 Photo books are great for chronicling occasions big and small—and there’s no occasion bigger and no honoree smaller than a new baby. The Lee family of Canada started creating photo books when baby Karon came into the picture. The Lees have thousands of photos of their daughter Karon because, as any new parent will attest, every waking and sleeping moment is a photo opportunity.
The Karon Anthology
Kay Lee, Karon’s mom, created two touching photo books of her daughter Karon—the first “Kay + Aaron = Karon” and the second, “2007 Year of Many Steps.”  Kay says, “all these moments are precious to me and I know the books will be precious to my daughter one day too. In my mind the books for Karon are a set that chronicles her early years—maybe all of her years! So I wanted to maintain the outside look of the book, but design the inside pages differently.” Kay tries to vary the layout of her photo books to keep them engaging, because for her they are meant to be seen rather than sit on a shelf.
Edit for Emotion
With a graphic design background and a love of greeting card illustration, it’s natural for Kay to put her talents to good use. But a degree in graphic design isn’t required to achieve a similar effect. Much of what makes Kay’s books so exquisite and evocative has to do with cropping and collage. “I tried to pick one or two special moments per month, but I don’t think the number of pictures matters. Sometimes a single picture can tell the whole story.”
 A Natural Glow
Good photography helps, as do willing subjects. Kay sometimes asks her family and friends to pose, but admits that she usually deletes the first few images. She continues shooting and, after awhile, everyone relaxes and she usually gets a natural shot. With Karon, the photography comes easily. “I didn't need to edit her pictures. Babies glow in almost every picture. And all their expressions—smiles, frowns, excitement, sleeping—are precious.”
 Pictures and Poetry
Another element worth mentioning is Kay’s use of poetry throughout her photo books. In the same way that a picture says a thousand words, a poem speaks volumes. Poems pair beautifully with pictures in this growing “anthology” and capture the emotion of tiny toes, fleeting tears and wispy pigtails.
Moments are Momentary
Kay is the primary photographer in the family since she’s home with the baby, but husband Aaron also loves to get behind the lens—to be sure Kay appears in these special books. Now and then they’ll set up a tripod for a family shot. “The key is to place the camera where we can easily access it so we don’t miss Karon’s unexpected moments. Unfortunately babies don’t often repeat those adorable actions. Once you miss it, the moment is gone.” Fortunately, the Lee’s have been able to capture so many of Karon’s amazing moments.
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