Picture a 24 Million Dollar Cup of Coffee

   

Photographer, Annie Leibovitz's magazine covers for Vanity Fair and Vogue  have made her as famous as her subjects and earned her millions. We recently learned that Leibovitz risks losing the copyright to the images — and her entire life's work — if she doesn't pay back a $24 million loan by--- Today! To many, her decision to gamble the rights to her work seems inexplicable and the story should end with a made for Lifetime TV moment with her either losing everything or somehow coming up with the cash. 

But wait! There's more.

Leibovitz is being sued by an Italian photographer, Paolo Pizzetti.  He claimes that Ms. Leibovitz, used images he photographed without permission or compensation, in an advertising campaign for Lavazza coffee. He is seeking a court order to stop the use of the images, as well as monetary damages for copyright infringement.

I wonder if he heard that Ms. Leibovitz doesn't have any spare cash at the moment?  It actually doesn't matter. By suing her, he's getting some extra ink in the press and Lavazza is seeming a little sweeter. If Annie wasn't under the pressure of her life would we even care about Mr. Pizzetti or Lavazza coffee?

We'll have to see how this story brews.