Annie Leibovitz Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Observer for Bieber Portrait Use, Alleging Exploitation

The celebrated photographer is seeking up to $150,000 in damages for each alleged unauthorized use of her work.

A photograph of Justin and Hailey Bieber may speak volumes, but in this case it could carry a price tag of $150,000.

Renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz has initiated legal action against Observer Media, the operator of Observer.com, accusing the outlet of publishing her acclaimed 2019 image of the newly married Biebers in coordinated Dolce and Gabbana polka-dot attire without obtaining a license.

According to the complaint filed Wednesday and obtained by Rolling Stone, Leibovitz and her licensing representative notified Observer Media on May 24, 2024—more than two years after the image appeared—that the use on Observer.com violated her copyright. They requested removal of the photo but received no response. The image remained attached to a 2020 article titled “Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber Waited Until Marriage to Live Together” as of July 16.

Attempts to contact a representative for the online publication were not immediately successful. The Observer, known until 2016 as The New York Observer, was previously a weekly newspaper printed on distinctive pink paper and was formerly owned by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump.

Leibovitz, 76, contends in the suit that the infringement was “willful, intentional and malicious.” She is pursuing disgorgement of profits linked to the alleged misuse and statutory damages of up to $150,000 per “unauthorized exploitation.”

“Leibovitz is a world-renowned photographer acclaimed for capturing celebrity portraits with profound intimacy and insight, including the likes of John Lennon, Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Queen Elizabeth, and many more,” states the nine-page complaint filed in Manhattan federal court. “Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to suffer substantial damages to their business in an amount to be established at trial.”

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