In the nineties, Anne Geddes transformed infant portraiture with her fantastical, ethereal images of babies.
Her iconic images featured babies in more fanciful creations than one could ever imagine — babies dressed as vegetables, fairies, and fruit; babies sleeping on mushrooms and in flower pots; babies posing as sunflowers, butterflies, and lily pads.
Anne Geddes quickly became a household name and it seemed that almost every home – including Joey’s apartment in an episode of Friends – had an Anne Geddes print or calendar hung on the wall.
I have loved Anne’s work since I first saw one of her cherubic lily pads and so I was beyond thrilled to meet her and hear her speak at Blogger Bash 2014 in New York this summer.
Anne’s husband and daughter work and travel with her. They are a beautiful team and each of them is humble, gracious, and a true blessing to meet. I had a chance to chat with them and I was so impressed with how lovely and genuine they all are.
During Anne’s talk, she shared some tips on how mothers can capture better photographs of their children…
How to Photograph Your Kids – 5 Tips from Anne Geddes
1. Think About Your Image
Before you take a photo, put some thought into the image and into what you are doing.
2. Keep Your Backgrounds Simple
Simplicity is key. Pay attention to what is in the background of your photograph. You don’t want chairs growing out of people’s heads.
3. Don’t Try to Be Anne
Don’t try to do what Anne does. She is in a photographic studio with a team of professionals. Focus on your children and creating memories.
4. Get Down to Their Level
Get down to your kids’ level because that is the way children see the world.
5. Get in the Picture Too!
You are creating memories that you and your kids will treasure twenty years from now. Capture aspects of your children’s personality and make sure to put yourself in the picture too. Children will want to see what you looked like when you were young.
Anne Geddes Latest Projects
After Anne spoke, she signed copies of her latest gift book, LITTLE BLESSINGS, for each of us attendees.
I asked Anne to address my copy to my daughter, Olivia. Livvie was thrilled when I gave it to her and she loves looking through the images and reading the quotes and blessings.
Anne also has a new calendar out and the images are incredible. She gave us a sneak peak during her talk and we were all enchanted.
Anne Geddes 2015 Wall Calendar: Under the Sea is available now and it is definitely a magical way to bring in the New Year.
If you have ever wondered what it is like in the studio when Anne is photographing babies, don’t miss her upcoming special, Inside the Studio with ANNE GEDDES, on Creative Live. I am a huge fan of Creative Live and I can’t wait to watch.
For more photographs of Anne Geddes at Blogger Bash, check out our Flickr album, Blogger Bash 2014.
Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom. 5 Minutes for Mom was a blog ambassador for Blogger Bash, but our opinions and words are always our own.
Love these tips!!! As a mom who just had another kid my bank account is SOO drained💰💰🤣🤣…This definitely saved me a lot of money and my photos came out so 🥰! I have a Galaxy Z Flip 5 and this is new new background, I recommend this to any mom out thereðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜!! Love my kids so much and even more after these!â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
These tips are very helpful. Thanks for sharing!
These are really good tips. She takes wonderful pictures.
These are my favorite!
You are so lucky to have met Anne Geddes!
Wow her work is absolutely stunning. I want pics like that of my 2 month old daughter!
I have always loved Anne Geddes photographic work.
What a talent,thanks for sharing.
You certainly got an expert to teach us how to photograph kids. Very helpful.
Thank you for sharing these tips as I will keep them in mind when photographing my grandkids. Anne Geddes takes some wonderful pictures.
She is a fantastic photographer and great tips for us amateurs!
Getting down to their level is really important. Great tips!
Her works are not just pictures, they look like pieces of art. Thanks for the great tips.
i love her photos- some great tips!!
I haven’t thought about it like that, I am going to have to try your tips, there Awesome
I love these tips as I’m not a very good photographer
Love any help I can get my photos never come out like I wish they would..Either I need a photography class or a better camera 🙁
Nice Tips! Thanks
some really neat ideas here that can be used for any photo or series of photos
Thank you for sharing.
photography can be fun and a way to keep your memories
She’s amazing! Love that she’s taking the time to give those of us a little less talented some tips to help…haha! 🙂
I can’t ever get my boyfriend to take a serious picture. Maybe these will apply to him, too. 😛
Interesting info to have. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing the tips. I will use them in the future.
Thank you for sharing the tips. I will use them when photographing children.
Thank you for sharing the tips.
Thank you for sharing the tips. Sometimes I need all the help I can get.
Thank you for sharing the tips. You were lucky to meet her.
Love these tips!! Thank You! always snapping photos of the 5 grandkids!! 🙂
I love her work!These are some great tips!
Just love her photography, thank you for the tips
Beautiful! What an inspirational woman!
And great tips too!
VERY BEAUTIFUL PICTURES I WISH MY DAUGHTER WOULD LET ME TAKE PICTURES OF HER LIKE THIS
I met one actress, Julie Ann Moore many years ago as she filmed a movie right beside my house. Amazing meeting someone you have watched on screen.
Anne is another i’d love to meet.
Rob
Her work is beautiful. My son lets me take pictures of him now that we’re on the same level
I have loved her work for years. She does an amazing job capturing her subjects. I love her tips. I like the one about getting down on their level.
She’s awesome! I wish I could have her do my children.
I would have loved to have my little one in a picture like that.
I just love looking at her pictures of babies. Thanks for the great tips.
All excellent tips in a interesting article. Thanks!
Such wonderful photography! To be honest, initially I wasn’t sure about the photos–they seemed to use babies as objects, or so I thought. Now I can appreciate how the images capture the innocence and wonder of infancy, while respecting the babies.
Thanks these are such great tips! I def like the putting myself in the photos too, and think alot of us would forget about that!
I love her tip about getting down to the child’s level. I’ve found that makes such a difference in many situations and I try to remind myself of this often.
It is very generous of her to pass on such great tips. Her photographs are amazing.
All great tips here. I will use them when I take pictures of my furbabies.
I have seen her work before and it is so cute!!
I appreciate all of Anne’s tips to preserve our precious memories.
Nice.
Love her work, inspirational !!
Thank you for this! Amazing work she does! Love her photography! Wish i could photograph like this!
She is so cool. Although I am totally guilty of “trying to do what she does” . Thank ful for digital cameras cause I can delete all the photos that don’t look right. Ha ha!
Her photographs are so creative.
I can sure use these tips for taking pictures of the grand kids!
thank you
The naked baby is so cute.
My daughter rarely allows me to take her photo – she says I am not very good..hahahaha
Wow! What an inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing these tips, the mermaid under the sea picture is so pretty and funny.
these are really good simple tips for better pictures!
Her pictures are very imaginative. I should get down on my kids level and take some more pictures from there.
Anne Geddes photos of babies and kids are AMAZING! So beautiful.
no one will ever do what she has done
How lucky for you to have met her;)
Her work is just adorable. The tips are very useful. My favourite tip is keep the background simple
A beautiful and interesting post. Thanks.
I love her work. What a great opportunity to get to meet her. Thanks for sharing these tips.