10 Questions for Annie Leibovitz

Why do you continue to do celebrity portraits when many of them have their photographs plastered all over? Francesca Viola, BRONX, N.Y.

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Annie Leibovitz: A Life in Pictures

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I've never liked the word celebrity. I like to photograph people who are good at what they do. I think the real problem today is, the Internet has created the demand for so much more information that we need to almost drum up more celebrities. We've run out, and now what we're doing is, we're making them up.

Is there anybody you never had a chance to photograph and always wanted to? Jerome Lessard, KINGSTON, ONT.

I work so much, I get the opportunity to photograph almost anyone you would want to photograph. I can only think of dead people who I wish I could've photographed--Martha Graham or Elvis Presley. I just missed Elvis Presley.

Who has been your most difficult subject? Vikram Chandran SUNNYVALE, CALIF.

Some of the most difficult subjects in entertainment are people who have been in show business for a very long time. I think they have no sense of reality. You know, like Sammy Davis Jr. or even Michael Jackson. The other way I answer that question is that I do want to continue in this business, so I'd be an idiot to talk about anyone who's alive.

I've heard you're not easy to work for. Would you agree with that? Manuel Goncalvez LOS ANGELES

I've heard that too, actually. I came from a place where I was working by myself, and as I started to use assistants, I couldn't understand why they couldn't see exactly what I saw. I would be very frustrated. I'm happy to say that I have a really great group of people now who've been with me for a long time. They know that I'm pretty demanding.

Has motherhood changed your approach to photographing people? Nancy Koritz, TOKYO

I think one of the most beautiful things is, children are happy just watching the luggage come out at the airport. That does kind of rub off, but I don't know how it affects the photography. We'll have to see.

How did you deal with the whole Miley Cyrus debacle? Paul Bagus, HAMILTON, ONT.

The Miley picture was a beautiful, strong, simple picture. I think it's actually sort of innocent on some level. She loved taking that picture, and she was ready to take that picture. It's just that her audience wasn't ready. I think that if there was any mistake made, it's probably that she shouldn't have posed for Vanity Fair.

Do you think that formal photography training is necessary? Oh Gyeong Rok IKSAN, SOUTH KOREA

I was very lucky, in working for these magazines, to learn by doing, but I always regretted not having a formal education. I had to teach myself.

What do you see in that "aha" moment that people talk about? Is it the subject, the composition or something else? Gina Lexbrick, HOUSTON

Well, it has changed over the years. For example, John and Yoko, I only took a few frames. You knew it was good. It had form and strength, and it was simple, and it told a story. How do you know it's good? The subject usually says, "Aha!"--or just gets up and walks away.

How does a woman make her way through the male-dominated world of photography? Christine Bory RODEMACK, FRANCE