A couple weeks ago, I spent the afternoon with 10-year old Carly in my studio.  For two hours we danced to Lady Gaga, whipped our hair to Willow Smith, made silly faces, and did what we do best.  For Carly, it was modeling.  She hasn’t officially done it yet, but she wants to.  So her mom booked a session with me to build a portfolio for her.  And I must say, for a 10 year old girl that’s never done this before… she’s definitely got a natural gift.

In anticipation of posting some of the highlights of my time with Carly, I also put together a quick list of steps for parents interested in getting their children into modeling.

1.  Evaluate your child’s personality. Photo shoots aren’t always quick and easy.  They can take hours, and your child needs to have a relatively long attention span to pair well in the modeling industry. They also need to be personable.  A child that is friendly with strangers is easier to work with than a child that requires a substantial amount of warm-up time.

2. Have your child photographed. In all honesty, you don’t need to invest in professional photographs for this first round.  You can send some snapshots of your child to an agency to see if they’re interested enough to warrant an investment in professional photos.  If they are, it’s time to hire a professional photographer.  You’ll want to plan ahead for this shoot with multiple outfits, and possibly even have your child’s hair professionally done in an over-the-top style.  Bigger always photographs better.

3.  Schedule a meeting or two. Or three. Larger cities have more luxuries when it comes to modeling agencies, with a variety of companies and styles to choose from.  If your initial snapshots were well-received, it’s time to shop around, set up interviews, and ask as many questions as possible.  Take advantage of open casting calls.  Once you pick your agent, maintain communication.  The more in-person interation, the more likely your child is to be shown to potential clients.  Note, however, there is a difference in being pushy and being friendly.  Building a good relationship with your agent will produce higher motivation on their end to show your child.

4. Create comp cards. Once you select your agency, you will need to have comp cards printed. Based on their experience, it’s best to have your agent select the best photographs of your child to be used. However, you are responsible for the cost of the cards.  Comp cards are typically ordered in large quantities – a couple hundred at a time – and can be purchased at any online postcard printing company. Below is an example of a comp card I put together with Carly’s photographs:

And last, but possibly the most important:

5. Let go of any expectations. Relax.  Don’t expect hundreds of calls.  And don’t put the pressure on your child.  Make this experience a fun one that might even just be a one-time thing.  After all, nobody likes a stage mom.

One of the most common questions a client asks after booking their portrait session is “what do we wear?” Personally, I have a hard enough time deciding what to wear for a normal day, let alone a portrait session that will hang on my walls for years to come!

Because of this, I’ve taken some time to put together some fun outfits for your children thanks to the ever fashionable Janie and Jack–a children’s clothing company that offers distinctive, finely crafted clothing and accessories for the little ones in your life!

Be sure to check back next week for a fashion alert just for you (the parents)!  Because you’re just as important as your little minis, even if they’re the ones who end up stealing the show!

I talk to so many moms who have trouble taking photos of their kids.  Either the kids aren’t interested in stopping to pose for a picture, or they get impatient holding the pose as mom tries over and over to get just one good shot.  I have a few tricks that just might help you get a good shot while still keeping everyone happy!

GET ON THEIR LEVEL

Kneel down, squat down, or lay down, but do whatever you need to in order to get on eye-level with your child.  More than likely they’ll be looking down at whatever they are doing, and it’s easier to catch a glance than to have them stop what they’re doing and look up.  If you have an entry level digital SLR camera, you’ll have more luck with catching the quick moments.  Standard point and shoots will probably take some more finesse with the time delay.  One way to get around that is to make sure you’re by a window, outdoors, or in an area with plenty of light and turn your flash off.  Not only will you get better color in your photos, you also won’t have those pesky red eyes to deal with!  A favorite trick I use regularly with younger kids is to have them lay on their back on a blanket.  Stand over them and pretend like you’re going to fall on them.  If that doesn’t work (or if they’re infants that aren’t sitting up yet), kneel down and tickle them with one hand while shooting with your other.  Most of the time, a fit of giggles will ensue.  The above shot was taken with a Nikon Coolpix S220 (point and shoot) with the flash off, and without any color correction–just some sharpening for clarity.

I met 10 year old Jack while he paused his Guitar Hero long enough to shake my hand. He then quickly resumed his game, eager to show off his widely practiced skills to a new audience. I was at Jack’s house on a recent trip to Scottsdale for a portrait session. We were on his turf, in his domain, and his dog ran by with the occasional bark to remind us that she was important too.

There’s something about going into a child’s environment that makes an instant friendship a little bit easier. When they’re surrounded by familiarity, having someone new with a camera in their face isn’t quite as intimidating as a photography studio with lots of expensive equipment they aren’t allowed to touch. I might have a biased opinion since I am a strictly on-location, natural light photographer, but let me give you a few reasons as to why your home (or favorite locale) is the perfect backdrop for a portrait session with your child.

Freedom to wander.

Children like to be entertained. Toddlers, particularly, don’t like to be in one place for long. I don’t know how many times I’ve spent an hour running backwards with my camera low trying to catch a little one on the move. During my session with Jack, we spent most of our hour together exploring his backyard. He showed me his mother’s rose garden, and which buds he was saving for the girl he has his eye on at school. We lay in the grass, threw the ball, chased after the dog, and (when all that grew old) Jack offered to show me his “washboard abs”. That’s when I got the good smile out of him. The continual change of scenery allowed for a wide variety of visually stimulating backdrops that I couldn’t have gotten inside a studio.

Your style is unique.

Once a portrait session is booked, most moms immediately think to themselves “what are we going to wear?” Putting the effort into styling your children in a way that they won’t resist while still adding a touch of your personality always results in a series of photographs unique to your own family. Pairing that with the backdrop of your own home is a guarantee for something that hasn’t been seen. Because no one’s house looks quite like yours. But what if your house isn’t quite the house of your dreams? Simply choose to have your session in a favorite meadow, that building you love downtown, or even in a local ice cream shop. The options are endless!

Yummy evening light.

There are plenty of lighting options when it comes to in-studio lighting, and a photographer with a good understanding of light can create some pretty stunning effects.  However, nothing really compares with a good dose of yummy evening light.  The kind of light that just wraps itself around your child and kisses the freckles on their nose.  The kind of light you think of when you remember going to bed as a child when it wasn’t yet dark outside.  The kind of light that makes your soul smile.  After all, many things in life are fleeting.  But the warm glow of a summer evening is always waiting to greet you.  Even if it’s hidden behind some clouds.