Wavehouse Task

What an amazing day! Today we were taken to the Wave House to ride…fake waves hahaha. The only thing I’ve ever done even remotely close to staying balanced on water is wakeboarding. And even then, I have never been able to stay up for too long. So we first do some trial runs at the practice area.

Apparently it’s unlike real waves because these are very constant and controlled streams of water. For a newb like me though, I won’t be able to tell whether it’s more or less difficult than the real thing though.

On the first run, I was terrified. Just TERRIFIED. I couldn’t stay on the board. I’m pretty sure I was shrieking the whole time. The second run, I wasn’t as freaked out and calmed down by tenfold. That alone helped me stay on the board much longer than the first, but I wiped out pretty quickly – just not as quickly as the first time. By the third run, I was able to stay balanced for a bit while holding onto the instructor’s rope for a while. I had no intention of even trying to win the next competition bit of our task day because compared to the other girls, I had a harder time staying on board.

Nansi went up first and she did 3.07 seconds. She’s had prior experience with surfing and so really, my only goal was to stay at least 3 seconds. When it came to my turn, I was able to stay on for 20 seconds! Whoooooa. I was like, super zen too. I heard that one of the girls wasn’t too happy about it and apparently thought that my win came from my board being too close to the edge. Um. Hello. Irrelevant. You still have to balance regardless. My board slowly rotating 180 degrees though and I was totally not prepared for what was to come next. It was a huuuuuge wipe out and next thing I knew, I was completely underwater. I was so disoriented and toppled over a few times trying to get out of the pool of water. I’ll probably look like a goof when this episode airs hahaha. Oh. And my bikini top completely came undone – thank goodness we had our Billabong zipdown top over it.

Tiffany’s turn was hilarious. The instructor told us that the time starts when you let go of the rope. Tiffany held onto that thing with her dear life – even when she completely wiped out. So loophole! She got another try with it and stayed on for 0.50 seconds, lol.

In the end, guess who won…me! Yayayayayay! I won a 200 dollar shopping spree at Billabong and chose Tiffany as the friend I get to share it with since I’m the closest with her in the house. We shopped and I got a Billabong dress and two shirts, yessssssssss. Who doesn’t love new things.

Damn I’m so happy now, I gotta treat myself to a Carl’s Junior burger!! YAY YAY! (: I’m still smiling from the WINNN. Go Isabelle!! Go!

Based on today’s task, I’m seriously thinking tomorrow’s an underwater shoot. Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait!

Underwater Photo Challenge

I was right! I was right! I was right! It IS an underwater shoot! We got to Mana Mana Beach Club and got our Shiseido make up done and our Monsoon hair did. I don’t know why they had our hair curled because…well…it’s an underwater shoot after all. Oh well. I was nervous. More nervous than usual. I kept thinking about the last elimination and how I could avoid bottom 3 this time around.

The sun beating down didn’t help much either. I felt quite dehydrated and had to stay on the sidelines for a bit. I’m a water baby and I have had experience shooting underwater but that doesn’t guarantee me anything. This was the quietest shoot…EVER. The photographer couldn’t give us feedback since he was underwater and Lisa wasn’t under the water to see what we were up to. I felt like I did alright but with the competition narrowing down, everyone’s been getting amazing shots. You really have to stand out to ensure a place.

This was the first time where elimination took place right after the shoot. We didn’t even get a chance to go home to clean ourselves up. But I have to say, we all did a good job putting ourselves together. I came into judging with my usual smile but without the usual confidence I have. I was still thinking about the last time I was there. And it showed. When asked if I liked the photo, I expressed an uncertainty. I was afraid that what if I liked it and the judges didn’t? After all, when it comes to clients, they pick the ones they want rather than what the model would prefer. All the judges liked my photo but Ana R was pretty straightforward about not liking it. I had no expression in my eyes. And I completely agree – that’s why I didn’t like the photo in the first place actually. I’m curious as to how the rest of my photos were though. Ana commented how had I came in with an air of confidence, it would have led her to believe the photo was good. Instead, my lack of it led her believe otherwise as well.

So who was in the running to go home? Venus, Tiffany and myself. This is the second time I’m in bottom three and it would be my last. Venus’ light came on and then it was just between Tiffany and myself. I wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion like last time. It was as if I had accepted my fate. I knew Tiffany would go on because she’s such an amazing person. SERIOUSLY. She’s more than a model, an even more than a supermodel. She has so much potential, it’s crazy! Her light lit up and we hugged each other so tightly. I finally cried the moment Tiffany whispered how I was her best friend in the house. That’s when I sobbed uncontrollably. We grew so, so, so close in the house and we live countries a part. I wish her the best, along with Asha and Nansi. I wanted to go farther and I wanted to win but hey, I’m already lucky in a lot of ways. I got to experience Singapore, enjoy a lot of first-times, had dinner with my idol Lisa, and I’ll prize my friendships with these girls forever.

This won’t be the last time you’ll hear of me

So here I am, getting ready for elimination, I had a feeling at the back of my mind that I might be eliminated tonight, and I felt it even more after hearing the judges’ comments. I knew for sure at that moment that I was going to be the one that gets sent home, I’m usually one to try and think positive as I don’t like to wish negative things upon myself, but it was so hard because I just knew that it was coming. So one by one, each girl’s face was lighting up and I was still left standing there. My heart began to beat faster and faster as a new face, that wasn’t mine, lit up.

