Annie to get the Ansel treatment

[Peter De Smidt]

... in my assisting days I worked for photographers just as famous as her as well as non famous photographers and ALL of them have the pressure on them to get a shoot done properly. Some people managed to maintain civility and respect for their assistants, some were abusive.

Speaking as someone who spent two years being a full-time assistant, I couldn't agree more.

[Greg Miller]

he 1. learned nothing about photography from her

He was there to work; she ain't a college.

I don't think many assistants do the job as their end game. Most are assisting with the expectation of learning what it takes to be a photographer and run a photography business in the real world , so that some day they can stop assisting and actually be the photographer.

[D. Bryant]

Irving Penn was a true gentleman and just shows that you don't have to be a bitch to succeed. As for AL's vision, do you really think that a magazine or ad agency just lets her wing it? There are ADs, CDs , GDs, editors, etc on the set. And in most cases the concept for the image was determined well in advance and not necessarily by her.

The subject at hand isn't Irving Penn, rather Annie Liebovitz.

Her vision and drive got her to the party. Annie has a large input on the shoots, her imagination and creativity go into the work she produces. She is more than a camera operator. Sure she depends on a lot of other people but she has too and so does anyone else at that level. And if she is a bitch that's just part of her style and personality.

Her assistants aren't making minimum wage. And if someone loaded the wrong film then they should be fired, IMO. When you are working at that level those kinds of mistakes can't be tolerated.

But I think she shoots mostly digital on assignment. She did PRESBO with a Leica S2.


Don Bryant

[Jim Ewins]

Photographers can be as arrogant as real artists

[John Kasaian]

Well, I'm glad she's got the wieght of financial doomm off her back. Thats a terrible thing for anyone to have to deal with. If the media coverage is accurate, I should have learned something about her that would perhaps make her photography more interesting, since I'd know more about where she's coming from, but I haven't.

[William McEwen]

Annie's best work is her intimate low-key stuff. The stuff shot with one camera and one lens and one film.

The big production shoots are over the top and boring.

[MIke Sherck]

Congratulations to her for this. Ansel was way old when he finally got a business manager with the smarts to make his images and personal image pay off big. He deserved every penny of it.

Annie does as well. More power to her if she makes it even bigger, pays all off and continues her success.

It can only help photographers and photography in general.

That was kind of my thought as well, but she's 60. Even these days, that isn't a spring chicken. Ansel's ascent to popular culture icon had a very widespread effect on art photography; perhaps if Annie turns lovable it'll have a similar effect?

Actually, I don't think it'll work out that way. It doesn't seem to be her personality. It will be interesting, though, to see what happens next.

Mike

[Photojeep]

Yes, I agree that assistants are there to work and be paid for their efforts. But there is also an implied agreement that some sort of teaching will occur. Having said that, I personally don't see the reason for ANYONE to have a childish yelling tantrum on a set. It is supposed to be professional, no matter who you are. Of course mistakes are going to happen. Everyone makes them. Professionalism also goes far beyond the shoot and if I am not mistaken, part of Ms. L's problem is that she also owed many thousands of dollars to support staff. To me that is far worse than loading the wrong film into a back. You hire someone, you pay them. Period. If you cannot pay them prior to getting paid, you let them know ahead of time. And when you do get paid, you pay those you owe. Anything less is as unprofessional as can be.

[MIke Sherck]

Many years ago I worked for a company who hired a "business consultant" to help them improve... something. Employees were all gathered in an auditorium and this consultant began his presentation. "I think we can all agree that we can go for 30 seconds without making a mistake. And if we can go 30 seconds without making a mistake, we can go a minute without making a mistake. And if we can go a minute without making a mistake, we can go two minutes..." on and on up to forever, I think it was. We can all see where this came from, and where it went.

At the end of the presentation the consultant asked whether anyone had any questions. We all sat there in uncomfortable silence, until I raised my hand. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my boss shaking his head 'no' emphatically. The consultant smiled in delight and pointed at me and I stood up.

"I'm just curious," I said. "Were you born stupid or is this something you've been studying?"

No, I didn't get fired. I -almost- got fired but fortunately I live and work in a rather unpretentious part of the country and the complete lunacy of the presentation saved me. But when I hear someone remark that an assistant who made the egregious
mistake of loading the wrong film in the camera back deserved to be fired for this one mistake alone, I think back on that earnest but stupid "business consultant" and marvel that there are still people in this imperfect world who never make a mistake and bravely hold others to the same lofty standard.

Mike

[Len Middleton]

Many years ago I worked for a company who hired a "business consultant" to help them improve... something. Employees were all gathered in an auditorium and this consultant began his presentation. "I think we can all agree that we can go for 30 seconds without making a mistake. And if we can go 30 seconds without making a mistake, we can go a minute without making a mistake. And if we can go a minute without making a mistake, we can go two minutes..." on and on up to forever, I think it was. We can all see where this came from, and where it went.

At the end of the presentation the consultant asked whether anyone had any questions. We all sat there in uncomfortable silence, until I raised my hand. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my boss shaking his head 'no' emphatically. The consultant smiled in delight and pointed at me and I stood up.

"I'm just curious," I said. "Were you born stupid or is this something you've been studying?"
Mike

MIke,

I always thought that was an urban legend. Did that actually happen?

The consultant may have been stupid, or maybe just cynical and seeing what he could sell.

For me, the greater folly was those who were apparently impressed enough with his message to hire him and pay for his services. As well as paying to have all those employees to sit and listen to such an absurd message.

I would look into the abilities of the individual who did the hiring if the organization wants to improve their performance and save the cost of his salary.

There you go, free advice from a management consultant and worth every penny.

Regards,

Len