A 24-Hour Pilgrimage to See Annie Leibovitz — and What It Reminded Me About Why Images Matter

Here I am with my signed copy of Women, awaiting to hear Annie speak.

Recently, I gifted myself a birthday present…something I’d been wanting more exposure to for years:

An opportunity to see Annie Leibovitz, who is officially named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, speak at The Wiltern.

It was only a 24-hour trip to Los Angeles.

And it filled my creative soul in a way that felt expansive, clarifying, and deeply nourishing.

A Tiny Hotel Room and a Burst of Creative Play

I stayed at The LINE LA — a quirky, minimalist hotel in Koreatown with rooms so compact you have to be intentional just to set your purse down. And somehow, that constraint unlocked a sense of play.

Before the event, I took a few self-portraits in the sliver of window light slicing across the room. It felt like tapping into the younger version of myself — the one who fell in love with photography because it was a way to discover myself, not perform.

It was the perfect prelude.

After landing and getting settled into my room, I unpacked my camera equipment and Profoto Lighting to have some quiet, creative moments before the doors opened at the Wiltern. I had so much fun, I missed my window to get dinner.

Walking to The Wiltern — and Stepping Into History

The walk to The Wiltern was short but magical. The building itself — all turquoise tiles and Art Deco curves — was completed in 1931 and still carries that feeling of old Hollywood elegance.

Inside, the energy buzzed. Hundreds of people filled the theater, each of us pulled there by the same magnetic force: a desire to learn from a woman whose images shaped how the world sees artists, leaders, history, and itself.

And then she stepped on stage.

There was a long, excited line to get inside to see Annie. I didn’t realize I could skip the line with my VIP ticket. 🤣 I would guess the vast majority of us were photographers.

What It Feels Like to Witness a Legend

Annie is 76 now, but she still radiates the curiosity of someone who has been paying attention for a very long time. Her storytelling is circular and soft around the edges — not polished, not performative, just true.

She showed us images from her new and previous book, Women, and spoke about them in that casual way she does, almost as if she’s speaking to herself.
But within those simple lines were entire philosophies:

• The importance of staying curious

• How light can tell the truth or soften it

• Why the relationship between photographer and subject is everything

As a VIP guest, I sat close enough to see her expressions — the tiny smile she makes when a memory surfaces, the way she pauses and lets silence do the heavy lifting.

I left with a signed copy of her new two-volume book, Women. It felt sacred and historical to hold, as she's photographed many incredible, awe-inspiring women.

The Getty Center, the Impressionists, and an Unexpected Encounter

The next morning, I headed to the Getty Center. Ironically, the photography exhibit was closed, so I wandered through the Impressionists instead and let color, texture, and brushstrokes inspire me.

The architecture of the Getty always feels like a meditation in stone — lines and curves, light and shadow, stillness and openness.

I then went to LAX. I heard a familiar voice while I was eating lunch in the LAX café. I looked over — and there was Steven Bartlett, deep in work, wearing his DOAC gear.

One of those totally surprising “life is wild” moments.

Love the Impressionists

What This Trip Reminded Me

This trip reinforced something I feel in my bones:

Images matter.
Stories matter.
How we show up matters.

Annie built a lifetime of work on the truth that a photograph is not just a picture — it’s an invitation to be seen. Really seen. Not as the world wants to shape you, but as you are.

That’s the foundation of my work.
It’s why my clients tell me things like:

“I came in nervous and left feeling radiant.”

We care so deeply about how we show up — because our visibility is tied to our voice, our identity, our power.

If Annie can still be out there at 76, sharing stories and shaping how we see the world…
Then we all get to keep showing up, too.

If You’re Ready to Be Seen — Truly Seen

I’ll be in:

• Richmond: February or March 2026

• Scottsdale: Nov 4–April 1

• Sedona: April 1–10

If you're craving images that reflect your story, your truth, your brilliance — I would love to create them with you.

Let’s make your visibility feel like coming home.