Leibovitz Faces Another Lawsuit

Famed photographer ANNIE LEIBOVITZ is facing yet more financial turmoil - an Italian snapper is suing her for breach of copyright.

Leibovitz persuaded a judge on Thursday (03Sep09) to grant her another month to answer a lawsuit filed by bosses at the Art Capital Group - who allege she reneged on a $24 million (£16 million) loan agreement.

And as Leibovitz tries to see off creditors, she has been handed another potentially disastrous lawsuit - photographer Paolo Pizzetti is suing her for $300,000 (£200,000) over claims she infringed his copyright on two photos he shot in 2008.

In the lawsuit filed at Manhattan Federal Court on Friday (04Sep09), Pizzetti states Leibovitz’s team hired him to scout a location for a calendar for a Lavazza coffee campaign.

He was later advised the shoot had moved to New York, only to discover that on the calendar’s release, his photos had been used without his consent, according to court documents.

He insists he never handed over copyright to Leibovitz and wants the images destroyed.