We are shooting in Geoff Ang’s studio once again and today’s challenge, without elimination is SKIN SKIN SKIN. Yup….nude shoot. We want the girls to leave their last impression and see how they fair when striped down to the bare minimum. No clothes to show, no accessories to hide behind and simple beautiful make up to shine in.

Clarence Lee is doing the model’s faces today and Christabel is first up to shoot.
The girls walk in looking a little ‘green’. Yup. Apparently, the night before, they had ALL taken some detox tea which was suppose to help them clean out. It worked fine on Christabel but it gave Evelyn the runs and clogged Kathlene up with gas.

Most of the morning was spent in the loo for them both but once everything started ‘moving’ (no pun intended)… the shoot started making way.
Christabel got into it pretty quickly and worked her angles well. She seemed comfortable in her skin and moved with grace. Her pictures came out subtle and lovely. Evelyn surprised me. I thought she would be uncomfortable and awkward but she was adventurous with her posing and free with her movements so Geoff got incredibly artsy, nice shots of her. Kathlene was hesitant and coy. She took awhile to warm up but her last few pictures were beautiful and she managed to deliver despite the discomfort.

The pictures, after they were touched up were stunning. All 3 girls looked ethereal and classy. The judges gave each girl advice for further reference and tips to understand their features better. Elizabeth Gwee, editor of Her World magazine was there too, to help us with deliberation and fortunately for all of us, there was no elimination so the energy in the studio stayed high and happy.

Since this is the last challenge before the finals, I had a moment with all the girls and wished them the best. This has been such a great experience for me and I hope all the girls came away learning something.

After all that is said and done, I hope this journey with the girls has enlightened you all someway. Often during interviews, people ask me what it is about being a model that makes me proud and I say, “The courage to put yourself out there time and time again, straight in the line of fire for criticism and judgment because not everyone sees you for what you are, or sees the irony and beauty of fashion.”

I found that today’s challenges and time spent shooting was probably the most realistic of the whole competition. In all the other challenges, the girl’s only had one shot to do or “work” about 30mins max. The rest of the time they spent getting ready, applying make-up or sitting around.

In today’s challenge, the girl’s have 3 shots. Two of them with 1920’s feel and one done Avant Garde style with a circus backdrop. The morning started at Mimolette and after all the girls were ready, Invy shot Christabel first, Evelyn to follow and Kathlene last. Marcus was styling again and he did a great job coming together with the outfits for the models.

Christabel shot well with Olivier and her poses improved tremendously but 1920’s styling is not really her ‘look’. But with the avant garde spread, she shot boldly and her ‘circus’ pictures came out the best.

Evelyn nailed the 1920’s shots with her gorgeous complexion and doll face but still lacked conviction in her expression and the latter part of the shoot kind of outshone her with all the props.

Kathlene was very worried and conscious of her poses and it was very obvious she was a bit uncomfortable in her own skin. But when off camera, Kathlene is a fun, bubbly character, full of energy. She needs to find some way to channel that energy onto film…or in these days…digital. :)

Since today was our 2nd last day filming and our last time working with Marilyn for the season. Karen called a “punk!”… Yup, Ivan (our lovely cameraman) and guest star of our prank drama was accused by Evelyn for being inappropriate. So a whole “hoo haaa” developed and Marilyn was stuck in the middle expected to sort it all out. In a nutshell… it was all fun and games for a good whole hour till we saw Marilyn was getting a bit stressed by it, before Karen came in to break the news to her. She was half shocked and half relieved and we all had a good laugh. But it was back to work thereafter.

As we relocated to Shooting Gallery for the 2nd part of the shoot, we were well aware that it was going to be a challenge to properly synchronize the talents with the props and the models for the shoot. As with every photo shoot, there are always factors to consider while perfecting a picture. Apart from the obvious things like lighting, model’s expressions, poses and the photographer’s ability to capture a moment, in this shoot, there were also talents to direct and “dangerous’ props to attend to. The fire dancer had to “re-oil” his poi to stay aflame, the contortionist had to warm up regularly and the man on stilts had to rest and refocus often. The models had to think up good couture poses for the challenge and Invy had to constantly keep a look out for framing and prop positioning.

