It’s As Easy As 1, 2, 3!
1. SUBMIT PHOTOS OF YOUR CHILD TO AGENCIES DURING PEAK SCOUTING TIME.
Every year several of the Dallas modeling agencies create a printed marketing piece for their clients called a Head Book. The book features a headshot and a full-length shot of their entire roster of kids. Next to each child, they list their name and modeling stats, which include the child’s height (in inches), their clothing and shoe sizes, hair, and eye color. The book is a quick and easy way for clients to find the right child to hire for their job.
Agency Head Book
Production and scouting for the Head Book photoshoot usually will begin somewhere between October and December. At that time, agents look at their current roster of child models and figure out what gaps they need to fill.
The moral of this story is, if you are thinking about finding an agent for your child, you can do so at any time, but November and December are peak scouting months. If you happen to submit your child in the spring or summer and you don’t hear anything, I recommend you try again with new photos during the peak scouting season.
If you aren’t sure where to send your child’s photos, read about My favorite Dallas, Texas Modeling Agencies blog post.
2. SEND THE RIGHT KIND OF PHOTOS
I recommend sending a minimum of three photos.
Headshot with a relaxed face
HEADSHOT – This photo should be up close, and your child’s face should be relaxed. The goal is for the agent to be able to see your child’s symmetry, bone structure, and shape of their eyes, nose, and mouth. This photo is not to “show your child’s personality.” It’s a straight-forward mug shot.
Full Length
FULL LENGTH – You will also want to include a full-length photo of your kiddo wearing form-fitting clothing. The agent needs to see your child’s overall proportions.
Smile
SMILE – Submit at least one photo with your kiddo smiling. Get a natural smile by making your child laugh.
You can send more than three pictures, but make sure you include these necessary shots.
Here are some tips on how to get good photos:
- > Get down on your child’s level to photograph them straight on.
- > When picking out what your child will wear for the pictures, choose clothes they are pretty close to growing out of.
- > Have someone else photograph your kid. Sometimes it’s hard for a parent to get good photos because their kiddo will start acting silly and won’t listen to instructions. Ask someone else to snap the photos. Usually, a person that your child isn’t very familiar with, or someone you know they listen to works best. It’s also usually better if Mom and Dad are not in the room. You can always hire a professional to photograph your child, but it isn’t necessary.
- > Fill the frame when shooting the images and make sure they are in focus.
- > Photograph your child in natural light. Try shooting outside in the shade, in a doorway or use window light.
3. GIVE AGENTS ALL OF THE INFO THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
Make sure your child’s photos don’t end up in a pile on a desk. Keep your letter to the agent short and on point. Being respectful of an agent’s time and making their job as easy as possible is very much appreciated. Include all of the following information in your letter:
A brief introduction including your name, email address & phone number.
- Child’s Name
- Date of Birth
- Height (in inches)
- Clothing size
- Hair Color
- Eye Color
Make sure you measure properly. Have your child stand against a wall in bare feet with a measuring tape. Lay something thin and flat on top of their head to get an exact measurement.
Please feel free to ask questions or comment below. I will be more than happy to answer them. Also, so many people are interested in getting their child into modeling and acting but don’t know the proper steps, please help me help them by sharing this post.
A special thank you to my adorable God Daughter Gigi. Gigi is with the Kim Dawson Agency.
