Skip to main content

Maternity Modeling



The great thing about modeling is that as long as consumers need products pushed to them, clients and companies will need models to sell them and reflect the tastes of the consumers.

Maternity modeling allows female models to continue their modeling careers while showcasing their buns in the oven.

The maternity modeling market isn't huge but there is a demand for them, from maternity clothing lines to baby products and items targeted towards new mothers, there will always be a need for pregnant female models. This is ideal for models that want to have children but still want to continue their modeling career or even for women with no modeling experience who happen to be pregnant and would like to take a shot at maternity modeling.

There aren't many modeling agencies that have maternity divisions but there are some that specialize only in maternity models and work with them from the moment their baby bump starts to show all the way until it's time to deliver the baby.

Maternity models vary in height, size, shape, and ethnicity so the requirements in that sense are fairly flexible. However, these type of models should have an attractive, symmetrical face, pleasant features, a great smile, good skin, and nice hair. Think commercial/print models, although many agencies will also take interest in women with a fashion and editorial look as well.

Because most women don't start to show until about 2-3 months, this is the time range during which you should seek representation. Like regular models, non professional, digital snapshots are fine to start out with when submitting to agencies, unless otherwise noted on the agency website. If you are currently a model and become pregnant, it is important that you let your agency know and tell them when your due date is. They'll continue to book you regular work until you start to show and then will adjust accordingly.

Not all agencies book maternity modeling work so if you a model in this situation, your agency may contract you out to an agency that represents maternity models or even start submitting you to any castings they do receive that need pregnant models. It all depends on what options are available to you and what you arrange with your agency.

Of course maternity models have to maintain their health and their weight and if you plan on pursuing this type of modeling, start taking care of your skin diligently, since pregnancy can wreak havoc on your complexion due to hormonal changes within your body. Agencies that work with maternity models know how to work with pregnant women so rest assured, you won't feel the need to sweat the small stuff.

Because stretch marks can be a hindrance, it is important to begin religiously moisturizing your stomach and surrounding areas as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Proper moisturization during your pregnancy will help prevent or minimize the amount of stretch marks you may get, depending on how much your skin stretches.

Additionally, moisturizing your stomach will also help with the state of your skin after giving birth. Stretch marks in general are impossible to get rid of but if caught early, you can definitely control or avoid them altogether.

Of course you don't have to have an agent to do maternity modeling. Freelance is also an option and there are plenty of photographers that love to take photos of women during this special time in their lives. You can always do a test shoot for fun to see how you like it or you can start networking and finding out if there are any castings for maternity models in your area.

If you don't live in the New York area, then you'll more than likely have to freelance to find opportunities. Stock photographers especially need real life models, including pregnant ones, so this could also be another alternative to breaking into this type of modeling.

The thing to remember about maternity modeling is that you'll only be able to work as long as you are pregnant. Once you've given birth, you're technically no longer a maternity model. However, some agencies even work with models that have just given birth and refer to them as "New Moms"--there's even "New Dads" and "Babies/Toddlers" with such agencies so if you want, your whole family could get in on the fun!

Here is what I could find in terms of maternity modeling:

- http://www.expectingmodels.com/

- Fit Pregnancy is a bimonthly magazine devoted to all things related to pregnancy and motherhood. They state on their website that they hire their maternity models through agencies in New York, including Ford and Next Models, which means that these agencies represent maternity models.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Modeling and Weight

One of the first things I hear potential models ask is what the weight requirement for modeling is. Sometimes that is the main issue they worry about when it comes to pursuing modeling. Let me tell you right now that weight should NOT be one of those concerns. Obviously, the height requirement reigns supreme when measuring up to the modeling standards sought out by agencies. If you meet the height requirements--whether it's for fashion and runway or commercial/print--that is the first step towards starting on the path to modeling. How much you weigh shouldn't be your biggest fear. It is rare that anyone can look at someone and say, "Oh, my gosh, he/she looks like they are 5 pounds over our weight requirement!" It just isn't realistic. If you look at many modeling agency websites, they clearly list the age and height requirements--rarely, if at all do they list any weight restrictions. The general rule of thumb when it comes to weight is that for models who ...
6 comments
Read more

Modeling & Pay Rates: How Much Should You Charge?

(This post is more targeted towards freelance models and not those with agency representation, although it may apply to those that have an agent but continue to find their own work.) A part of being a successful model is making money from the jobs that you book. However, being a freelance model comes with many challenges--figuring out what you should charge is one of them. I will say upfront that there are no established black and white rules when it comes to pay rates. Each modeling job is different, each client is different and budgets vary. Ultimately the factors that should influence what you charge should be the amount of experience you have, the strength of the images in your portfolio and the client's budget/needs. Not every client is going to pay what you want to charge. There may be times when you will be skipped over for charging too much or taken advantage of for charging too little. It's going to happen so be prepared for it and do not take it personally. It...
37 comments
Read more

What Are Male Models Supposed to Look Like?

The modeling world is filled with women. That's never been a secret and sadly, that often means male models fall by the wayside. There are successful male models in all categories across the industry but the fact that the modeling business revolves around women can make it challenging for newbies to figure out how to pursue their goals of male modeling. It is important to know that because there are different types of modeling categories out there, that means there are also different types of male models. They aren't all supposed to look alike and what ends up being in demand does change every year. Let's break down the common attributes that come with male modeling in various popular categories, shall we? THE MALE FASHION/RUNWAY/EDITORIAL MODEL These are the typical types of models most of us tend to think of when it comes to men in modeling. What is important to know and understand if you're an aspiring male model is that agencies have all different looks ...
4 comments
Read more