After the shooting wrapped, Invy, Marcus AC, Patrick Sin from Her World and I sat down to run through the pictures and sat the girls down for feedback. I can see how the girls have bloomed, as all 3 of them were aware of their mistakes even before the judges had to tell them.

Christabel did well with her avant garde cum circus shoot and her poses and picture really ‘looked the part’. Evelyn didn’t really suit the ‘set-up’ but was given a pat on the back for attempting risky poses and Kathlene was enlightened on how she did not make full use of her ‘prop’ when she clearly had an advantage.

So at the end of the day, tired but a little bit wiser, the girls and the crew called it a day so that they girls would have enough rest and time to prepare for their next and final challenge.

Icy! Chilly! Cold! Frozen!
Man! The concept of today’s shoot really brings back bad memories. I had to shoot Chanel bikinis for a China Magazine once in 2 degrees Celsius, for about 6 hours, some time back and the challenge for the girls today was shooting La Perla lingerie in a freezer.
I warned them to take warm showers when they woke up this morning. That was the best I could do to ‘prepare’ them, if they had not prepared themselves mentally.

We head to Tuck Lee Ice Works as today’s location and I check up on Olivier Henry, photographer and friend, who is setting up. He is bundled up like an Eskimo and I am all excited about wearing my winter gear here in Singapore. The weather outside has been steamy and we all could do with a little chilling out.

The La Perla lingerie is lovely and as I help prep the girls.

Kathlene is up first and she is all psyched up. I am happy to see her so brave. She is such a strong character and I love her unpredictability. She warms up quick and tries all sorts of poses even though I am sure it must have hurt to sit, bare ass, on that block of ice. She slides around a lot but still manages to look HOT even though she is silently breathing frosty mist.

Olivier was fast and skillfully got the shot in about 3 minutes. Kathlene went back out to thaw a bit then came back in for another 2 minutes for a second attempt.

Christabel was next and took a while more to adjust. She found it hard to sit on the ice block and rushed things a bit. No doubt it must have been extremely uncomfortable, her ‘shifting and readjusting’ time ate a little into work time and she got lesser shots in that 3 minutes Olivier took.

Evelyn got straight into it when it came to her go. And she slithered around, unfussy and worked smoothly with Olivier. Her poses tended to be a bit too sexy for high-end lingerie but she still looked smoking in the pictures.

Back at the judging room, we go through the fabulous pictures and narrow them down. Each girl was critiqued while the judges also shared tricks and tips. Today was a productive day. The models got a bit of a chilling experience but soared through. They looked fiery hot in La Perla while blending in with the cold. And got some good advice in case history repeated itself in their working future.

Li Zhuan from NuiYou magazine came to assist Olivier, Marcus and I in our deliberation.

As the evening came to a close, I tell the girls how well I thought they all did and reminded them that ‘real paying jobs’ often shoot for hours and they must always prep for a shoot as best they can. Biscuits or snacks in your bag are a must. Or raw nuts and fruits like an apple or pear. Clients don’t always feed you, even though they should. There is nothing worse than being hungry while shooting, you lose focus and end up performing poorly.

A scarf is always useful. Fitting rooms can be cold and rehearsals often require you to wait a lot so protect yourself from harsh air conditioning. Bring a book, or something mentally enriching. If you are IPod savvy, download audio books because waiting time can turn into meditative times. If you have a journal, jot notes or websites you overhear other people mentioning, or sketch the room or draw. Allow your creativity to manifest. Now we have shared with the world what those BIG bags models always carry around contain. Not forgetting our usually very large and heavy portfolios and a pair of slippers or sneakers.

My peace is said. :) Well not long now…. till we see who chargers on and turns out to be the winner of Supermodelme.tv

I went to the house to meet the final 4 girls and we all got dolled up together. None of the girls knew that their challenge today would involve shooting with a whole bunch of men, none of who were models. After scoffing down our yummy break, we jumped into our SupermodelMe private bus and headed to Woodlands.

