In recent times, there’s been a surge in the modelling industry with a significant increase in baby models. There seems to be one for everything, from diapers to phones and even car brands. If you want your baby to be part of this young business class, you need to be ready to spend a great deal of your time and resources to transform them into a model. If you think that your baby could make a lucrative career in the fashion industry, baby modelling may be the thing for them. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
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Understand Your Baby
Children have different temperaments and dispositions. Yours could be a calm and friendly one who will look at a camera without needing any bribes or distractions. Another baby could be one of those who throw a tantrum soon as their foot touches the floor. Just like adults, children have a different mind that tells them how to feel and what to do about every single action you take.
If you have a sweet-tempered baby who does well with strangers can smile when you ask them to (sounds almost too perfect, I know), they are perfect for modelling. Such babies can pose well in a different setting and stay friendly amidst strangers without being too overwhelmed.
On the other hand, babies who don’t hesitate to cry bitterly (they will move heaven and earth to be ion the mom’s arms all the time) don’t usually do well with modelling. Most agencies and photographers will consider them problematic and won’t hesitate to replace them when their patience runs out. Friendliness, sociability, cheerfulness and a camera-friendly attitude are some of the critical qualities your baby will need to make a great model.
Choose The Baby’s Modelling Agency
There are hundreds of baby modelling agencies out there, and if you are not careful, you can easily be misled and even scammed. The key to an excellent start to your baby’s modelling career would be to choose the right agency.
The first thing to do is to do your research. Get on the internet and search for credible agencies for your baby in your region or elsewhere. You’ll probably end up with a long list. You could also ask around and consult with parents who have experience with baby modelling. These will probably give more reliable recommendations.
Make sure you check out their ratings, news and reviews before considering their prices. Usually, they will have social media and a website where users can post their comments, complaints and rate them. You should make use of these to spot any red flags such as scams. You could also check for reviews on other sites apart from the company’s own to get a closer look at what they may not have on their pages – they have control over what feedback shows and can easily manipulate it to paint a different picture.
Get in touch with the ones you consider best. If they ask for payment upfront, turn right back around and consider another one. Most baby agencies will take a percentage of the baby’s earnings as payment. It would help if you also enquired about the methods of payment; some will give cash, others products such as cot sheets and linen.
Change Your Mindset and Expectations
You may have considered baby modelling as an easy career for you and your baby. Frankly, it is not. Not as many rainbows and sunshine as the pictures you have seen before suggest. It is difficult, time-consuming and will almost always get you frustrated. Here are a few reasons why:
- Unlike adults, babies can’t just pose and smile on cue. A lot of ridiculous things will have to be done behind the cameras to get their attention and keep it where it is needed. You may need to stand right next to the photographer and sing their favourite song or fit the camera into something like a sunflower prop.
- You will need to spend hours, if not days, taking photos to get the perfect shot. It will all be very entertaining for the baby who will only have to sit and watch the fun events going on behind the camera, but you will be exhausted and frustrated.
- Babies are unpredictable. They may wake up in a foul mood during the photoshoot day, and there’s absolutely nothing you could do to change that. You’ll have to take the pics or wait until they feel like it.
Understand The Risks and Be Ready To Pull Out
Just like any other career, baby modelling can be risky. Whatever the case, your baby should always come first. This means that if the job seems to be affecting them negatively in any way, you should be able to pull the plug until the problem is identified and resolved.
Your baby’s safety and health should always come first. If the agency is asking the bay to appear when they are sick, that should be a no-no. If the studio lighting and sound levels are not suitable for the baby, feel free to request an adjustment, or simply pull out. If your doctor suggests a break for the baby’s mental and psychological health, take it gladly.
Regardless of the precautions you take, some risks will always be at play, and you will need to be able to know them. For example, the baby may start developing a sense of false-self where they start believing that they are what the studio changes them to be. You may also want to think about the popularity and association to the brand – how will that affect the child later when they grow up?
In conclusion, baby modelling is an excellent way to go if you genuinely believe that your baby is photogenic. It is, however, good that you do your research and know all the essential details about it before bringing the baby into it. Choose a trustworthy agency and always put your baby first.