A $2500 Terrific Tome From Taschen of Annie Leibovitz' Awesome Photography.

UPDATE: My sincerest apologies to my readers, but the PR rep from TASCHEN contacted me this morning and asked me to remove the images that appear inside the book, telling me are copyrighted images owned by Annie Leibovitz and are not permitted to be used on this blog without explicit permission.

I figured since it was free advertising for their publication and that many of these images are all over the web, I was not violating any copyright laws. I was mistaken and therefore can only show you the cover images.

Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California, 1984:


If I had money to spend willy-nilly (yes, I just used the term "willy-nilly"), one of my first purchases would be this soon-to-be-released terrific tome from Taschen: A Collector's Edition of 40 years of the work of photographer Annie Leibovitz. The SUMO-sized book  is available as either a signed and numbered Collector's Edition or as an Art Edition, complete with a signed and numbered fine art print. Both are presented on a stand designed by Marc Newson.

Keith Haring, New York City, 1986


The huge 476 page, 57 lb. hardcover book (it measures just under 20" x 30") has over 250 photographs, comes with four different dust jackets, has 6 fold-outs, a supplement book and a book stand, designed by Marc Newson. Contributing authors are Steve Martin, Graydon Carter, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Paul Roth.

David Byrne, Los Angeles, 1986


The Collector’s Edition is available in four different dust jackets -Whoopi, Haring, Byrne and Smith - (The Collector's Art Edition includes all four):

Patti Smith, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1978


Both versions come with an adjustable lucite and steel stand designed by Marc Newson:





Vanity Fair Magazine has included a first person excerpt from the book here

Info from Taschen:
When Benedikt Taschen asked the most important portrait photographer working today to collect her pictures in a SUMO-sized book, she was intrigued and challenged. The project took several years to develop and proved to be revelatory. Leibovitz drew from over 40 years of work, starting with the viscerally intimate reportage she created for Rolling Stone magazine in the 1970s and extending through the more stylized portraiture of her work for Vanity Fair and Vogue. Celebrated images such as John and Yoko entwined in a last embrace are printed alongside portraits that have rarely, and sometimes never before, been seen. Leibovitz was able to present some of her famous group portraits in a format that proves that she is the master of the genre. Her pictures are at once intimate and iconic, wide-ranging stylistically and also uniquely hers. Leibovitz is often imitated, particularly by younger photographers, but her work is somehow immediately recognizable.

The bookends of the Leibovitz collection are the black-and-white photograph of Richard Nixon’s helicopter lifting off from the White House lawn after he resigned as president in 1974 and the formal color portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken in a drawing room of Buckingham Palace in 2007. In between are portraits that make up a family album of our time: actors, dancers, comedians, musicians, artists, writers, performance artists, journalists, athletes, businesspeople. Performance and power are recurring themes. A supplementary book contains essays by Annie Leibovitz, Graydon Carter, Paul Roth, and Hans Ulrich Obrist and short texts describing the subjects of each of the over 250 photographs.

The Collector’s Edition is available in four different dustjackets:
Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California, 1984
Keith Haring, New York City, 1986
David Byrne, Los Angeles, 1986
Patti Smith, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1978



Limited to a total of 10,000 signed and numbered copies, this book is available as Collector’s Edition (No. 1,001–10,000) and also as Art Edition (No. 1–1,000 with a signed and numbered fine art print by Annie Leibovitz. The Art Edition is presented with the full set of all four dust jackets. For information about publication date and price, please contact us). Both editions will be presented with a book stand designed by Marc Newson.

The photographer:
Annie Leibovitz has been a working photographer for 40 years. She was the chief photographer for Rolling Stone and then the first contributing photographer for the revived Vanity Fair. In addition to her editorial work at Vanity Fair, and later at Vogue, she has created several award-winning advertising campaigns. She has been designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

The authors:
• Steve Martin is a celebrated comedian, actor, writer, and musician. In 2010, he published the novel An Object of Beauty.
• Graydon Carter has been the editor of Vanity Fair since 1992.
• Hans Ulrich Obrist is the co-director of exhibitions and programmes and director of international projects at the Serpentine Gallery in London.
• Paul Roth is the director of the Ryerson Image Centre in Toronto.

