibovitz was commissioned by Disney to shoot the Disney Dream Portrait Series starting in 2007. The massive advertising campaign featured A-list celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Beyoncé, and David Beckham dressed up as famous Disney characters. These elaborate images were used extensively in print magazines and on massive billboards to promote Disney Parks.

Leibovitz is renowned for her elaborate, highly theatrical staging, often using extensive props, dramatic lighting, and customized sets rather than capturing candid moments. She works closely with her celebrity subjects to create a visual narrative that reflects their public persona or a specific artistic concept. This meticulous planning and staging have resulted in some of the most recognizable pop-culture images of the last 50 years.