Baby: I'm a Star?

Kellen was one of the winners in the Gap 2008 casting call.

Gap recently launched it's fourth annual Casting Call to find the new faces of the Gap Kids and babyGap lines. Click here for full contest details. Deadline for entry is Oct. 22.

The contest is open to babies (children age four and younger) and kids (ages 5-10). Winners will be featured in Gap's store windows. This year, there's a new fan favorite award, based on votes cast here. Four winners (one boy and one girl in each age category) will be decided by popular vote.

Think your darling son or daughter has what it takes to be a superstar? Here are a few kid-specific photo-taking tips from pro photographer Stefano Azario:

Get Close: Zoom in to get as close as possible to your subject’s face so it’s clearly visible. If your subject’s too far away, they’ll get lost against the background.

Show Personality: Memorable photos let your subject’s personality shine through. Avoid stiff smiles and forced poses as they can come across as artificial and generic. Instead, take your time and follow your subject as they relax in or move through an environment that’s comfortable to them. Also, avoid hats – they’re cute but we want to see faces and hair.

Watch the Background: Shoot the photo against a simple background so your subject really stands out. Don’t forget to move anything nearby that might be distracting.

Try Different Angles: Try angling the camera or shooting from different perspectives to make your photos more memorable. It’s also important to photograph kids at their eye level rather than standing over them.

Use Natural Lighting: Sunlight is much more flattering than indoor lighting. Use filtered, natural light to enhance colors and skin tones. Try not to shoot with the sun behind the camera as it will likely make the subject squint and will also cast strong shadows.