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Kids' Pics to an Agency - What Do They Want?
Wife and I are considering bringing in my stepdaughter (10) to a mdoelling agency. She's got a good look and I've managed to squeeze out a few good headshots of her as a start. Figured she might be good for kids' clothing modelling and such. Anyway, can anyone give some advice on what an agency that works with kids is looking for as far as portfolio, 8x10s, etc.? I printed out a few 8x10 headshots....if I stick those in a presentation folder, would that suffice? I figured kids' agencies would be different than adult modeling since they aren't likely to have a portfolio set up/catalog of professional images, necessarily. Jul 21 05 11:44 pm Link Give them a shot that would show all the flaws. Prove that the kid looks great with no makeup in the harshest lighting imaginable and you've got a winner. That's also why the agencies want basic polaroids. Jul 21 05 11:58 pm Link Snapshots. Preferably with a natural unposed smile. Nothing too distant (as in photos standing further than 10') and nothing too model-like. Show some character / personality, real life imaging that doesn't look out of character posed. Image quality must not detract. The best submission I saw from a 10 year old was a (3) image series: 1) huge smile holding a PB&J sandwich; 2) followed by looking down with a frown at jelly all over the shirt; 3) lastly, the child laying down with an elbow resting on a box of Tide with the clean shirt and look on the face that all was well. This showed an understanding of what modeling was all about with multiple characters conveyed by one at such a young age. The child was signed. Jul 22 05 12:01 am Link Interesting feedback from both of you...not what I would have expected. So what do I do with these nice 8x10s now?! Dagnabit. Jul 22 05 12:08 am Link Posted by Sleepy Weasel: First rule of thumb: Submit per agency guidelines. If they only ask for snapshots or comps, don't deviate. Comps for kids are best using actual work images instead of posed "modeling" images. Jul 22 05 12:31 am Link Posted by Ched: The harshest light possible??? Who told you that? Jul 22 05 12:47 am Link Posted by Ched: While you're at it, find the ugliest kids on the block. Jul 22 05 12:48 am Link What if you have a child that poses no matter what when she sees a camera? I took this photo of my kids a couple of weeks ago, and just told my daughter to give her brother a hug. I tried to sneak a shot before she realized there was a camera, but to no avail.... I've been thinking of trying to get my kids into modeling, too, but am not too sure what the market is like down here for child modeling. Jul 22 05 09:58 am Link dang it...still can't remember how to post an image in the forum here....ugh! Jul 22 05 10:02 am Link My stepdaughter is also the kind that sees a camera and immediately hams it up...hard to get a "candid" pic of her unless she's throwing a fit...but even then she doesn't care if there's a camera - she just won't look at it then. But not the most flattering of images, either. Jul 22 05 12:24 pm Link Posted by Rebecca Alsbury: Put the URL to the image in between: Jul 22 05 01:40 pm Link Thank you Paul...I was trying a different approach earlier... got it now. Jul 22 05 10:14 pm Link Before you go, do understand that you can count the agencies who legitimately work with kids on one hand. There is very little demand for them outside of a handful of U.S. markets. If it's a bragging thing that you want to show-off to people you know, then get involved. If you legitimately think the "agency" is going to find a lot of work for you kid, you're in for a disappointment. Jul 22 05 10:30 pm Link Here's one local one we found - anyone know anything about this company? http://www.donnabaldwin.com They have online submissions of "snapshots". Jul 23 05 09:12 am Link Posted by Jack D Trute: Harsh light as in sunlight, a single fresnel, something that isn't going to blur out features. Jul 23 05 11:54 am Link Posted by Sleepy Weasel: They are legit. I almost submitted to them for myself when I was living in Oklahoma, but they said I was a little too far. It's a smaller agency I believe... Jul 23 05 12:00 pm Link Thanks rebecca - I'm waiting to hear back via email about what kind of pics they want sent. Jul 24 05 11:02 pm Link I personally wouldn't submit to an agency that sells "NYC agency mailing labels", magazine subscriptions, and portfolios to the general public on their website. Since Colorado isn't a major market it may be a little different story, but in any real market that type of thing would scream scam so loud it would burst your eardrums. A Hamilton Jul 25 05 09:04 am Link Posted by A. H A M I L T O N: They didn't do that a few years ago...hmm...may be something they just started within the past year or two, but not sure. Last I checked, though, they were a legit modeling agency. Jul 25 05 09:28 am Link I'll be sure to find out more about them before committing to anything - if they ever even respond to me. Otherwise, is there another route to go to try and set up our own gigs (in Colorado)? Jul 25 05 11:05 am Link |