- When my baby was three months old, she was accepted by a child talent agency.
- My family wasn’t interested in it, but we now want her to be able to manage her own money.
- Some photo shoots go smoothly. Sometimes things don’t go as planned with others.
My first time mom. BabyShe was three months old when she was admitted to the hospital. Minor DetailsThe, a family-owned child talent agency.
My husband and me had never tried anything like this before. We were humbled that Lee Gallagher, an industry veteran and former model, believed she had the adorable qualities to be featured in major campaigns.
It would also be an empowering experience for our daughter to manage her own bank account and funds when she is older. We also understood that she had earned this money herself. The best part was that this agency valued work-life balance, healthy family dynamics, and we decided to take it on.
It is important to be ready for the day of shooting
My baby’s first photo shoot was for a national brand. It was set for 10 a.m. We started the bedtime process the night before. However, it was scheduled for 10 a.m. because she was still exclusively breastfeeding.
In the morning, when it was time to go, we decided not to use the car, even though it would have gotten us to our destination a lot quicker, because she hated the car seat. We strategically used the subway to get an extra nap for our baby and make sure she was well-rested.
The set was a hit with my daughter right away upon our arrival. The floor spread was like a giant play mat for her stomach. To make sure she wasn’t overwhelmed by the new surroundings, I had prepared an essentials kit containing her favorite toys as well as diaper gear. She was remarkably calm and unaffected by the flashes of the camera and foreign sounds.
The crew was friendly and very precise in their workflow. The shoot took 40 minutes and she was able to cycle through four different outfits.
Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan.
About a month later my baby was offered another job at a toy company. We had started sleep training our daughter, which was the biggest difference between this gig & the previous one. We had to ensure she took only two naps per day with her new schedule.
We had to adjust the times of her wake and nap windows on the day of the shoot to accommodate the time it took to get there.
Also, this time, my participation was requested. My daughter and I were going to be on the shoot together, so we had to bring our own clothes. My daughter was still waiting on-site for her wardrobe.
Despite all our planning, the crew on set said that my daughter’s choice of outfit was too bulky. Her wake window closed in slowly on us as we waited for new clothes to arrive. When they called us to the set she began to lose her temper and became restless.
The photographer was frustrated by her expressions, she wasn’t interested in playing with the toy and she flailed her legs.
I quickly played plane with her, and she immediately fell asleep when she giggled.
One hour into the shoot, everything was not working so I asked for an immediate break.
I provided emergency breastfeeding and diaper changing. Both of us needed a reset as our post-partum hormones were raging and I was feeling hot in the sweater I wore for this shoot. They were able, however, to get the shot after my daughter calmed down. Despite all the delays, the crew was patient and kind throughout the entire process.
As we navigate this brave new modeling world, the roller-coaster ride has been thrilling — and it’s been an exciting adventure to have my baby be selected for these projects. I can’t wait for her to be able to communicate with us so that we can share these stories together.