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Best and Worst: National Modeling Contests

by Shauna Smith Duty

In August 2006, BabyTalk Magazine will announce the two finalists in their baby photo contest on “Good Morning America”. The contest is BabyTalk Good Morning America Cover Contest, and the Grand Prize winner will be featured on the cover of BabyTalk Magazine and on “Good Morning America” in September. “Regis and Kelly Live!” hosted the 2006 Live’s Beautiful Baby Search. The winner received $3000 and appeared on the cover of Parents Magazine as well as on “Live! With Regis and Kelly”, along with four runners up. The winner of the 2006 Nikon Coolpix Pride and Joy Baby Photo Contest will be featured in a Nikon advertorial in Life Magazine and was awarded a $25,000 US Savings Bond. And guess what? All of these contests were free.

If you think your baby has what it takes to win national baby photo contests, you need to know where to find them and which ones are reputable. Ratemybabypics.com has the inside scoop for parents. How will you ever repay us? Just be sure to let us know if your child wins a national contest!

Ongoing Contests

Parents Magazine – In addition to the 2006 Live’s Beautiful Baby Search, Parents Magazine hosts a daily photo contest, Cutest Kid in the Universe. Parents can complete and entry form and upload photos online. Daily winners are featured on the Web site, and monthly winners are featured in Parents Magazine. The contest is free, but there is no cash prize. The 2006 Live’s Beautiful Baby Search contest information can be accessed at www.tvplex.go.com. Not only does the winner receive $3000, but four runners up receive $500 each. All five winning contestants are sent on an expense-paid trip to New York in February. Entry is free, and parents can enter online or by conventional postal mail. In 2006, the deadline was February 10; so keep an eye on the Web site for next year’s deadline.

Parenting Magazine - BabyTalk Magazine is associated with Parenting Magazine, so the BabyTalk Good Morning America Cover Contest is the photo contest Parenting Magazine refers Web visitors to. Parents can enter online or via conventional postal mail, and entry is free. The deadline in 2006 was April 30. The contest is in its 7th year, so keep an eye on www.parenting.com for details on next year’s contest. Winners are featured on the cover of BabyTalk Magazine and on the Web site and advertisements for “Good Morning America”. Winners also receive a travel package worth almost $5000 to go to New York City where he/she will be filmed on “Good Morning America”.

American Baby Magazine – Each month, American Baby Magazine features a fun photo contest on their Web site, www.americanbaby.com/photocontest/, and one annual Grand Prize winner receives $1000. Web visitors can see all entries and vote on their favorites. Contest topics include Beach Baby and Cool Hat Baby. To enter the free contest, simply fill out the entry form and upload your digital photo. Monthly winners are announced on the site, and the annual Grand Prize winner is posted in August.

Tips for Parents:

1. Search online for “baby photo contests”, and look for corporate names you recognize, like big national magazines, corporations, or television shows. Some smaller contests are reputable, but many are not. BabyZone.com has a weekly photo contest, followed by an annual competition for winners. The Grand Prize is $100.
2. Baby photo contests come and go. Family Fun Magazine, by Disney, hosted a photo contest in 2001, but their Web site shows no photo contest activity since then. The Nikon Coolpix Pride and Joy Baby Photo Contest has not announced another contest. Check out the Web sites of your favorite parenting publications, toys, or television shows to find out if they sponsor a baby photo contest.
3. One major red flag is an entry fee. Many contests require an entry fee, and then they use the fee to pay the winner. This is fine, but you’ll spend money and receive little to no exposure. Other unscrupulous contest administrators may take your money and disappear. With national contests such as those highlighted in this article, many contestants enter, but there is no entry fee and winners receive terrific exposure!
4. See ratemybabypics.com’s article on Tips for Taking Baby and Child Photos. Also see the Parenting Magazine Web site for great photo tips.
5. Mark contest deadlines on your calendar so you won’t forget! If the contest requires conventional postal mail, print off the entry form and fill it out, then keep it with your bills or calendar.
6. Always, always have your digital camera handy—with extra batteries
7. Check out former contest winners at sponsors’ Web sites. What themes and photo techniques were popular? How can you use these techniques in your photography?

Good luck, and may the cutest photo win!

28 Comments
Comment Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

CAV_Mod	Mon, Jul 17, 2006 6:41pm Anyone have bad experiences with "paid" photo contests?
jazzy2307	Sat, Jul 05, 2008 10:38am we would love to enter a contest ..mostly for fun who knows what can happen ..how do i find out more?
dakron	Wed, Jun 25, 2008 11:25am we would like to enter the contest
Advith_banke	Fri, Apr 18, 2008 4:28am I want to enter my baby in this Contest... Could you please let me know that how do i can enter my baby in this contest?
cameryn	Wed, Feb 27, 2008 11:15am My baby boy has what it takes trust me!

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