In an unlikely twist of fate, Annie Leibovitz shot Britney Spears for her latest ad campaign for Candies for Kohl’s. Although that sentence reads like walking down a ladder to Hell in Dante’s Inferno, the results actually aren’t bad. Leibovitz has been in some monetary and legal trouble as of late, so we can’t blame her for taking the work, and Britney actually looks decent. We were surprised too.
Although it may seem strange for the acclaimed fashion photographer to snap shots of the fallen pop princess, this isn’t the first time Leibovitz has pointed her lens at a controversial character or two. Here are ten other interesting figures Leibovitz has shot.
1. Miley Cyrus
Leibovitz was heavily criticized for this Vanity Fair photo shoot because 15-year-old Miley was posed topless in a bedsheet. Cyrus released a statement that she was embarrassed by the photo, while Leibovitz stood behind her work.
2. Demi Moore
Leibovitz shot Demi Moore in the nude twice, but it was her pregnant cover for Vanity Fair that really caused a stir. In this case, Moore faced harsh criticism, but it proved the adage that all press is good press.
3. Bill Gates
Shot for the cover of his book, The Road Ahead, the one-time richest man in the world couldn’t look nerdier. Luckily for him, that’s exactly what made him his millions.
4. John Lennon and Yoko Ono
This iconic Rolling Stone cover depicts Lennon and Ono imitating the controversial “Double Fantasy” album cover. The shoot took place on December 8, 1980, the day that Lennon died. Lennon even told Leibovitz that she captured their relationship perfectly in this image.
5. Gisele Bundchen and LeBron James
Although this cover is a celebration of Bundchen and James’ amazing bodies and careers, the shot could not escape cries of racism. Critics claimed Leibovitz depicted the stereotype of a black male ravaging a white female while simultaneously echoing images of King Kong. We think people are too easily offended.
6. Whoopi Goldberg
During her stint as a contributing photographer for Vanity Fair, Leibovitz shot this photo of Goldberg in a bathtub full of milk. The stark contrast between the comedienne’s dark skin and the milk in which she was submerged brought a great amount of attention to the then rising star.
7. Chris Brown
One of several “Got Milk” campaigns shot by Leibovitz, this one features one of the most polarizing figures of 2009, Chris Brown. Although this was shot before Brown’s brush with the law, the stigma remains.
8. Martina Navratilova
This female athlete has her fair share of controversy. Arguably the best female tennis player ever to live (and sometimes considered the best female athlete ever), Navratilova gained considerable negative attention for her openness about her homosexuality.
9. David Beckham
While Beckham is one of the most well-known athletes in the world, his personal life is pretty tame. This image, however, doesn’t do anything to mollify the rumors that this footballer has a large ego.
10. Beyonce
Shot for part of the same Disney Fantasy campaign as Beckham, this image shows Beyonce, sweet and girlish as Alice in Wonderland, something her Sasha Fierce reputation certainly contradicts.
