Anne Geddes Baby Pictures

Anne Geddes Book Beginnings: Buds, Babies, and Beginnings

“I went to an exhibition of bird’s nests and they stopped me in my tracks. I was so inspired; I began a new book exploring juxtaposition between ourselves and elements of nature that also bring forth new life.” These are the words of world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes, in reference to her book “Beginnings”.

Anne Geddes has made her mark in the history of photography. For the past thirty years, her unique and exquisite photographs of newly born infants have dazzled the world and made her famous. The patience and dedication apparent in her earliest work immediately enlisted a following of admirers. At age 54, she is one of the most successful photographers on the planet. Anne Geddes book “Beginnings” is her latest work of art, an incredible journey depicting new life.

”Beginnings” is all about the onset of life, be it in nature or in the human world. Tasteful photographs of naked pregnant women proudly displaying the very beginning of life amaze us, while at the other end of the spectrum, Violet, a sparkling blue eyed elderly lady of 107, inspires us. Violet holds a newborn baby in her delicate and fragile hands, offering it to the world as a wondrous gift, born of her soul. It is one of the most beautiful photographs in Anne Geddes book “Beginnings” - an unforgettable representation of the seasons of our existence, Spring and Winter.

Magnificent photographs illustrating seeds and colourful flower buds mark the beginning of yet another genre of life, instilling hope for a bright future. This is a notable variation on her usual style. It is hard to believe that the whole project was inspired by tiny, intricate birds’ nests, built to accommodate precious new life - baby birds.

Anne Geddes book is a masterpiece in portraits of new life, an attestation to the adage “A picture paints a thousand words.” Babies nestled in swaddling wraps, infants wearing caps of delicate dandelion fairies, and flower buds about to burst open are just a few of the more than 140 photographs in “Beginnings”, the result of a yearlong endeavour.

Anne the Astute Artist
Anne says during an interview with ET "Right at the end of the project, I started getting a little panicky. How was I going to put it together?" she recalls. "I said to myself, 'Let's lay out half a dozen of the images.' It just flowed and over a period of about an hour, the book laid itself out. It was incredible how it went together." This segment comes from the short video of Anne as she was describing her project “Beginnings”.

Anne once admitted that photographing babies who are under four weeks old is the secret to a successful photo session (most likely because newborns are usually asleep, except for the occasional hunger tantrum!) Her fascination with babies is contagious and reaches our core. "There's something magical about a naked newborn," she says. "They are us right in the beginning of our lives when we're all goodness, aren't we? Nothing has happened to us -- nothing good, nothing bad. It's just total purity." And on the subject of pregnancy, she adds “Every woman’s lump is different; we each carry our babies in different ways”.

Anne Geddes estimates her latest venture “Beginnings” as her “best work yet.” However, lucky for us, another promising project waits in the wings. This one will not only portray pregnant women but will also relate their individual stories. The world anxiously awaits and wonders if she will be able to surpass her remarkable previous achievements.

Sherry Jones is the author for www.annegeddesbabypictures.com.