Even though I had predicted what was to come, there was always that little bit of hope each time that never seemed to pull through. Finally, it was just down to two girls, Tiff and I. It felt like forever before there was a new light and my eyes were just darting between the portraits of both of us. Eventually Tiff’s portrait was the one to light up and I knew that there was a slight hesitation before she exited the room because I know, from what she had said to me earlier, that she felt guilty but it completely was not her fault.

So I was the last one left standing in the elimination room, just staring at my portrait… the only one that wasn’t lit up. I know that I was probably the first girl who was eliminated that didn’t have much of a reaction straight away and that didn’t surprise me at all because, as I said earlier, I had a gut feeling that it was going to be me so I guess I was slightly prepared for it and it didn’t come as a shock.

At that moment, so many different things were running through my mind, it felt all over the place but everything was such a quick thought that it’s kind of hard to remember now exactly what it was that I was thinking.

I think a lot of it was being really disappointed and upset that I hadn’t made it as far as I hoped or thought I potentially could, thinking about all the experiences I’ve had so far in the competition as well as what I’d be missing out on, thinking about the other girls’ reactions but I think what held me back from emotion was thinking that I’d be able to go home, back to everyone and everything that I miss.

Of course I’d rather be in this competition rather than getting sent back home though, because I know that at the end of the day, home will always be there for me, whereas this competition is only temporary and eventually, in the end, I’ll be able to go home anyway.

I think what started me crying, to show some emotion, was seeing Lisa walking out towards me in my peripheral vision. I’ve always cried really easily and what really helps to set me off or make me worse is to have the support from people but it’s something about the comforting that makes me a whole lot more emotional.

I know I will miss all the girls and everyone here. I really have began loving all of them. They all deserve to be here, and I thank each and everyone of them for being there for me and comforting me whenever I need comforting.

I wish all you babes all the best in the competition as well as your careers. I’m sure you will make it in the industry and do your family and yourself proud.

As for everyone else in the Supermodelme team, Thankyou so much for this wonderful opportunity and I most definitely treasure it a great load.

<3 to you all.
Isabelle.

This morning I was handed over this gorgeous outfit from Nerd Muffin. It was pleasantly styled in way that compliments figures. With stunning paint palette colours and artistic-splash details, this jumpsuit was crafted in a way that gives an arty-farty image of creativity-meets-glam.

The striking style of this fresh floral jumpsuit is complimented by the cross-back design and thin airy material. The shoulder straps along with the ankle-length leg design give it a sophistic yet girly-fun vibe. I for one, love this outfit as it portrays a character that states quirky, fun and creative.

The Nerd Muffin jumpsuit also features floral print that is not plasticine but instead arty and paint-splashed.

Elimination

I’ve just survived the fifth elimination. And there seriously isn’t another word that’s more appropriate than “survived”. This was my first time in the bottom three and I didn’t like it – AT ALL. Up until this point, Nansi and I have been the only two girls who haven’t been in bottom three. Everyone else has experienced it at least once and they have all agreed that it’s not something you want to go through. AGREED.

The guest judges this week included supermodel Qi Qi, MTV host UT and Elle Singapore’s editor-in-chief Sharon Lim. The feedback was…well…completely unexpected. Here are some of the comments I received:
-Your photo was “too perfect”.

-If I were a photographer, I’d want to work with you.

-You would get hired for catalog work again and again because clients know that you’ll get the shot.

-You have no soul. (I’m thinking vampires when I hear this. I’m sure what Sharon meant was that my photo had no soul. Not that “I” had no soul. Or…)

In any other context, I wouldn’t mind the first three comments at all. But imagine these comments uttered with an accompanied uncertainty and scrutiny. I must have had a confused look on my face because Utt was really sweet and sympathized. He told me that if it were him at judging and he heard all these comments, he would be confused too to hear them like so.

One of the other girls received criticism that their final photo chosen was out of two decent photos taken. She was told that in the industry, clients will be expecting every shot in the roll to be on-point. For my roll of photos, they told me that all of my shots were usable and on-point – but apparently the photo chosen and the rest of the photos were too… “perfect”. There was too much precision and perhaps I over think when I come into a shoot. That made me think. And then I thought, “Crap, am I over thinking about over thinking?” And that statement, dear friends, is a byproduct of over thinking about over thinking about over thinking.

Bottom three? Asha, Danielle and myself. I became completely overwhelmed with emotion. When Lisa asked if I knew why I was in bottom three during pleading, I responded how it was difficult to hear that my photo was “too perfect”. Especially when I feel like I’m the most imperfect girl in the house. I lack height, the ideal skin, and I’m not as young as the rest of the girls. That’s why I try to make up for these things with a big smile and my “precision” at photo shoots. I want to prove that as imperfect as I may be according to what the industry typically wants from a model, I can still strive for perfection. But I understand what they mean – I just have to let go of all of it and just go with the flow. In the end, it was Danielle who had to go and we were all really sad. She really came out of her shell and we all started to really grow close to her.

I’m thankful that I’ve passed this round, but I won’t lie, this will be taking a toll on the next photo challenge…

Ep 6 – Elimination

Ep 6 – Underwater Photochallenge

Ep 5 – Celebrity Apprentice Task

Ep 5 – Last Kiss Photochallenge

Ep 4 – Horse Stable Task

Ep 4 – Elimination

Ep 3 – Grocery Shopping Task Reward

Ep 3 – Treadmill Photochallenge

Ep 2 – Web fitness challenge