Baby modelling agencies can be quite the unknown if it isn’t something you have done yourself, or something you have done with your other children. When everyone keeps telling you how little Polly should be a model though, the idea can be tempting. So what’s holding you back?

Knowing whether your baby will enjoy or be the right sort of child for modelling can be difficult to gauge without letting them try it. Some little ones seem confident around strangers so you might think they’d be perfect for it, however under the high pressure and very different set up of a photography studio it could be a different story. Equally, some babies who you may think would struggle might actually do better than those who seem confident normally.

It is another world entirely!

There are things which you can look for in your child which will give you a good idea about whether they will enjoy and flourish in the new environment.

Personality

The most photogenic children aren’t necessary the best looking, classically cute ones. They are the ones whose personality shines through in their pictures, the endearing smiles or the ones who giggle through a photo shoot.

If you’re looking at signing your little one up to baby modelling agencies, they will have to enjoy being held. The majority of images of babies in advertising will be of a baby in a (fake) mother’s arms. If they only like being held by people they know, they are likely to find this particularly uncomfortable, and therefore get stressed and upset.

Confidence is a big factor, and stranger anxiety will be a problem. If your baby

Age

It might seem obvious, but baby modelling agencies require children of a very specific age in order to fill demand for babies in catalogues, adverts, product branding and more. From birth until one year old your little sweetheart will be considered a baby for these purposes, and from one until 8 they will be considered a child model. It means there’s actually a very narrow window when you’ll need a specific baby modelling agency, so it might be a good idea to choose somewhere where you can have an easy transition if you think your child will want to carry on.

In doing so you will already have an established relationship with the agency, and you will know how they operate. Moving from one to another should be fairly reasonable, but if they organise themselves differently the adjustment might be difficult.

Social little ones

The best baby models are often those with older siblings. They are more likely to be used to social situations, as well as being pulled around a bit. Other sociable little ones can also do well, but the situation is more likely to overwhelm children without brothers or sisters to play with on a daily basis.

Test shots

Lots of babies will get invited along to audition for modelling jobs, and while lots of them might also get asked back for the shoot itself, many of them will be unsuitable. This could be because they dislike the flash, or don’t cope well being held by a stranger, or simply because there is too much competition.

Some children are more likely to blink than others, and this makes photography very difficult. A few quick test shots and this will become clear.

Final thoughts

If you’re not sure whether or not your baby will enjoy modelling, there is no harm trying it out. There is no ongoing commitment if you fill in the paperwork and then the first audition has you in tears more than your little one. If it isn’t for the both of you then there is no need to take it any further. But if it is, it can be a great bonding experience for you both!