Who's Who: Anne Geddes
Australian photographer Anne Geddes’ imagery singularly captures the beauty, purity and vulnerability of children … embodying her deeply held belief that every child deserves to be “protected, nurtured and loved”.
How I got started in the photography industry …
I started relatively late (I was about 25) taking simple portraits in our converted garage/studio (yep, another garage story). A love of photographing children, babies and pregnant women in particular soon blossomed. Once I committed to exploring my own creative vision alongside creating portraits, my career began to take off. I was lucky in that my calendars and greeting cards were so successful that I could just pursue my own creative directions (pre internet days). I had no rule book – just a passion to have people see the vulnerability, promise, magic, and purity of tiny humans.
A run down of the most recent campaign I have worked on …
I consider myself a Global Advocate for Children, and so I love working on campaigns with a message and a cause. Most recently I was commissioned to shoot a series in London for GlaxoSmithKline called “Moms vs Meningitis”. I’ve worked with GSK over the past few years to raise awareness of the symptoms of meningitis, and the preventative measures that are now available through vaccination. This latest campaign also featured three portraits of mothers of children who had been severely affected by the disease. It was an honor to photograph them and to have them share their stories.
My favorite digital tool/app at the moment …
I’m not a big app user and I don’t do my own retouching. My favorite tool is a camera (obvious!). I mainly shoot medium format but the new Canon’s and Nikon’s are impressive and I always carry my Leica around. Such beautiful lenses!
In a film about my life, I’d like to be played by …
Meryl Streep, is there anyone better? People say I look like her, but I don’t think so.
A word or phrase I overuse …
“No worries” – it’s very Australian but it covers a lot of ground. Want to know a word I really hate used to describe my work? WHIMSICAL!
My dream collaboration is …
I’d love to do a big project with Disney and I have a great idea if they want to give me a call. Then again perhaps Johnson & Johnson – a beautiful campaign to celebrate motherhood and the miracle of new life. With an Anne Geddes twist of course!
A piece of criticism I received was …
That I would never be successful just photographing babies, and I should broaden my portfolio to include adults and animals! Yikes! This was way back when my first calendars and greeting cards came out.
A great piece of advice I received …
Ignore your critics.
Instagram handle: @annegeddesofficial
