Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz filed a federal copyright lawsuit against Observer Media. She accused the company of using her iconic 2019 Vogue portrait of Justin and Hailey Bieber without permission. The photo shows the newlyweds relaxing on sun loungers. They are wearing matching Dolce & Gabbana polka-dot pajamas.
The lawsuit claims Observer Media used the Bieber wedding photo without permission
Annie Leibovitz, the famed photographer, filed a lawsuit against Observer Media on Wednesday, July 16, in Manhattan federal court seeking “substantial damages”. She accused Observer.com, the publisher of the outlet formerly known as The New York Observer, of using her 2019 Vogue photo of Justin Bieber and wife Hailey Bieber without ever securing the rights to it.
The picture is a famous wedding portrait of the couple twinning in matching Dolce & Gabbana polka-dot looks. It has remained live on the site for years, attached to a 2020 article recapping the couple’s relationship.
Leibovitz’s team alleges Observer Media willfully reproduced and publicly displayed the image without licensing or paying for it. According to the complaint, Leibovitz and her licensing agency first raised concerns about the alleged unauthorized use in 2024. They sent Observer Media a cease-and-desist letter on May 24. The letter demanded the removal of the photo over the alleged copyright violation.
Leibovitz, 76, alleges that the infringement was “willful, intentional and malicious.” She is seeking up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each instance of unauthorized use. She also seeks any profits allegedly earned from displaying the image.
Observer has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. For now, the outcome of Leibovitz’s lawsuit remains unknown, with the case still working its way through the legal process.
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