Pilgrimage - by Annie Leibovitz Random House, 246 pages, $55.
For one of the premier portrait photographers of her generation it comes as a surprise to look at a book by Annie Leibovitz that has no people in it. This collection of images was not taken on assignment but is the result of a series of personal explorations.
It all began with a trip to Emily Dickinson's house in Amherst, Massachusetts. On this outing with only a small digital camera along she started a very personal project. The next subject was Niagara Falls, where she first put the two journeys together in her head and began to think of a bigger series.
From a simple concept grew a wide-ranging collection of locations, each one a touchstone for Leibovitz and a place of personal significance. As she explored these cultural landmarks others came to light. A trip to Henry Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond in turn lead to visits to Ralph Waldo Emerson's home in nearby Concord.
Without deadlines and outside direction Leibovitz concentrated on the details of these locations that resonated with her. The fabric of Dickinson's white dress, the bones and rocks collected by Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Adams' darkroom, and Sigmund Freud's study are just some of the subjects for her camera.
In her wanderings Leibovitz has picked up loads of fascinating details about these subjects and she writes of the experiences encountered in these locations with reference and enthusiasm. Her photographs range from fairly casual pictures to beautifully lit interiors and stunning landscapes.
Pilgrimage has taken us to see a new perspective on Leibovitz's work.