The location was far and secluded and as we entered the building, you could sense the curiosity and fear in each of the models. Olivier Henry was there setting up and we all raced up to him to say our hellos and get the challenge brief. Kathlene was the first to shoot and as she got into position, the ‘surprise’ was revealed. The girls were to shoot with Bangladeshi construction workers and we were in their housing compound.

As they all started pouring out, to pose around Kathlene on a large wooden table, for the shot. The weight must have been too much to bear and the table gave way. One of the workers caught Kathlene and luckily no one was hurt but everyone was in a bit of shock. After gathering ourselves, we got back into work mode and Kathlene interpreted the concept and rocked the shoot. All the girls were dressed in Frederick Lee’s Haute Couture designs and I absolutely loved the red dress Kat had on.

Christabel was up next and her outfit was magnificent too. Although it was hard for her to move her body and hands since the corset was rather restrictive, she posed elegantly and stood out from the many other ‘models’ in the picture. Her expression was spot on too and I thought she nailed the challenge.

Evelyn was up next and I could sense from the very beginning that she was uncomfortable. Word is, the girls had gone to Zouk the night before and some bloke was trying to get fresh with her so she was very conscious. She pulled though and emerged with a few good shots but her body language was obvious and it showed in her pictures.

Anna was up next and although she tried hard to relate to the concept, she just couldn’t connect with the camera and Olivier found it hard to get ‘the shot’ with her.

Hot, bothered and tired, we wrapped up our challenge for the day and headed for lunch. The girls were on edge as they were all aware that elimination was looming. When Marcus AC, Olivier Henry, Patrick Sin (senior fashion stylist from Her World) and I sat down to deliberate over the final elimination of the season, we carefully went through all the pictures and discussed the girl’s performances.

It was very difficult to conclude that Anna had come to the end of the road since she has such a good attitude and works so hard. I spoke to Evelyn and told her that I felt as if she was getting complacent. Not to be unsympathetic but whatever issues you are experiencing outside of work should not show up in your pictures especially if the time you have in front of the camera is only 15 minutes. If a client pays to book you, they expect you to give it your all for that time frame and as a model; you should be able to put your personal issues aside during work to show professionalism. I also told Kathlene and Christabel how well I thought they did and encouraged them to celebrate the fact they had made it into the finals.

So it’s official then, our final 3 is Christabel, Evelyn and Kathlene.

Things are sizzling up and I can sense the models are becoming mindful of the battle ahead. In my experience, walking into work in the morning and observing your reception gives you a rough gauge of how the day will turn out. Right before Geoff Ang, Marcus AC and I gave the models the brief for the photo shoot, there was an odd silence in the makeup room. Game On.

As nonchalant as they tried to act when told about their challenge involved squid and partial water submersion… each girl was plotting their own impression and execution of the shoot.

From start to finish.

I could see, as a model, how well they ALL dealt with the situation and performed as best as they could. Evelyn started, got into the mood immediately and slammed the picture looking hot. Kathlene squirmed and resisted a bit but worked well with her expressions. Even Geoff Ang commented on how she had improved. Fiona is so consistent, it works against her and she appears boring with only one look and Christabel still couldn’t get her face angles right although her body looked incredible in most of the pictures. Anna transformed into a sea goddess and made the whole task look effortless.

So as challenging as the task was, each girl knew, even before they were told, which areas they had neglected. Compared to the usual banter in the changing room, and the giggling that use to be hushed silent regularly, there was a sleepy, contemplative mood.
I sense alliances forming and I can almost see the girls plotting in their heads how to work their assets to their best advantage.

There are only 5 girls left and after today…. The girls will be competing for final 3.
Evelyn seems to me like a silent achiever. She learns fast and has a natural beauty and sensibility. Fiona strikes me as centered and accommodating but afraid to take risk and show her personality. Christabel has a poker face. Off camera she is cool and collected, as her brain ticks away. So for the camera, she needs to add that spark to her stare to illuminate her already very angular, strong face. Anna is the dark horse of SMM. She is a very conservative girl who has really blossomed through the competition, and braved through challenges, coming out top. Kathlene is the clown of the group and has a lovely face but doesn’t even take her own potential seriously.

