Last updated 10:08, Wednesday, 21 January 2009

THIS year each contestant has a chance to stand out from the start.
Photographer Mike Kells is placing a bigger emphasis on creating striking head and shoulder portraits. The Kells Modelling Competition 2009 has devised its own Style Team to help create that celebrity look.
Tori Millis, a stylist from Hair Lounge, specialises in creative hairstyling.
“I love the challenge of meeting someone new and making them look totally different,” she said.
After working in Dubai in the beauty industry, Emma Garner now specialises in spray tan and nail art.

Dawn Crabtree (nee Kells) is the in-house make-up artist, having trained at the North West Media Make-up School.
If you have ‘a look’ in mind they can create it.
Kayleigh Bewley, 23, went into the studio hoping to recreate the glamour of X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke.
Tori said: “Kayleigh has quite petite facial features so I thought by recreating a style similar to one of her favourite celebs and giving her big curls we created quite a glamorous look.”
Dawn said: “I knew Kayleigh would suit dark, dramatic eye make-up and glitter-based foundation for that sun-kissed look.”
Mike went for a complete transformation to wild, dark and sultry.
“The emphasis was on her eyes,” he said. “Kayleigh smiles easily all the time – getting her not to was the key. Her eyes say it all.”
Kayleigh said: “I loved the black and dark brown eyes. I don’t usually wear dramatic eye make-up so I liked the transformation.”
Next, Ashleigh Gilmour’s transformation was sheer Hollywood chic.
She said: “My hair and make-up were completely different to how I would usually have mine and I really enjoyed the shoot. It was nice to try something different and it was fun having my hair and make-up done.”
Tori explained: “Ashleigh’s original look was already very glamour girl, so by giving her a very neat “up” style her look was more sophisticated.”
Dawn added: “Hollywood glam was the theme for Ashleigh, with smoky eyes and pink blusher to enhance the contours of her face. Glossy lips is a must for this look.”
Mike said: “We went all-out for a sort of glamorous film star look. I envisaged a black and white photo, with gentle lighting and soft focus.”
The team created a contemporary look with Laura Hancock.
Tori said: “To accentuate Laura’s eyes I thought it would be best to pull all her hair back off her face, and to create a striking look I spiked the back.
Dawn added: “It’s a funky, party theme for Laura, with several styles of blue on her eyes to enhance her blue eyes. I used a glitter based eye shadow with a high pigmented blue liner.”
Mike added: “A willingness to try several ideas helped a great deal during the shoot.”
Laura commented on her makeover: “It’s wild, and different from what I’m used to, but I loved it.”
For Liesel Brewer, Tori took inches off her straight, blonde hair by curling it.
She said: “Due to Liesel’s face shape I felt volume and a shorter style would suit her.
“I enjoyed creating this style as it was completely different to how she usually looks.”
Mike said: “We had decided beforehand to radically change her hairstyle, so in the photo-shoot we went for an unconventional pose, making the image both different and glamorous.”
Liesel said: “I was really surprised when I saw my hairstyle as it was completely different to my usual style.”
But it takes more than just a pretty face and classy makeover to win The Kells Modelling Competition 2009.
Former winner and judge for the second consecutive year, Erin Hargreaves, 24, said: “In a modelling contest you have to have something about you. If you’re going to enter something like this you need a bit of constructive criticism.
“As a choreographer with Footloose School of Dance, posture and how you hold yourself is important to me.
“When I entered the modelling competition I had just had my little boy and it was a confidence boost to do the photos and get back in shape.”

• Click here to see the slideshow from last year's over-18s final