Can Annie Leibovitz Photograph a Black Woman Just One Time Without Making Her Look Depressed? An Investigation

At Hell Gate, we appreciate arts and culture, especially when they intersect with policy and politics; some might even say that's kind of our "whole thing." 

So, when we saw that pop culture, fashion, and politics magazine Vanity Fair published a list of figures titled "The New Establishment," which included a new portrait of Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier shot by world-famous fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz, our interest was piqued. 

As we scrolled through the list, which includes a range of figures from Tucker Carlson and Erika Kirk to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Hasan Piker (plus left-field pick Ryan Murphy), we found ourselves asking a question: Has Leibovitz learned anything from the numerous critiques she has received about the way she photographs Black women? Namely, her tendency to capture them in poses that seem to indicate distress or despair, with unflattering lighting that washes out deep skin tones and causes her subjects to look sallow and depressed?

In a word: Nope.