Grace Lee, editor of NuiYou magazine, Marcus AC, Geoff Ang and I went through each girl’s best shot and exchanged opinions. Taking into consideration all we could… we came to realize that at this point of the competition, it was hard to just pick out the strongest few and the weakest 2. All their individual pictures were lovely in themselves so we had to scrutinized expressions, variation and versatility. Who emoted the best and captured the essence. And who got lost in the set up and only gave one expression. The judges unanimously decided that Evelyn nailed the challenge but deciding who would be eliminated took a little while. Finally, Fiona was sent packing. A stunning girl like Fiona tends to have a very beauty queen vibe and needs to take risks and get more into character during her shoots.

Compared to the previous elimination and Jenny’s emotional departure, this “goodbye” seemed slightly cold. The girls safe from elimination were just relieved but Fiona was just devastated. Her time in confession room was intense and tear-jerking while the other girls sat in twos, each couple solemnly confiding in each other. I can tell that they are ALL starting to feel the pinch and I know tonight, as they lay in bed, they will all be scheming in their minds how to eliminate the competition.

Exciting! Exciting! Exciting! Although way too early for a Sunday morning, I was so excited for the girls and their challenge today! Furqan, fashionista extraordinaire, dear friend and fabulous stylist took over and supervised make-up & hair for the models, while turning the playground in his head into reality on set.

The girls' challenge today, set up in a construction site, required them to pose high fashion in a cherry picker. Evelyn kicked it off first and tried some daring poses... Even initiated stepping out of her comfort zone and did real well for the photo shoot. Jenny interpreted her dress and the vibe of the challenge in her own way and found that after her turn was done, she wanted to reshoot. At this point of the competition, no one can afford to make any mistakes. If any of the girls are unsure about the concept or feel of any of the photo challenges, they should ask. Christabel stood out in this shoot. It was just up her alley and her angular features and high fashion poses, shined through all the pictures. Fiona, Kathlene & Anna came out with some good poses and pictures too but Anna and Kathlene still lack connection with the camera. The sun was beating down on all of us, to add to the discomfort, but once we nailed shooting all the girls... It was time for deliberation.

Today's line up of judges included Olivier Henry, Jeanette Ejlerson, Furqan Siani and I.

After carefully looking through the pictures and discussing the girls performances with Jing Na, the photographer... The judges and I decided that... It was the end of the road for Jenny this week and Christabel won the challenge.

It was rather emotional for me to see Jenny go. I found her devotion and determination very honorable and her elimination made me realize I had to toughen up on the rest of the girls. In this industry, apart from having the obvious, which is a photogenic face and a commanding presence, one must have the right attitude. To be able to adapt, whilst giving your best, is key. It is unfortunate to see a model with a refreshing character lose out to others who hardly even try to self-improve.

As I sadly bid Jenny goodbye, I remind her that it isn't the end of the road for her, but just the beginning. And with her positivity and commitment, she is sure to go far in whatever she chooses to excel in.

Today’s challenges were the most fun, by far.

I welcomed the girls, first thing in the morning, with a mysterious glass tank. When I revealed the hundreds of mealworms in it and told them they had to dig through the creepy crawlies and pick out envelopes… their reactions were priceless. I have never heard such loud screaming before. The girls had drawn lots previously and Fiona was first to ‘dig deep’. Each of the 6 girls didn’t take to the worms as well as I did but truthfully, the squirming didn’t affect me as bad as the smell of the worms did. It smelled like toe jam.

Anna picked out the “SupermodelMe card” which gave her a heads up in today’s mini challenge and after a quick breakfast, the girls were off.
They went to Forest Adventure, which is kind of like an Outward Bound School with obstacles and circuits. I thought Kathlene would have the most fun today but she couldn’t even clear the “Flying Fox” although guided by a ranger. She sat out for the rest of the challenge. The remaining 5 girls, Christabel, Anna, Fiona, Evelyn and Jenny all embraced the fun in the mini-challenge and completed the course. Anna, ended up with the fastest time.

