Everything You Need to Know About Baby Modelling
Baby modelling is obviously a different kettle of fish to child or teen modelling. After all, it’s hard enough getting your little cherub to lie still long enough to change their nappy, so how on earth could you expect them to pose and smile for a camera?
So when it comes to baby modelling, photographers are pretty understanding. They know that they’ll need to be patient so they can get the right shot, and they also know that sometimes, it just doesn’t work out the way it’s supposed to.
What photographers like to see in a baby model
There are a few things both photographers and casting agents look out for in their baby models.
First, they’ll want a cute and photogenic baby, but we know that all babies are cute, right? So no real need to worry about that requirement.
What’s just as important though is the baby’s temperament.
Now, you might be wondering why that’s such a big deal but it really is super important. You see, if a baby has a bubbly personality and likes to smile or laughs a lot, then it’s going to be so much easier to get that perfect shot.
This kind of personality also makes it easier for a baby to be separated from their parent in the studio. So when they have to sit on their own in front of the camera, they won’t start to cry looking for their mum or dad.
One of our gorgeous babies, Luna (that’s her in the image up top!) booked 3 jobs with the same client after being so great on set! We asked her mum for some advice, and she said:
“I think it’s really important to make sure your babies are comfortable with other people. What they tend to look for more than anything is a friendly happy baby that can relax in the environment they are being photographed in.”
Be prepared for photo requests
Babies change so quickly, and so you may find that the head shots you have no longer accurately represent your little one after only a matter of months or even weeks.
Casting directors are well aware of this and so if they are interested in your child’s look, they will often request that you take a photo of your baby on the day you are contacted. They might even ask you to film a quick ‘self tape’ that shows your baby crawling or playing with a toy.
Requests like this are perfectly normal and it doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with your baby’s portfolio shots. They just want to see if your baby has changed much since they were taken.
In fact, one of the main reasons babies still get their professional headshots taken is just to prove that they can. A great portfolio shot means that there’s a good chance your baby has the right temperament for being in front of the camera and remember what we said earlier about happy babies? Casting directors and photographers LOVE them.
Be prepared to meet your baby’s doppelganger
Once you and your baby have secured a job, you may be surprised to turn up to the shoot to find a bunch of babies that all look just like yours. Okay maybe not a whole bunch but perhaps one or two.
The reason for this is because everyone knows that babies are unpredictable. They might be the happiest little angel in the world, but come the day of the shoot they could be teething or have a rash that’s bugging them.
This is why it’s always a good idea to have a couple of back-up babies at the shoot.
Your baby might spend the day in front of the camera or they could just as easily sit on your lap until they are needed. In some cases you may not even have to take any photos at all. We know that this can be super frustrating as your baby won’t appear in that magazine spread or in that ad campaign. But you will be paid for your time on set and it is still good experience for both parent and child.
Remember, this is your baby’s job
Isn’t it strange to think that your child has a job before they can talk, or that they have a Tax File Number before they can walk?
Whilst baby modelling is great fun and a good way to save some money for your baby, there are strict laws in place to make sure that a child’s welfare always comes first.
Children under 3 years old can work a maximum of 4 hours a day, 3 days a week by law. And if you think about it, 4 hours a day is long enough for any baby to spend on set.
Any earnings they make have to go into a bank account in their name, as technically they are the ones employed by the client.
The minimum amount of payment you are looking at for a baby model is around $85 an hour – although it can be much more. Now that may sound like a nice hourly rate, but you child can only work so many hours.
This is not a career you want to jump into just to make some quick cash. It’s something you want to do for fun and perhaps to give your baby the opportunity to get into child modelling as they grow older.
So now that you have a better idea about what’s involved with baby modelling, do you think your child has what it takes to shine in front of the camera?
We know your baby is cute, but does he or she have that bubbly personality that photographers love?
If the answer is yes, then we’d love to hear from you.
Go ahead and fill out our application form and we’ll get right back to you as soon as we can.
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