Become a Model

We pride ourselves on the child photography that appears in our website, print catalog and other media. It is not simply the quality of the shots, but the fact that we are often documenting the authentic experience of children using our toys, crafts and apparel. As such, we have often developed long term relationships with the families of the children we have photographed and our customers have enjoyed seeing the children grow up through the pages of our catalog and images on our website. We would love to have you become a part of this process and invite you to see if your children would be a good fit. Please read below to learn whether becoming a Nova Natural model is right for you and your children.

DO I NEED TO LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA?
Yes. We are a small company and do most of our photography as close to home as we can.

WHAT KIND OF CHILD MAKES A GOOD MODEL?
Any child can be a good model! Children will have lots of fun on our shoots if they're open and outgoing, they can feel comfortable in front of a camera, and they love to smile and play!

HOW CAN MY CHILD BECOME A NOVA MODEL?
Please send photos of interested children ages 0 to 10 to novakids@novanatural.com. Please tell us their names and ages and ideas of the kinds of toys you think they’d like to play with. We also need your address, phone number and email address.

WHAT TYPE OF PHOTOS SHOULD I SEND?
High-resolution jpegs are best. Snapshot-quality is fine. A headshot and a full body shot are adequate for us to decide.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY CHILD HAS BEEN SELECTED?
We will send you an email and then work out a time to get together for a photo shoot.

HOW CAN I PREPARE MY CHILD ON THE DAY OF THE PHOTOSHOOT?
Please make sure your child’s hair is clean and neat; long hair should be brushed and pulled back into a ponytail or braids so we can see your child’s face. Skin should be free of marker, tattoos, etc. Let us know if your child is covered in bug bites (though a few bug bites can be easily photoshopped, so don’t fret too much!). And please make sure your child’s fingernails and toenails are clean with no colored polish! It helps a great deal when we take close-ups.

It’s also helpful for them to know that normally two of us will do the shoot - the photographer and her helper. We find that the best photos happen when children are relaxed and happy and so we do our best to foster that kind of environment! We love to have children playing naturally but we may ask your child(ren) to repeat an action or do something in particular.

DOES NOVA PROVIDE CLOTHING FOR MY CHILD TO WEAR?
If possible, you should dress your child in clean, stain-free clothing with no tears or frays. Avoid clothing with graphics, words and overly busy combinations. Bright colors are fine (no neon, please). Bring an alternate outfit or two if you can; we often like to shoot the same child/children in multiple scenarios and it’s best if they do not appear in the same clothing. We will also have a selection of clothes on hand to choose from if needed.

It’s helpful for kids to be prepared to change one or more times. Letting them know this is part of the photoshoot will make it easier for them and us!

WHAT ABOUT FOOTWEAR?
Soft soled, non-plasticy shoes are fine (no Crocs, please) but in many cases we’ll have your child go barefoot.

WHERE WILL THE PHOTO SHOOT TAKE PLACE?
It depends. Sometimes we have a specific location in mind and we’ll meet you there, other times we will come to your house to do the shoot.

IF YOU SHOOT AT MY HOUSE, IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD KNOW?
Yes. Indoor family areas and children’s rooms should be clean, tidy and uncluttered. We like to have at least two indoor areas to shoot in. Outdoor areas should be free of non-Nova toys and other visually distracting objects like barbecue grills, outdoor furniture, etc.

Sometimes we may move furniture, area rugs, etc. to clear a space for taking pictures. We promise to put everything back as it was!

HOW LONG DOES A PHOTOSHOOT TYPICALLY LAST?
One hour is usually the upper limit for babies and young toddlers, but for older kids a shoot will typically last around two hours. If they’re happy playing, we like to keep snapping away!

HOW WILL WE BE COMPENSATED FOR THE PHOTOSHOOT?
Each child photographed will receive a Nova Natural gift certificate.

WILL I RECEIVE COPIES OF THE PHOTOS?
Yes, we will email you some pictures from the photoshoot a week or two afterwards. We often get some really nice shots of children!

WHERE WILL THE PHOTOS BE SEEN/USED?
We will own the photos, so they can be used in a variety of ways; in our catalog, on our website or for other marketing venues.

WHAT WAS THAT EMAIL ADDRESS AGAIN? FOR SENDING PHOTOS TO?
Please send photos to support@novanatural.com.