BY CLARA A RODRIGUES
How would you feel to see your baby’ cute face and mischievous gleam on everyone’s walls? Your baby and the cynosures of all eyes! If you want this to happen, your chance is here.
If your baby is anywhere between six months to six years, then fill in a form with relevant details and pictures and your baby could well be on his or her way to becoming the face of a calendar that is to be launched soon.
“We are on a hunt to find Goa’s first calendar baby,” says Ms Phoebe Fernandes from Aldona. The brainchild behind the calendar concept, Phoebe reveals that they are not looking at still photographs but rather at catching them in an ambience of natural movements and moods. To put it simply, clicking moments when these toddlers are just themselves.
The babies will be evaluated on baby attributes such as pretty eyes, lovely hair, baby curls, mischievous face; happy, smart look etc says Phoebe.
All cannot be a winner says Prasad Pankar, Goa’s well known photographer who will also be the judge says when asked if children participating in a competition like this could affect their esteem or put them to unnecessary pressure said “I always tell my students that participation is important. If you participate, then you are a winner”.
Pankar will also be handling the shoots of the babies.
How different is it from the regular shoots he does with professionals? His reply is prompt. “It is difficult shooting small children. It depends on the age. You must make them comfortable. It helps if the child’s mother or caretaker is around”.
Every baby has his or her own quirks. And not to provoke the child, Pankar suggests, prior to the shoot, it is advisable to feed the children well. Also do not wake them from their sleep, instead let them get up on their own, or else they will be cranky”.
The theme based calendar which will be shot in Goa will be an annual affair with each year bringing in a new theme. And so, the following years will have different themes.
Why decide on a calendar featuring babies? Pat comes Phoebe’s response, “I love babies myself and let us say this is the first baby step of the calendar”.
Those selected to be the face of the calendar will get trophies at a felicitation ceremony later.
Prasad Pankar best encapsulates the feel of the calendar with the current theme. He says, “When you come home from work, tired, and your baby comes running to you, you forget everything, in a sense you become recharged. This calendar will have the same effect, whether in the morning or in the evening”. So be a part of the concept and watch things melt in the moment of innocence.
(Pick up your forms at Euro kid in Dona Paula, Margao, and Vasco and at Baskin Robbins outlets in Mapusa, and Calangute. Last date to register is June 30.)
