Photo via Kim Kardashian/Instagram.
Though the two didn’t work together at Kanye West’s blockbuster wedding to Kim Kardashian, Annie Leibovitz and West are teaming up to put to rest rumors that the photographer cancelled on the famous couple at the last minute, reports Complex. As artnet News reported last week, West was quoted as saying that “Annie Leibovitz pulled out right before the wedding,” but now both West and the photographer are reassuring the press that the rapper misspoke.
According to a statement issued by West, the two parties did attempt to make arrangements for the celebrated photographer to capture the celebrity wedding of the year, but were never able to come to a deal. The statement explains that West’s original comments were “taken out of context and sensationalized,” and while West was disappointed that Leibovitz was unable to photograph the event, “he is not assigning blame, and is not accusing Annie in any way.”
Although it is described as a joint statement, it contains only one quote from the photographer’s camp: “Annie would have been happy to do the portrait but she was never confirmed.”
“Annie Leibovitz—the legendary photographer responsible for Kim and Kanye’s recent Vogue cover—is not known to shoot weddings,” the statement continues. “But Kanye West dreams big. He loves and respects Annie as a true artist and wanted to bring her eye for beauty to the imagery of the event.”
The statement ends with a quote from the rapper about his vision for the wedding.”‘Picture this,’ said Kanye. ‘The most-liked Instagram photo of all time, shot by Annie Leibovitz. Oh, I’m sorry for dreaming out loud. Again.’”
Instead, reports Complex, a 22-year-old British music photographer named Conor McDonnell got the gig.