Modeling is no piece of cake. It entails investing effort, time, and money, which makes it particularly challenging for parents of children who aspire to become models.
If you’re planning to make your little one’s dream come true, one of the things you can do to show her your support is to be smart in handling money. You can do this by spending it wisely throughout the course of her journey, especially prior to and at the beginning of her modeling career.
To help you out, below are four money-wise tips you can try to kickstart your child’s modeling career while getting the best value for money:
Know What You Should Pay For
As a parent, it is your responsibility to serve as your child’s first manager and to handle the business side of things, which includes choosing a trusted modeling agency, setting appointments, filling out forms, securing necessary documents, purchasing supplies, and paying fees.
You must do your research on the different costs that you need to pay – from the fees charged by modeling agencies to the things you should be investing on like clothing, photographs, workshops, and others.
Keep in mind that agency fees will vary — there’s no single formula that applies to everyone, so make sure you dig deep when looking for information about modeling start-up expenses.
Hire Professional Photographers
Preparing a modeling portfolio is arguably the most critical step in launching your child’s modeling career as it will showcase your little one’s strong points.
That said, hiring a professional photographer to take her portfolio snaps is a wise use of your resources. Not only will they give guaranteed high-quality shots, but they can also provide the background and the changes in outfit and props for your little one’s photo shoot, in some cases.
If you have no idea which photographer to hire, ask fellow parents with children who are also into modeling for recommendations. Checking reviews and past client feedback is also a great way to discern whether a photographer works well with children.
Invest in Highlighting Her Beauty
Launching your child’s modeling career means you should also invest in helping her beauty shine through. Teach her to use makeup and different outfits to highlight her natural beauty rather than overpower it.
Get recommendations from agencies and other parents on professional makeup artists who can work with children. When interviewing candidates, make sure to mention the age of your child and ask if they have experience working with children of the same age.
After that, choose a makeup look that will showcase her best physical attributes. For example, if she has expressive eyes, you can ask the makeup artist to highlight them with a cat eye. If she has high cheekbones or nose bridge, using contouring makeup can also work to her advantage.
As for her outfits, it is recommended that you look for a single tailor who can create clothing that fits her body perfectly. Remember that it is not the brand that matters, but how the clothing fits.
Maximize the Power of the Internet
The Internet is one of the best tools you can use to establish a following that could help kickstart your child’s modeling career. If you are computer-savvy, you can create an online version of her modeling portfolio that can be accessed whenever the need arises. Otherwise, you can simply create a page in some of the most popular social media and photo-sharing platforms to showcase her portfolio photos and other pictures that feature her personality.
Be Money-Wise for Success
There is plenty of helpful information about child and teen modeling you can use to launch your little one’s career in the industry while getting the most out of your resources. To give her a full advantage, you need to tap into these resources, gather up your patience, and invest as much time and effort as you can to make your little one’s dream come true.
AUTHOR BIO
Adam Jacobs is the Managing Director of Bubblegum Casting, the longest running agency specializing in babies, children and teen talent in Australia. Bubblegum Casting works with some of Australia’s biggest brands, media properties, and agencies to secure talented children to work in Television, Film and Modelling roles.