When we got back home, the girls were exhausted but before they all went off to nap, I sat Kathlene down and told her how shocked I was at her reaction to the challenge. I shared a few personal experiences with her and told her that being a quitter is not the way to go and that I was disappointed with her and thought she needed to overcome some of her fears. In a photo shoot, when the client has paid you for your involvement, you cannot just say you don’t want to do it, or can’t. You have to suck it up and try at least.
I congratulated the rest of the girls for a job well done and could tell that they all had a good time from the flushness in their cheeks and the smile on their faces.

Anna was the winner today and as a reward, she was given an outfit from Puma and told to pick 4 girls to celebrate with her. She chose Kathlene, Christabel, Evelyn and Fiona to join her for dinner and drinks and left Jenny out to stay home and clean the house.
I know Jenny was irritated and felt singled out but she tried to hide it under her smile.
As the girls were getting ready for their party night out, Jenny sat and watched and ate her sandwich. I could could tell that Kathlene felt bad for Jenny but wasn’t going to volunteer her spot in replacement. I was surprised that Anna chose Kathlene over Jenny but Anna reasons that the girls she chose were the ones closest to her. So I guess Jenny must feel pretty left out now.

Hmmmm… let’s just wait and see how this pans out.

The morning starts at Milk Photography. Olivier Henry will be taking the girls’ raw face shots today and I love pictures like these as you really get to the core of each model's beauty. Evelyn, Jenny and Ana had a bit of a cry in front of the camera and Olivier caught their vulnerability and fragility. Kathleen, Fiona and Christabel worked their natural look by speaking with their eyes and facial expressions. Ciara swapped emotions rather quickly and she bordered between extreme actress and schizophrenia, which unfortunately did not work for her this time round.

I looked through Olivier’s portfolio of pictures and he has a true knack for catching the essence of a face and as I flip through his celebrity collections, I see Eunice Olsen’s face shot, Utt and even the PussyCat Dolls. Nice. The girls will be so fortunate to have an emotive picture in their portfolio shot by Olivier.

The mood in the studio is slightly somber. I suspect the girls are tired, but I also think they are feeling the stress pinch. Emilia walks in and the girls are genuinely happy to see her. She is here to shoot some pictures for the Sunday Times press released with Christabel and I. They are featuring us since we are local but giving the public a whole round up of the show and all the girls involved.

It isn’t long before we have to head out for judging and elimination.
Once again… Jeanette from Her world, Olivier and I sit down and deliberate.

In this shoot, Kathleen was the strongest and Ciara the weakest. Once the announcements were made, the girls themselves took the initiative to come and ask the judges for advice.
All the girls sat down with us 3 judges and discussed individual traits and assets. All the girls wanted to know how they could improve their game, how they could speak more with their eyes, which ‘market’ would best suit them. Jeanette was a mountain of knowledge for the girls and gave them each feedback. Olivier, too, was brutally honest with some of the girls and encouraged them to step up their game.

I tell the girls what I always do… that practice makes perfect and wanting something isn’t enough, you have to work your ass off to get it. In this industry, you are only as good as your last job so make each job count.

Another day, another challenge and when I walked into Little Studios this morning, you could sense the bustling tension amongst everyone. The models had gotten a Brazilian wax the day before and I sat down with them to giggle a little over their encounters. Today, they will all be shooting in bikinis with Invy from Shooting Gallery. The styling theme was “Human Trafficking” and the girls were ALL vamped up with big hair and rocking make-up. There were a few male models around too, waiting to partake in this photo shoot where they were the ‘abductors’ camouflaged in clown make-up. The girls were all wearing rip curl bikinis and looking very good in them.

Invy, the photographer shooting the girls today, was the same photographer that shot the girls on their 1st challenge. Catwalk on Orchard Road. So he had made previous acquaintances with each of the girls. The photo shoot was a challenging one. No doubt, the last challenge was tricky, this one was downright tough.

One of my toughest bikini shoots was many years ago when I modeled Chanel swimwear for China Press. It was about 4 degrees Celsius and I was to pose in a glass swimming pool while the photographer shot through the panel. I had to shoot with my eyes open and in ballerina poses, which made it all the more difficult. And after the 8-hour shoot, my whole body felt like an ice block. My eyes were also totally blood shot.

