Cute faces, soft skin, adorable giggles. People can't resist babies, and advertisers know it. Top children’s photographer Daniel Pangbourne says, “So many people want to use children in shots now - it’s an enormous market.”
And with babies and tiny toddlers earning $100 per hour, parents are flocking to put their offspring forward for work. Many child model agencies receive more than 50 enquiries a day by E-mail, post and telephone.
If you think your baby has got what it takes, then don’t let the competition put you off. Child model agencies need a constant supply of new models, because the career of a baby model is very short-lived. Every six months, the successful ones get older and move up into a different age group of model, so the opportunities are always there for new faces.
Pushy Mothers Need Not Apply
Mention the subject of child modeling and images of pushy, star-struck mothers immediately come to mind. Janis Penn of top London children's model agency, Scallywags warns that a pushy parent is one of the first things agents are suspicious of. “If a parent is pushing a child into it for their own reasons and the child doesn’t really want to do it, then the child simply isn’t a suitable candidate.”
A baby may be too young too talk, but all babies are quick to express their discomfort, often quite loudly. It is very expensive to reschedule and find another child if a shoot is disrupted by an unhappy baby. Every agent’s priority is to find a child who will be happy in the modelling environment.
Not all mothers are pushy, some have been models themselves either as children or as adults. Other mothers have been encouraged by friends and relatives. For many mothers it’s a good way to avoid the claustrophobia of being stuck at home all day.
Happy to Do What Comes Naturally
Parents can easily tell if their babies would be suitable for modelling. First of all, they mustn’t be worried by strange, new environments, and must be happy to be handled by strangers.
The kind of children who enjoy modelling have bright, alert personalities, with a long attention span. They have a natural curiosity about new, exciting things, and are good at paying attention as well as enjoying attention. If your child likes attention and is easily encouraged to play games, then there is a good chance that he or she will have great fun getting out and about, going to auditions and photo shoots.
Photographer Daniel Pangbourne says, “The child doesn’t know what they’re doing, in essence. They just do what comes naturally. But they get treated very well, and have a good time. It’s a fun thing. The kids’ industry is full of people who know how to deal with kids and babies.”
A Nest Egg for the Future
Some babies continue modelling through childhood, into their teens and beyond. Some go on to become adult models or actors. But for some, a modelling career is just a small part of their childhood, leaving them with memories, tapes, photographs and perhaps a substantial nest egg in the bank.
Doing what come naturally as a tiny baby, might end up paying for their university or college education, or even provide them with a deposit on their first house!
Sources:
Daniel Pangbourne and Janis Penn interviewed personally by the author during research for the book Modelling and Acting for Kids (ISBN 0713667974 A & C Black publishers Ltd 2004)
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