Is your baby cover model material?

A picture may well be "worth a thousand words," but as any proud parent knows, a picture of a cute baby is worth a million smiles, chuckles and giggles. No smile on earth beats the grin of a happy baby.

Practically all parents are convinced that their little one's smile is worthy of gracing the cover of a magazine - or of winning a photo contest, at the very least. Now, you have the opportunity to show the world just how cute your baby is with the Parents Magazine Cover Contest, which wraps up June 19 at 10:50 p.m. Central time.

The contest winner will appear on the cover of Parents Magazine's November issue. Judges will choose 20 semifinalists (see the Parents magazine cover contest official rules for criteria), then narrow the field to nine finalists and a Reader's Choice winner.

"We're looking for photos that really reflect the child's personality and show him or her in a happy, playful mood," says Dana Points, editor-in-chief of the magazine. "Parents can upload up to six pictures of each child."

To enter, go to www.Parents.com and click on the photo contest button. The website will walk you through how to upload your photos and submit them for consideration in the contest. A week after entering, you'll receive an e-mail alert that your child's photo is ready for Reader's Choice voting. Parents, friends and family will then be able to vote daily for a week. The photo with the most votes each week will become a Reader's Choice semi-finalist. Around July 7, the 11 semi-finalists will be posted for final voting to determine the Reader's Choice winner.

Ready to enter but not sure how to take a winning photo? Points offers a few tips for taking the best possible photo of your little star:

* Make sure your child's personality shines through during a happy, energetic moment.

* Avoid a busy background. Keep it simple and natural (outdoors is good) so the background doesn't distract from the focal point - your child.

* Don't put too many clothes on the cute kid. No hats or peek-a-boo blankets.

* Your child should be the focal point of the image, but avoid a really extreme close-up; be sure to get some background to make the photo interesting.

* Snap away - the more photos you take, the more you will have to choose from when uploading for the contest.

The contest closes June 19, so log on to www.parents.com today and your child's precious smile could appear on the cover of Parents Magazine.

Courtesy of ARAcontent