A lot of people think that modeling is easy and we make a lot of money. Some people even think we always get to keep the outfits but that’s all not true. If you are professional and versatile, you can make good money through modeling but it isn’t always easy.

I was very proud of ALL the girls and their individual effort but unfortunately, some of the girls who tried so hard just couldn’t really pull it off. When the judging began, the pictures spoke for themselves.

Jeanette Ejlerson-fashion & beauty director of Her World magazine, Elaine Daly- model, actress and host of Malaysia's Dreamgirls and I sat down to deliberate through the models performances and final pictures. We all had our own opinions and at one point, none of us agreed on the winner of the challenge or the girl to send home. After weighing things out and sharing thoughts, and some sulking here and there... we finally came to an agreement. As a host and judge of the show, it is important for me to see the big picture. As Jeanette put it, a model can WANT to do well, have initiative and try her best, and that should not be overlooked, but if she cannot produce the results needed, she does not qualify as a Supermodel even if she wants it more than any other model. We are looking for the package. We are hoping to groom a Star. And if some of the girls find it hard to accept this, they have chosen to be in the wrong industry.

In conclusion Fiona won this challenge and Yuen was sent home. Much to my dismay, as I found that Yuen was determined and hard-working and her dedication to the competition would have been a good learning curve for the girls. But I KNOW that the girls were all very stunned with the elimination choice and took it as a wakeup call. This challenge showed all the models that no matter how badly you want to win, the only way to get you there is to produce GREAT results.

We started bright and early today and although tired…the girls were excited to find out their challenge today was defying gravity. Rizal, a dear friend of mine and well-known show producer was styling and guest judging on SupermodelMe, and I got to chin wag, catch up and spend the day with the girls on their shoot. Each model was briefed, given tips and guided along as they leaped on a trampoline and posed for Jeremiah in their “All Dressed Up” outfits. Kathleen had tons of fun jumping around, Christabel is afraid of heights and so was rather hesitant but managed to perform and got some good shots, Yuen took it to another level, literally, with her daring poses and elegant execution and I must admit, I would be proud to put a shot that beautiful in my portfolio. Fiona did very well too and Evelyn’s pictures were ethereal from her pretty face. Ciara had problems looking graceful while Jenny was determined, eager and a joy to work with. Anna did averagely and Emilia was like a duck out of water.

On a personal level, I really like ALL the girls. They are all kind, funny and joyous.
Some more determined than others. There are one or two with incredible energy, a few attention-seekers and the silent achievers. The group dynamics is interesting but the girls are learning fast that this isn’t summer camp and the competition is only just beginning.

When it came to elimination time…. you could see all the fear creep over the models.
Geoff Ang, Rizal, Li Zhuan from NuiYou magazine and I deliberated that Emilia had been the weakest and Yuen had done the best. And after the girls were given the news, I left them to it.

It’s Challenge day and when I walked into Geoff Ang’s studio this morning, it was already bustling with activity. Sam Ong, my friend and respected make-up artist and fabulous David Gan, with his team, the crew and the models are ALL ready for the Her World Cover Challenge studio shoot. The girls and I watched videos of the Christian Lacroix, Gareth Pugh, Ashley Isham and Vivienne Westwood (AFF) shows and while waiting for their moment in front of the camera, we all bond over personal experiences and share jokes. I watch the girls perform and note how fluid they are during the photo shoot. Geoff is so good at what he does and they are all transformed so prettily.

Ciara and I have a nice chat about nutrition and healthy diets. I give Kathlene a few pointers for connecting with the camera, Christabel and I share a few Singaporean giggles and I see a different side to ALL the girls when I watch a skit video they created the night before, dancing to the track “My Humps” by Fergie.

For this challenge, Jenny and Evelyn really shined through. Evelyn, with the little experience she has had modeling, was very natural in front of the camera and she eluded that much-demanded ethereal aura for the magazine. Jenny nailed the performance by her transformation while shooting. She had good chemistry with the camera and exuberated confidence. David thought Yuen and Christabel were good with their performances and Geoff liked Fiona and Evelyn but thought Kathleen didn’t express much life with her eyes. It was unfortunate to conclude that once again, Helen lacked in conviction and execution challenge after challenge. Ciara and Anna didn’t really step up to the plate either but their determination and desire to learn showed through.
During elimination, it was very emotional for all the girls. As it was the first elimination, reality really started to kick in. I know the girls have started to get acquainted and competition mode has not set in but as Helen got gutted today and the whole energy in the studio shifted.

