Answering a Reader Question #756

Kerry Foland Wrote:

 Hi, I have a 9 year old who thinks she is destined to be a model and has big dreams of being a hard working, sought after model! Can you give me any tips on how to get her started or ways to introduce her to what modeling is really like so we can decide if it is really something she wants to focus her time and energy on? Also, if we are able to find any open casting calls for kids in our area I'm assuming they will want her to look like a kid right? Skinny jeans and tank top seem appropriate but not heels can we replace the heels with flats or sandals?

Hi Kerry!

For new, young models I always advise breaking into the industry through agency representation. If you don't know your way around the modeling world, falling prey to scams and shady individuals increases for you dramatically and could make your daughter's first experience in modeling possibly a less than desirable one.

Also, finding legit castings for modeling work on your own can be challenging, especially since fake opportunities can easily look like the real thing. There are good resources you can use to find modeling work but for kid models it can be a lot more difficult if you don't live in a medium or large market where opportunities are plentiful.

Agencies and clients alike want kid models to look their age so you are correct that she should be dressed casually and not like a miniature version of a grown up model, so definitely no heels. Skinnies, flats or sandals and a fitted t-shirt or tank-top would be more than appropriate for someone her age to wear either to a casting for a modeling gig (if they don't otherwise specify what she should wear) or to an agency open call.

However, if you're not quite ready to jump into the agency search, I would recommend contacting local professional photographers and setting up a test shoot so that your daughter can get her feet wet by doing an actual photoshoot and seeing how she feels about it afterwards. Many photographers have their own websites where you can view their portfolios. It would be best to consider photographers that have experience shooting kid models, which will be evident in their work. If you don't see any kids on their site, then you'll want to opt for someone else to save yourself time.

Shop around and talk to at least 3 photographers to see who you (and your daughter) feel most comfortable with. Explain the situation so they can get a full understanding of what your expectations are. This type of shoot shouldn't cost you a small fortune, either. Find out if any of the photographers you're considering would be willing to do a "trade shoot," which is essentially a free shoot where your daughter and the photographer exchanges their time for copies of the photos to use for portfolio/promotional purposes. If they don't offer test shoots, then shop around and compare prices for the services they offer.

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