Annie
Leibovitz: "Miley Cyrus Photos Were Misinterpreted"
4/29/08
Celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz has leapt to the defense of
Miley Cyrus, insisting the controversial Vanity Fair photographs she took
of the 15-year-old are "simple" and "beautiful".
One of Leibovitz's photos of the pop sensation, wearing just a blanket
wrapped around her bare back and chest has incited media outrage,
prompting an "embarrassed" Cyrus to issue an apology, claiming
that she was manipulated into posing for the pictures.
But the renowned photographer is defending her work, insisting the full
concept of the photoshoot was discussed with the star and her minders
prior to the release of the provocative images.
In a statement released on Monday (28Apr08), Leibovitz says, "I'm
sorry that my portrait of Miley (Cyrus) has been misinterpreted.
"Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we
discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is
a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it
is very beautiful."
Leibovitz's statement follows Vanity Fair's defense of the shoot, after
its images were condemned by the star's Disney Channel bosses, who accused
the publication of creating a situation "to deliberately manipulate a
15-year-old in order to sell magazines".