I was rather sorry to see Helen go but to be a Supermodel, you have to be comfortable with your presence and command attention when need be and she doesn’t seem to be able to develop that currently.

Emilia, Kathleen, Evelyn and Helen were all in tears, Jenny couldn’t really celebrate her win and the other girls were just relieved it wasn’t them going home. I honestly did not think I would feel this sad after this 1st eradication but I just feel for the girls. I guess I have to remember that this is a competition, nothing personal and we are hoping to find the next Asian Supermodel.

The girls are getting a make over as we speak. They are out with Marcus Ac and I am going through videos of their challenge on Orchard Road. I checked out each of their catwalks, observed their ability to hold their own poses and stand out from the crowd and evaluated their posing ability. Rick gives me a rather animated summary on what it was like working with the girls and I also made my own valuations.

Most of the girls ruled the ‘runway’ (roadside crossing really…!) and nobody had issues with being shy or taking instructions from capricious Rick but when it came to being aware of the camera and it’s positioning, a lot of the girls hadn’t had a clue. However, considering it was their first challenge, I would say “Kudos to them ALL”.

As the models arrived, everyone seemed a little tense. It is the 1st elimination day and even though they had all just had a makeover, nobody was fluttering over their new hairdos.

I am happy to see them. I think all their new haircuts suited them. But I didn’t wait long to announce the winner of the challenge AS WELL AS the one who did not do so well.

For this particular challenge Rick and I decided that Christabel was extremely commanding with her catwalk and innovative with her poses so she was awarded 10 more frames for her next shooting challenge which would obviously put her a few paces ahead and would allow her to up her game.

Helen and Kathlene seemed rather awkward and nervous and their angles were unflattering and slightly sloppy. I remind the girls that one of them might be going home and there was total silence in the room but I went on to say that since they ALL worked so hard on their first challenge, Rick and I decided that we weren’t eliminating anyone just yet!

We all share a moment of joy and the girls are relieved. Smiles creep across their faces and I get to ruffle their pretty hair to congratulate them for being given another chance to prove their modeling abilities.

I am running late as I have a show rehearsal to go for so I blow my kisses and go along my way.

I arriveD at Geoff Ang's studio a little late after show rehearsals. The girls are shooting their profile picture and video one by one so there's a lot of waiting around. Most people don't realize but in this industry, patience is truly a virtue. I cope with the unreasonable waiting periods by reading, eating even when I am not hungry, chatting on my phone or catching up with the other models. Today, the girls are coping with their waiting time by sleeping on the couch. I chat with Christabel, Ciara and Yuen a bit before we start shooting our group shot and after that, I tell the girls a few horror stories from personal experience. We all have a good old laugh and before I know it, I have to leave for my job. So I bid them all Sayonara and go on my way. Tonight, I will close Ashley Isham's show in a stunning bridal gown. I am excited.

It's day 1 of Supermodel Me and as I am waiting for the girls to arrive at the house, I sass out the compound.

It's a cool pad and I think the girls will be comfortable although I'm sure after sometime being stuck together, things will start to get on their nerves. The fridge is well stocked with healthy yummy food, there's a massage chair, a swimming pool and a nice garden with outdoor seating.

Just as I am about to tuck into some fresh fruit, I hear the car and step outside to see all 10 girls arriving through the main gate.

After our introductions, they chose their beds, settled in and got acquainted with the house rules. A few of the girls seemed unhappy with surrendering their phones but I think it's a small price to pay for an opportunity like this. Some of the other girls have a better attitudes and took it as a needed break from technological reliance. I think it's a good way to focus on any task at hand and this is a competition after all. They all need to give every challenge their 100%.

My 1st impression of all the girls is good. I see potential in all of them but I know I need to spend more time getting to know them individually and observe how they work.
But for today, I will leave them to ease into their new home of 6 weeks, and Singapore.