Photos of newborn babies placed in famous paintings are adorably classy
Newborn babies are more cultured than you think.
Professional photographer Lindsay Walden of Dallas, Texas, has been taking pictures for years. As a mother of three, she has developed a great love of working with infants and has been focusing on newborn photography since 2010.
Only recently has Walden discovered the process of photographing newborns paired with works of fine art.
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She calls it the Newborn Masterpiece Collection.
The idea came about after a recent trip to an art museum.
"I could think of nothing more perfect for inspiring emotion than creating replicas of classic masterpieces with the purity and stillness of a fresh newborn as the focus," Walden told Mashable in an email. "After I thought of the initial idea for the masterpiece collection I spent the next 24 hours creating a folder of images on my computer of all my favorite classic works of art. I was particularly drawn to the impressionist artists and their visible brush strokes and depiction of light."
Walden handmakes every backdrop that she uses. She often uses wool roving because when torn in small pieces, it resembles paint brush strokes. Walden dyes the material to create her palette of colors. She also uses deconstructed yarn to create distinct shapes and to highlight dark shadows.
Each "painting" is on a sheet of bubble wrap.
"Each backdrop is uniquely different," she said. "'The Scream' is made up almost entirely of yarn. Monet’s 'Water Lilies' of roving and some lilies I purchased off of eBay. Some have come together quickly and others I’ve created, pulled apart, and then started again."
The Newborn Masterpiece Collection has been exciting for the creative Walden. Especially because they seem to resonate with all types of people.
"I think because we are all at least somewhat familiar with the classic art pieces, that there is something very personal about viewing my images. Something that feels akin to coming home," she explained. "Van Gogh and Monet are part of our lives, part of our families. We all have experienced the original paintings and been touched by them in some way. To see them anew with a fresh perspective and a darling newborn mixed in creates a reaction that is nothing short of visceral."
Walden has taken six photos thus far for this project. She has plans for six more, bringing the collection's total to 12.
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