How to Child Modelling

Child Modelling – A Simple How to Guide

Child modelling isn’t something I’d ever thought about before starting Little White Photography.

But I see so many adorable little ones, who I know would be amazing for commercial photoshoots.

So I’ve been doing as much research as I can to help anyone thinking about getting their little one into baby or child modelling.

First let’s have a look at which agencies there are.

The agencies generally fall into 2 categories.

Sole agencies are the ones that you can only be represented by them.
Non sole agencies are the ones that allow you to be represented by other agencies as well.

Sole Agencies

Bonnie & Betty (North & South)
Urban Angels (North & South)
Signature (North & South)
Little Allstars (North & South)
Elliot Brown (North & South)
Jzee Lemming (North & South)
Hashtag (North & South)
Brown & Mills (North & South)
Baby Grace (South)
Kids London (South)
Grace & Galor (South)
Bruce & Brown (South)
Cheeky Monkeys (South)
Platform Talent Management (South)
Daisy & Dukes (South)
Ray & Robin (South)
Tiny Angels (South)

Non Sole Agencies

Model Me Management (North & South)
Y2K (North & South)
Gingersnap (North & South)
Mustard (North & South)
Sandra Reynolds (North & South)
Mark Jermin (North & South)
Stellar Management (North & South)
Lacara (North & South)
Roots Model Management (North & South)
USI Agency (North & South)
Bondi Talent (North & South)
Mini Models (South)
Kiddiwinks (South)

Then comes social media

There’s a Facebook group called “Parents of Child Models UK” that is fantastic, it has so much advice & information. So if you’re serious about child modelling then definitely go and have a look.

Then I’d advise following the agencies that catch your eye on either Instagram or Facebook.

This means you can get a real feel for the agency, the types of jobs their clients book & the way they look after their clients.

For instance Zebedee management seem to have a really personal approach with their clients & write really kind, insightful posts.

child modelling how to

I’ve also heard wonderful things about Tiny Angels model agency & know of a few people that would highly recommend them.

Time to think about the Pro’s & Con’s

Child modelling can be an amazing experience:

You’ll have so many awesome photos of your little one to treasure as keep sakes.
You’ll meet lots of new people & there’s a real community spirit.
It can be really fun and exciting for your child. Different places, fun things to do, new people.
& of course the money, which can build up your little ones savings.

But there are cons that should be considered before applying to an agency:

Lots of jobs only give very short notice for shoots & castings.
Children often get ‘pencilled’ (shortlisted) so you’ll sort childcare etc. but then your child could get dropped on the day.
It can be disappointing when you travel for a casting and then not get booked.

What do you need to apply?

So you’ve taken all of the pro’s & con’s into consideration & decided on which agency/agencies you prefer, what’s next?

At first you’ll just need to send a couple of colour snaps of your child, these can be ones you’ve taken or professional photos. The agency would then decide whether they’ll use these images for your Childs profile, or if a professional photoshoot is needed.
Ask the agency their terms – is there a charge to join? (sometimes there’s not a joining charge, but they ask you to pay £50-£100 for the required professional headshots/profile images that they book for you. What are their payment terms? (some only pay out twice a year, some pay out via cheque once the funds from the company/brand clear. What % commission do they take from each booking (this is usually between 10-20%)?

If your child doesn’t get accepted please never get upset or disheartened. If an agency has a child with a similar look to your own then they’re unlikely to accept your child simply on this basis.

& finally just a quick thank you to Danielle for all your help, you’ve been an absolute and complete star xx