Getting your Child Into Modeling .. My Two Cents ... By Charity Mullins

Everyone thinks their child is beautiful and, truth be told, I do believe all children are beautiful…some more than others. More than that, there are even fewer whose beauty naturally translates into fantastic imagery that we call modeling. They are just simply photogenic.

So, how do you know if YOUR child will fit into the modeling world?

The most important question, first and foremost, is does your child even WANT to model? If they have no desire to be told what to wear, how to stand, smile or make other expressions on command, and all of the other fun stuff that comes with modeling, then chances are as a parent you should just stick to taking snapshots and showing them off to your friends and family. Photographers and agencies look for the child that is pliable, willing to reveal their personality to the camera, willing to sit in the chair and get their hair and makeup done, and willing to spend the time it takes to get the photograph needed to sell the product…even if the product is themselves.

Then, if your child truly wants to give modeling a try, I would ask them their purpose behind wanting to try. It’s up to you as a parent to decide if their motivation is enough to push them towards success. For instance, my daughter Carys (www.facebook.com/carysmalinda) wanted to get into modeling so that she can move into paid shoots/bookings and save for college. I feel that is a very good motivator. Along the way, she is finding that she is having a lot of fun and collecting couture boutique items I would have never been able to afford otherwise. Perks of the job!

To get started, I recommend finding a great camera of your own to catch those moments at home, school, or with friends that a photographer will not catch. There are many contests that refuse watermarked or professional photos with logos. These photos (nicely edited, please, and that would be a whole other blog) are very good to have on standby. I recommend one with high shutter speed, a great flash, and several settings. Get very friendly with your camera.  Consider it an investment in your child’s potential future.

I then recommend getting to know local photographers. Interview them, look at their work online via Facebook or their web pages.  Another great idea is to have your child interview them in a very casual place such as a sandwich shop, for example. Check for natural chemistry, see if the photographer can pull your child’s personality out in conversation, and talk money. Never be afraid to talk money. Photography gets expensive, and you do not want to be taken by surprise. Find out how much sessions are, how much a comp card is, how much a portfolio will be to build, and if there is a chance of a modeling package to incorporate all that is needed with a discount.

With photography, I believe and have been supported in utilizing multiple photographers. Agencies, pageants, boutiques and such look for variety in a portfolio. It is important to include all types of photography and modeling looks: serious, funny, whimsical, fantasy (think fairy tale), studio, etc. Be sure to include headshots as well as full body shots. Many times, when we take photographs, we do one or the other. I like my friend  Google and use him a lot to look at various comp cards and portfolios to see what is current and what everyone is looking for now. At the same time, I want to be sure that Carys has something that makes her stand out. Always keep that in mind. Child modeling is a massive industry, you want your child to stand out.

In doing all of this, I also recommend utilizing Facebook. Yes, Facebook. It is an amazing networking tool. Find an agency that works with boutiques, photographers, and the like that is willing to work nationally or even internationally. I found this worked WONDERS for Carys. She is listed with Lil’ Cutie Pies (www.facebook.com/lilcutiepies) and networks with Find Me A  Boutique referral service (www.facebook.com/FindMeABoutique). Using these services has opened the door for her to do work for several boutiques and landed her a print ad in Just Kids Magazine (www.facebook.com/justkidsmagazine).

If you choose to use Facebook, I cautiously recommend creating a modeling page for the child. There is a lot of debate surrounding doing this, and it requires a lot of time and attention. I have multiple managers for my daughter’s page and it is constantly monitored to do our best to prevent predators. We never post pictures that we believe would encourage predator attention. Again, Facebook can be a very helpful tool…but it does require a considerate amount of time and attention. Every post and every picture and every like should be monitored to protect your child.

Finally, one question I am asked quite a bit is regarding contests. I do enter my daughter in a few and in the beginning I made the mistake of entering her in some that she had a very slim chance of winning due to the massive amount of entries. I do not recommend entering any contest that has high entry fees per photograph with little return.  I do like “fan-based” contests where you pay either a low entry fee or no fee and then the contest is judged solely on fan likes on Facebook. With those, I recommend using strategy – create an event, invite your friends, don’t spam everyone, and spread out your requests for votes with the “loudest” requests the first day or two and the last day or two.  I love low-fee contests through boutiques on Facebook that are judged with prizes for your child. It gives your child photo exposure and they have a chance to win something.

Even writing all of this doesn’t begin to cover ALL the bases. I’ve had to turn DOWN working with some photographers because I couldn’t afford them (true). Carys was chosen to work with a very well-known photographer out of NY that was coming here and was only going to have time to work with 9 models, but it was going to be $750…and trust me, it was no scam.  I cannot go into any more details, but sometimes you just have to pass up an offer that you just don’t want to refuse because bills have to be paid. You have to hope that the next thing that comes along will put them where they want to be. With that disappointment, my daughter learned that she is a desired model but that responsibility comes first. Hopefully, one day, they will be paying HER to take her photographs.

Sounds time consuming? Yes, my friend, it is. Especially when you have a full-time job, are a full-time mom of 2 children and still need to focus on the other child’s dreams as well, are planning a wedding, are managing a household and…well, you get it…BUT IT’S WORTH IT. Carys is a National American Miss Florida Finalist and is tearing up the modeling scene with being listed as talent with Child Model Magazine, her print ad with Just Kids Magazine, on top of all the boutique work she's been doing. She is working hard to achieve her dream. I might be doing the time to promote her, but at the end of the day – it is all up to her to follow the directions, to sell the products, and have fun doing it.

And, as long as she wants to ride this ride, I will drive.