Friday, March 12, 2010

Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey: A Comparison

Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey have both captured the world through their lenses in exciting and groundbreaking ways. For them, photography is a way of life. James has never married or had children, and Annie once described her dedication as a "life through a lens." But the differences between their styles is striking: one inspires through creativity, and the other observes the world as it happens. Their realms of experience are as diverse as can be, nearly.  Both have incredible talent, and seem to have had a calling to practice photography.

         
                                  Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz                                                 James Nachtwey
          (borrowed from http://fataculture.wordpress.com/tag/weekend-attractions/)          (http://look3.org/exhibits/gallery-exhibits/)

Let's start first by comparing their biographies. Leibovitz was born in 1949, and Nachtwey was born in 1948. They both studied art in college: Annie studied painting but found her interests in photography soon thereafter. James Nachtwey studied Art History and soon after decided to dedicate his life to the documentation of war and its effects on the common people of the world.

Where Leibovitz would take control, Natchwey would rather let events unfold naturally. He has photographed war and war atrocities from Sudan to Indonesia.  The grievous nature of his work is exemplified by his website, http://www.jamesnachtwey.com — a simple gray background, with a large quote prominently displayed, stating

"I have been a witness, and these pictures are
my testimony. The events I have recorded should
not be forgotten and must not be repeated."


Annie has worked for The Rolling Stones Magazine and Vanity Fair, among others, and has kept a good deal of control over her images. However, both photographers stress becoming a part of the scene and communing with their subjects. Rapport is vital to a good photograph. Annie, though, wouldn't be hesitant to recommend a different pose, or to change the lighting or location slightly to suit her needs for the picture. It is her attention to detail and deep consideration of her ideas that has made her so successful, in my opinion. Just take a look at some of the portrait work she's done over the years.

(http://teresalamarquesa.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/annie-leibovitz/)           (http://www.charitybuzz.com/celebrities/12/catalog_items/79843)

Her work captures people and exemplifies personalities in such a powerful and moving way. And the scenes look very relaxed and natural usually, despite being heavily planned.

James Nachtwey works quite the opposite way, and prefers to get close to the action without interfering. He becomes a seamless part of the scene and gives a world voice to those who might not otherwise have one. His work is primarily in Black and White, and always strikes me as being very clear and monumental.

And to me, his pictures always require a caption because the story behind the photo is so important. For Leibovitz photos, the picture often stands for itself because the explanation isn't necessarily historically significant or the subjects are celebrities and thus in the common knowledge.

Rwanda, 1994 - Survivor of Hutu death camp.
(http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/)

Chechnya, 1996 - Chechen rebel fighting along the front line against the Russian army.
(http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/)

Both photographers have put themselves in harm's way, but to me Nachtwey seems moreso in his pursuits, to me. He lives simply and has literally seen fellow photographers be shot and killed next to him while on the front lines of some skirmish or uprising. Leibovitz traveled with the Rolling Stones and participated in their partying - drugs, and the like - but I haven't read anything about her covering war.

I could keep going on, but I will suffice it at that. The images produced by Leibovitz capture your imagination, excite you, and inspire in you something great and fantastic. Her portraits are sometimes dark and can also show you the deeper side of people's lives. In her early years she captured many important images, including the one of John Lennon hours before his death.
Nachtwey's images reveal a world torn by war, but he remains uncynical in his thinking - he believes we can do better in this world than we are. His images, to me, are meant as a call to action, a realization of the terrible poverty that still exists in this world that many are not exposed to themselves. If you don't know what's happening in the world, then how can you change it?
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Addendum: 3/31/10

As visual anthropologists, we can learn much from the work of Annie and James. While much of Annie's work is guided by her hand, she manages to capture the essence of the person being photographed. It is with her suggestions and advice that the subject can express themselves in front of the camera. Often, people put on a "camera face" or similar false personality in front of the camera. It is up to the photographer to ease the subject out of that false personality and reveal the true person underneath. James Nachtwey's work is very in-the-moment and striking. From him, we can learn to be at the center of the action and not be hesitant about photographing what we see. Also, we know that Nacthwey talks to his subjects about his work and establishes a rapport with them. By speaking to your subject and getting to know them better, you will put them at ease and they will understand your reasons for photographing them. They will begin to relax and treat you less like an outsider. By understanding your subject, likewise, you will be able to photograph them better by knowing where to take them, how to pose, etc. It becomes a two-way street - a communication between photographer and subject.

That's it and good luck!




Tyler