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Anne Geddes

Infant Infatuation

By Tara Swords

 (Andrews McMeel, 2003), is a potpourri of some of the most enduring images from her career. Newer fans may be surprised at the artistic span the collection covers; there are plenty of well-known photos of babies dressed as brilliant, laughing flowers and tiny fruits and vegetables. But favorites from her earlier work round out the book with black and white images of tiny infants – sometimes premature babies – sleeping angelically in the most unassuming of poses.

Geddes' use of black and white is notable for the aesthetic value of the contrast it provides. But the theme is carried further through her subjects, hinting at social commentary.

Based in New Zealand, where the black population is extremely small, it can be difficult to find a diverse enough group of babies for Geddes' photo shoots. As she likes to say, babies have little respect for the wishes of a photographer. To compensate for this fact, Geddes brings in three babies for a shoot that calls for one infant. If one baby starts to cry, a baby who is temporarily less fussy is rought in to complete the shoot. So to get enough babies – and backups – Geddes comes to the United States each year where babies of many different races are more plentiful – an element of her photography that is very important to Geddes.

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