They See Her Rollin' -- They Hatin'

I've been helping judge a photography contest this week, and I've come to one very specific conclusion: there are a surprising number of photographs of children stuffed into pumpkins.

Imagine: "Okay, honey, Mommy and Daddy are just going to put you into this pumpkin and take a picture, alright?" I spent hours looking at photographs showing kids sitting inside big pumpkins, head sticking out, or with the pumpkin around their torso and their little legs protruding out of legholes, usually with a pumpkin stem worn as a beret as well...

It took me a few shocked moments to remember the source of this barrage of vegetable / infant photography: that woman who puts lettuce on babies heads.

By coincidence, yesterday there was a little article on that very same photographer, who has now convinced herself she is best imagined as a rock star:

Anne Geddes details her triumph over self-doubt and skeptics

'Some time later she first suggested doing baby calendars to a London editor, who told her, "If I can give you some advice, just photographing babies is never going to work for you. You need to broaden your portfolio to include adults and animals." That memory prompts a dimpled smile on Geddes' face as she relates, "I have talked to that editor many times since and he often tells me his 'broaden your portfolio' advice now makes him feel like the guy who turned down signing the Beatles."'

Of course, simply being the Beatles of photography may not be enough for her: later the article describes her work as having progressed through distinct artistic phases. Picasso, watch your back.