Other SUMO sized books from Taschen:
Taschen has produced two other SUMO sized books, one featuring the works of Sebastião Salgado on a wooden stand by architect Tadao Ando and the other (one I have always coveted) of Helmut Newton's work on a stand designed by Philippe Starck.

Baby Has Taken Her Last Bow. The Life of Shirley Temple Black As Told Through 85 Photos.

By now, most of you know that child star, actress, breast cancer survivor, mother and politician Shirley Temple Black has passed away of natural causes at the age of 85. The adorable, curly-topped redhead tap-danced her way into our hearts as a toddler and never left. Until now.



above: Shirley with Carole Lombard and Gary Cooper on a movie studio lot in 1934

Instead of an obituary or full filmography of the actress, which you will find in every major newspaper and news blog, I'm just going to share with you TONS (85, to be exact) of my favorite photos of the actress throughout her life. The top box office draw from 1935-1938, she retired from show business at the young age of 22.


above: Shirley with her parents Gertrude and George in the 1930s

The following are a collection of both publicity stills and other photos from various sources including LIFE magazine, that are a poignant reminder of the joy she brought so many. Sleep well, Little Princess.

Shirley Temple (1928-1940):






















Growing up (1940 - 1950):












Shirley was only 16 when she married Sgt. John Agar in 1945, a marriage that lasted only 4 years (they married only 12 days after they met):




above Kodachrome photo by Bob Beerman

Shirley celebrating her 17th birthday in 1945:


Shirley and John had one child, Linda Susan, in 1947:


1950 -1960:
Shirley's second marriage to Charles Black, in 1950, lasted 55 years until his death:



Shirley Temple had three children; Linda Susan with John Agar and Charles Jr. and Lori with Charles Black.

Shirley with daughter Linda Susan in 1950:

Shirley with Charlie Jr. in 1952 and daughter Lori in 1954:




Shirley Temple's program, Storybook, ran from 1958-1961:

Shirley Temple with all her children, Charles, Lori, and Linda Susan in 1959:


In the late 50 and 60s Shirley has a career in television and it was in the late 60's that she became active with the Republican Party in California. In 1965, LIFE magazine profiled the star with wonderful photos by Alfred Eisenstadt.

1960 -1970:







1970 and on:

In 1972, Temple was diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor was removed and a modified radical mastectomy performed. Following the operation, she announced it to the world via radio, television, and a February 1973 article for the magazine McCall's. In doing so, she became one of the first prominent women to speak openly about breast cancer. (source: wikipedia)



She continued her active interest in politics through the 70s , 80s and 90s.
She was appointed Representative to the 24th United Nations General Assembly by President Richard M. Nixon (September – December 1969), and was appointed United States Ambassador to Ghana (December 6, 1974 – July 13, 1976) by President Gerald R. Ford.[99] She was appointed first female Chief of Protocol of the United States (July 1, 1976 – January 21, 1977), and was in charge of arrangements for President Jimmy Carter's inauguration and inaugural ball.[99][100] She served as the United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (August 23, 1989 – July 12, 1992), having been appointed by President George H. W. Bush.



Taken at her home in Woodside, CA, 1978:


Shirley Temple poses in 1990 with her Life cover. Her 1934 honorary Academy Awards are on the piano behind her:


On The Red Carpet in 1998:

Another 1998 photo:


1999 photo from People Magazine:


At the SAG awards in 2005, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award:


And shown here at the 2006 SAG awards:


On February 10, 2014, the legendary actress and extraordinary woman passed away peacefully at her home in Woodside, California, surrounded by family and caregivers. She leaves behind an indelible mark and will be remembered fondly by the world. May she Rest In Peace.