She is stunning, right? This was a fun shoot that I actually did in San Francisco a couple months ago (I know I am super behind!). Anna needed some updated photos for her modeling portfolio, so while I was in town doing family photography sessions we squeezed these in as well. She is a beautiful little model, and I know she will do well. She is up for a big commercial right now. I am crossing my fingers for you, Anna!
A lot of people ask my advice as a children’s photographer how they can get their children into modeling, so I thought I would do a little blog post on it.
The answer is that it is simple, but hard.
They need children models of all types-stunningly gorgeous or the girl next door, a bigger boy or a scrawny little kid, tall, short-you name it, there is a need for children and babies of all types. The biggest thing, though, is whether your child is good in front of the camera. If you have the most beautiful baby that any one has ever seen, but every time there is a camera he cries, or freezes up, or winces at the shutter, then he is not going to make it as a model. Print and commercial advertisers are looking for children and babies that are calm and relaxed with the photographer or director. Let’s be real, photographing babies and children is hard. I am constantly chasing little kids around, tickling them, and making the goofiest faces and noises and singing in a high pitched voice to get them comfortable with me. A small percentage of children are just easy to photograph, though, and these are the ones that will do well in modeling.
For example, these two boys were super happy and relaxed in front of the camera. They listened to everything I said, and followed directions as far as posing, and it was easy to get them to laugh and smile. Where, my own daughter, though she is obviously the most gorgeous baby in the whole world, would not do well modeling. She NEVER looks at the camera, she always walks away. Just look at those photos-how many cute images do I have of her walking away or looking away? Too many. Like 500, at least. People definitely are always stopping us to tell us how pretty she is, but I have no illusions about how far she would make it as a child model. She would not even tolerate an audition.
So, once you dig deep down inside you and can unbiasedly look at your child, then you will know if modeling is worth pursing.
The next step is all you as the parent. It is HARD work and very time consuming to break into the modeling business. First, you need to contact a modeling agency. The only reputable one I know of in the area is Marbles in Denver. You should have a head card ready with high quality photos of your child. You will probably get a meeting with the agency, but from what I have heard hundreds of parents may apply each month and get called in, and only a small percentage of those actually follow through and bring their child in.
The beginning is all about follow through. You have to stick with it and put in the time. After your child gets approval, they will start calling you with auditions that your child would be good for. Then YOU have to take your child to that audition, and they probably won’t get picked. You are probably going to have to go to 10-20 auditions before your child actually gets a job. And then there you need to network with the make up artist, the director, the other models’ parents, etc… so that you start having connections in the business. Once your child starts getting jobs, though, things start to move pretty quickly. It just takes so much commitment and time in the beginning that most parents can’t follow through. So, be honest with yourself on that, too. Do you really have the time and patience to drag your child to 20 auditions, have her be turned down and disappointed, before things start rolling?
I remember when I was a child I got picked out of thousands of children to be on the cover of a Spiegel catalog (is that store even still around???). It was SO exciting. I was 8 years old, and had never felt pretty, so I was thrilled to be the one child chosen to model. My mom took me to this really cool photographer’s loft in Chicago, and I got to jump on a trampoline for an hour while the photographer took roll after roll of photographs of me (yes, it was not the digital age yet).
It was such a special day. We went out to a nice lunch in the city afterwards, and I got to keep the ribbon that they had put in my hair (I still have it).
Well, when the catalog came out, I was super small on the back cover. I was devastated but never told anyone. I secretly thought that they just thought I was not pretty, and so they did not want me to be bigger. For years afterwards whenever I came across the copy of the catalog that we saved, I was so ashamed and would try to hide it.
Honestly though, they decided to feature a painting by the artist that was designing their clothes at the time on the cover, and he was famous. I am sure it had nothing to do with me. But I did not realize that as a child.
If that wonderful experience could hurt my self esteem so much, I wonder what would happen if I had gone on 20 auditions and never got hired? I think that is something to consider, too, before jumping in.
So, anyways, I love doing modeling portfolio shoots for children, so contact me if, after all this, you decide to follow through and get your child into modeling and need to find a photographer. I did not mean to make this post so long, I have a bunch to catch up on. Another rainy Boulder day, too, so no sessions today at least. Amelia is upstairs sleeping with a fever, and Elijah is sitting quietly next to me doing crafts, so to work I go!
xoxo stacey
ps-that last photo was just one I captures of her little brother since he had tagged along. He is so sweet, too.
