In his early career, Leifer lived in New York City and had free admission to New York Giants games pushing the wheelchairs of the handicapped. He used that free admission to his advantage and would take a camera with him and position himself on the field with the rest of the photographers. Leifer even gained free admission to the 1958 title game between the Giants and the Baltimore Colts, and he got the shots of the game winning touchdown and he later sold them to Sports Illustrated. They liked him so much they brought him on board and he got his first cover shot at the age of 19.
Leifer was also known for taking risks. During the 1966 Heavyweight fight between Cleveland Williams and Muhammad Ali, he placed a camera in the rafters of the Houston Astrodome so he could get a shot of the canvas when the champion knocked out the other fighter. The shot of Ali and a defeated Williams is the only shot hanging in his house and has been voted the best sports photograph by The Observer. The year earlier, Leifer was one of only two photographers to be using color film when Ali knocked out Sonny Liston and that photo has become one of the most famous sports photos ever. Leifer photographed seven Olympic Games for the magazine and is best known for having followed Muhammad Ali's career from beginning to end. 170 of his pictures have been published on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
In 1978 Leifer left Sports Illustrated so he could broaden his horizons. He produced 40 cover shots for the magazine .His cover subjects have included, President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush, Alabama football coach Bear Bryant, National Rifle Association President Joe Foss, Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday celebration, actors Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood, Pope John Paul II's visit to America, Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson, New York City Mayor Ed Koch, The Space Shuttle Columbia, President Jimmy Carter, The Animals of Africa, Olympian Carl Lewis, and actor Paul Newman. In 1992 he covered both the Winter Olympics in France and the Summer Olympic games in Spain.
In recent years, Leifer has moved mainly to the Film side of things. He is the director of some noteworthy short films and documentaries
Leifer was also known for taking risks. During the 1966 Heavyweight fight between Cleveland Williams and Muhammad Ali, he placed a camera in the rafters of the Houston Astrodome so he could get a shot of the canvas when the champion knocked out the other fighter. The shot of Ali and a defeated Williams is the only shot hanging in his house and has been voted the best sports photograph by The Observer. The year earlier, Leifer was one of only two photographers to be using color film when Ali knocked out Sonny Liston and that photo has become one of the most famous sports photos ever. Leifer photographed seven Olympic Games for the magazine and is best known for having followed Muhammad Ali's career from beginning to end. 170 of his pictures have been published on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
In 1978 Leifer left Sports Illustrated so he could broaden his horizons. He produced 40 cover shots for the magazine .His cover subjects have included, President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush, Alabama football coach Bear Bryant, National Rifle Association President Joe Foss, Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday celebration, actors Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood, Pope John Paul II's visit to America, Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson, New York City Mayor Ed Koch, The Space Shuttle Columbia, President Jimmy Carter, The Animals of Africa, Olympian Carl Lewis, and actor Paul Newman. In 1992 he covered both the Winter Olympics in France and the Summer Olympic games in Spain.
In recent years, Leifer has moved mainly to the Film side of things. He is the director of some noteworthy short films and documentaries