Tanya Hutchison, a Detroit native and mother of five, won TV Land's competition

Tanya Hutchison, a Detroit native and mother of five, won TV Land's competition this summer for middle-aged models on "She's Got the Look" with Kim Alexis.
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What contributed to her win, she says, is the confidence she developed while dealing with the reality show of her youth, growing up with a mother who struggled with drug abuse.

Tanya, who graduated from Western Michigan University, credits teachers and coaches at Highland Park High School for believing in her when she doubted herself.

At home: Tanya lives in Orange County, Calif., a mother to four sons and one daughter, ages 8-16. She met her husband of 18 years, Charles Hutchison, on a Valentine's Day blind date in Los Angeles.

Before TV Land: Tanya was a former Ebony Fashion Fair model. She also produced fashion shows, etiquette seminars and pageants and started a nonprofit called Phenomenal Women Inc. An essay she wrote -- "Never Ever Give Up" -- was published in "Chicken Soup for the African American Woman's Soul."

What she won: She has a contract with the Wilhelmina Models and a spread in the August issue of Self magazine.

What it feels like: It's a sense of accomplishment," says Tanya, "just knowing that if you stay true to yourself and believe in yourself, the impossible can happen."

Beauty dos: "First thing in the morning, I wash my face and head to the gym. That stimulates my inner body and mind, and it makes me feel awesome."

Childhood obstacles: "People see me and think: 'She's had a charmed life,' " says Tanya. "I grew up in Detroit with a mother that was not very responsible. I was left alone, and my siblings and I were placed in foster care. I was legally adopted by my grandparents and was reared by them."

Dollard swimsuit photographer and fashion models

The majority of fashion photographers born to a chilly climate fantasize about the moment in their careers when they can feel sand sift through their feet and a salty breeze blowing in the air. Dollard des Ormeaux’s Norm Edwards, a self taught, portrait photographer since 1999, is no stranger to capturing a turquoise landscape in panoramic view, with a sparingly clad supermodel, also in view.

On Aug. 25 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico he will be competing in the internationally recognized Ujena Bikini Jam 2008 contest, an event that unites 75 photographers with over 150 models from around the world.

Regardless of the eye candy factor, working with eight or more supermodels from six a.m. until 11 p.m. in Mexico isn’t just a laid back day at the beach, “You get up at sunrise, you shoot all day, its non-stop,” Edwards said. Contrary to what a lot of people think, when you’re working all day with them you don’t see them that way.

This year, Edwards has the added pressure of being the only Canadian photographer representing his nation at the Ujena jam. I am a bit disappointed there are not more photographers from Canada. I am proud to print the Canadian flag on all of my shirts.

But Edwards, established as he is in the realm of photography, is himself a relative newcomer to the industry, as well as to the West Island. Bikini models plays a good roll in fashion photography. His life reads like a racy novel; he ran away from his home in St. Jerome at the age of 16, moved to Vancouver where he joined the army and spent time in the Middle East, owned a business or two before finally settling down in the West Island with his wife, who is a family owner of the well known hip hop dance school, 8 Count, for love, marriage, and a lot of picture making. I’ve always been a fan of photography. Since I was a boy I owned every magazine from National Geographic to Playboy.

The gowns and garments on the catwalk at Hamilton's Founders Theatre

Models sashayed along, in makeup and high heels, but what adorned their bodies was far from expensive. Most items were sourced from rubbish bins, industrial and business waste and op shop finds.

And it was the designers who suffered for fashion, rather than the models.

Sara Devcich, who was runner up in the Avant-Garbage section, made a sexy evening gown out of eel skins. Devcich convinced the Eel Trading Company, in her hometown of Levin, to send her the left over skins.

"They stunk," Devcich told the judges. Over a period of weeks, she cured them out in the carport, rubbing them down with kerosene and baking soda.

"Our neighbour thought something had died in the bushes," said Devcich.

The finished result was worth all the nose holding, although last minute handstitching and tweaking meant the cured skins began to release odour during the judging that would have appealed to any stray cats in the area.

Entrants told of broken sewing needles, damaged irons covered with melted plastic bags, and digging through rubbish.

Alana Scott, who won the evening's Creative Award for her angelic mini skirt, six foot-long sweeping train and giant wings, also got dirty to impress the judges. The piece took approximately 27,000 white duck feathers and 500 hours to complete. Scott said the feathers, from a local duck farm, arrived "soggy, smelly and yellow," and had to be washed and dried before being turned into a stunning piece. Innovative ideas makes fashion modelling a place for creative designers.