If you’re reading this article, chances are likely that someone has told you recently that your baby is cute enough to model, and they weren’t saying it just to be polite. With all the commercials, magazines, and advertisements you see featuring children that don’t hold a candle to your Samantha or Alex, then it surely there must be a way to get that adorable freckle face in front of the camera for all the world to see.
Luckily for you, there is.
Although baby modeling isn’t for everyone, it may very well be the beginning of a college tuition fund for your child or another way to pay those hospital bills after your latest C-section. And the following steps may point you in the right direction.
What You Need to Know
1. It isn’t Easy : Just because you simply point and shoot with your camera whenever the opportunity arises doesn’t mean that a professional photographer will do the same. Clients are often looking for a specific shot whenever they hire an agency, and sometimes this requires extensive setup and careful preparation. Keeping your baby smiling and cooperative for hours on end can be a difficult task, and if you child is sick or fussy, then your whole trip may turn into a waste.
Additionally, finding a good agent, scheduling yours and your child’s time, and finding a good way to every schedule photo shoot takes a lot of work in addition to the baby wrangling you’re already doing on a regular basis. A child’s success depends primarily on the parent’s ability to cope with the stress rather than how adorable the child actually is.
2. Your Child Should Have a Little Extra Something : It’s a fact of life: beautiful babies are born every day. However, photographers aren’t just looking for a beautiful child, they’re looking for a child with a “little extra something.” Whether it’s a devilish grin, a gorgeous lock of red hair, or a smattering of freckles, these little extra somethings can help your baby stand out from the crowd of happy toddlers. It’s the little differences that photographers like to play up and design their shots with.
3. You’ll need Connections: A good agency can make or break your child’s career as a model, and finding a right agent can be difficult if you don’t know where to look. Be cautious of scammers claiming to help you get in a commercial only to have you pay for additional photos or lessons. A good majority of these agencies are in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, and though you might get lucky and find one close to home, most child models live closer to these four cities.
Start by looking in the yellow pages and investigating what kinds of photos are needed to qualify your child. Many agencies require a closeup of the child’s face, a full body shot, and picture of the child in a pose but without props such as toys or hats or sunglasses.
4. A Portfolio Should be Current: Children grow up fast, especially infants. A photo you took last summer will be outdated, so it would be a good idea to keep your child’s portfolio current by taking new photos every 3 to 6 months. Although not all of these photos have to be taken by a professional top-notch photographer, the higher quality the photo, the more likely your child will be accepted by a client.
5. Remember the Rewards: Baby Modeling can be a rewarding career financially, and depending on the client, your child could be making anywhere from $30 to $75 dollars an hour (and some photoshoots last all day). Some advertisements dish out as much as $600 to $1200 for a full day, and some commercial contracts can pay out up to $8,000.
However, the financial rewards may not be as wonderful as you might think. Baby modeling can put a lot of extra pressure on both the parents and the child, and the constant criticism may be more than your child can handle during this important stage of their development. Just because you have the cutest kid on the planet doesn’t mean you should expose him or her to world simply to make some extra money. Be aware of your child’s needs and wants, and if they align with yours then it can be a rewarding experience. If not, then Baby Modeling might not be right for you.