How a family photographer went on to work with Dior and Celine Dion: Anne Geddes started out taking snaps in Hong Kong with her Pentax camera – now she's renowned for her whimsical baby pictures

South China Morning Post

11-05-2025

Anne Geddes is celebrated worldwide for her profoundly imaginative photography – an infant curled up within the velvety scarlet petals of a giant rose, nestled atop a swirling red and white woollen hat, or sleepily perched on a luscious pumpkin. Her whimsical yet powerful images of babies have become iconic, earning her coveted private commissions across the globe.
Anne Geddes' projects over the years have included a 2004 collaboration with Celine Dion. Photo: Handout
The Australian-born, New York-based photographer traces the start of her career back to Hong Kong, where she lived in the 1980s. Her husband, Kel Geddes, had taken a role as president of programming at ATV, leaving Anne with time to explore her interest in photography.
Advertisement
'I used to subscribe to Life magazine,' she recalls from her New York home. 'I was mesmerised by the storytelling in photojournalism – capturing a moment in milliseconds that lives forever. In Hong Kong, with Kel settled in his job and a roof over my head, I thought, if I'm ever going to pursue photography, now is the time.'
Anne Geddes got her start in photography in Hong Kong, in the 1980s. Photo: Anne Geddes
Armed with her husband 's second-hand Pentax, Anne Geddes posted a notice in the local supermarket, offering to photograph families in their homes. One job led to another, and soon she was known for her unconventional approach.
'A lot of photography back then was quite formal – children dressed in their Sunday best, posed without individuality,' she explains. 'I wanted to photograph children simply being children.'
After returning to Melbourne, where the couple started their own family – daughters Stephanie and Kelly are now photographers themselves – Anne's passion for photography continued to grow. One day, she was captivated by a black and white newspaper photo of a little girl.
Anne Geddes had a subscription to Life magazine and was mesmerised by the photography. Photo: Anne Geddes
'It was very simple, against a plain background, and it stopped me in my tracks. I realised that's what I wanted to do,' she says. She reached out to the photographer and asked to be an unpaid assistant.
'I walked into the studio, and the penny dropped. Everything made sense. I saw how simplicity could spotlight a child's character.'