PRince Nick Takes NYC + Feedback from a Child Modeling Agency

Back when Nick was about 7-months old, a fellow fashion PRo suggested that I get him into modeling. He said, "Start him off early so he can retire by the time he's 10." There's no doubting Nick's capabilities, but see, the way his behavior's set up... yea, I figured I'd wait until we phased out of the treacherous three's to start seriously sourcing opportunities for him. But last month I was approached by an NYC-based modeling agency, so we set up a date for them to meet Nick, assess his personality and chat possible representation. Then began preparation. I told Nick that we were going to New York for a BIG adventure, and we were going to meet a nice lady who was going to take pictures of him, and after we were done - if his behavior was excellent - we'd take the train to Times Square to meet Elmo, Minions and go to a fancy Toys 'R Us. I turned our trip into a production complete with bribes in hopes of Nick having some act right that day. He was excited to visit New York to see where mommy goes occasionally for work, and he promised to be good. But (moms), as you know, there are zero behavioral guarantees with a preschooler.

On the Mega Bus.

Early Monday morning, we drove to White Marsh to catch the Mega Bus and begin our adventure. Nick hopped on and cheesed the entire ride up (and back). Soon as he was fastened in and we were en route, he said, "I'm having so much fun, Mommy!" He enjoyed the scenic 3-hour ride, and I kept him entertained with his Nabi, stories and snacks.

Once we arrived.

He was checking himself out and (I think) living for himself. He calls the blazer his New York jacket. I played with print and texture by pairing a (faux) houndstooth blazer with a flannel checkered button down. The yellow zipper tag and green shoe laces on his Keen Kids hightops kept things super fun and youthful. Skinny denim and the best hair day stamped everything. We were ready to slay our meeting.

Get the look:

Blazer

Flannel Button Down

Nick managed to bang his eye on a table end at a birthday party the Saturday before, hence the remnants of a black eye. Seriously, Nick? He would manage to sock himself in the eye when we're going to a meeting about his appearance. Smh.

Boarding and on the train.

Funny story: We were on the train and I said, "We're going uptown, Nick." He breaks into, "Uptown funk you up. Uptown funk you up.", which made all surrounding passengers chuckle.

After riding the train aimlessly and walking several blocks, we finally arrived to our destination in Chelsea. I had no clue what to expect from this meeting. I've been a part of several model castings, but I'm green to the world of child modeling. We walked into the office, and the walls were impressively plastered with imagery of their clients' recent magazine covers and editorials. Nick was kind of shy when we went in. Once seated, Nick was asked his name, age, etc. Nick then decided to kick the desk while the agency director and I were speaking. We gave him crayons as a distraction so we could chat. Afterwards, she took Nick around the corner to assess his independence and take a few raw shots, which he nailed. Though he was a little cheeky, Nick did a really great job. As promised, we rode the train a little more, then headed to Times Square.

First, lunch at BBQ's.

Nick didn't really know what to make of the characters roaming the streets, but we stopped for a picture anyway.

We visited Toys 'R Us, had a ball riding on the ferris wheel and checking out the goodies on each floor. Nick picked out (another) Henry Train and tested him out right in the middle of the Times Square.

Our trip to NYC was a success. I'll admit, I was a little worried about how he'd do. Pavement pounding is hard on an adult, but he walked the city streets like a pro. I received great feedback and perspective from the modeling agency as as well. Takeaways:

1. Nick is extremely photogenic (duh), and there's no doubt that he'll book work, BUT his behavior will hinder him. He actually wasn't "bad", but he was playing around. For example, when asked how old he was and his birthday, he responded with, "I don't know." with a glint in his eye, though he certainly knew the answers. The agency director said, though it's cute, casting directors and corporate execs don't have the time to coax him and won't be amused.

2. Nick is tall for his age, which is another reason his antics work against him. He'd be cast alongside 5/6-year-olds because of his height, but he lacks their maturity. So though Nick may be a better fit aesthetically, they'll always cast a child who's easier to work with and professional. Yea, Nick is neither of those things.

3. Child modeling requires major commitment. Parents have to be willing to miss work and pay for travel to attend castings (should you not be local). The only reason they entertained me once I told them where we lived is because they were really interested in Nick, and because of my flexible work schedule. I was not phased by the info; I'll push for a great opportunity.

4. They loved his look (especially), and encouraged me to continue working with him on his photos and poses, but most importantly, to work on his behavior and engagement, and to bring him back in the spring for a reassessment.

Nick's talked about New York everyday since our return. Everything from the NYPD on horses to the broadway lit McDonald's was a sight for him to see. He was totally captivated by that magic that is the Big Apple, and I enjoyed viewing the city through his eyes. We've got some work to do, and I think we'll explore local modeling before we head back to NYC. We were invited to return early spring, but I may fall back until August to give him time to settle into his age.