SOME had to take leave from work. Others had to rush down after school.

But all that stress from running around didn't matter the moment they got in front of the camera.

With the lens poised on them, all 24 finalists of The New Paper New Face 2007 put on their sweetest smiles.

After all, the three-day photoshoot at Singapore Press Holdings will determine which 20 girls get a shot at the coveted crown in the contest.

The New Paper New Face was started in 1993 to discover fresh-faced modelling talent for the print advertising industry.

Behind the immaculate makeup and perfectly coiffed hair, you couldn't tell that the girls were a bag of nerves.

It didn't help that it was a first experience for many of them.

Kwan Li Jia, 18, said she 'took some time to get into the swing of things'.

'I don't know what to expect at a photoshoot, I'm clueless as to what to do,' said the second-year Victoria Junior College student.

As the girls posed and preened for The New Paper photographer Jonathan Choo, they also picked up some tips on looking their best in front of the lens.

Ava Gui, 22, learned that her best angle came from facing the camera directly.

'Initially, I showed too much of the sides of my face,' she said.

'I'm aware of how those few minutes can determine if I'll get a chance to continue in this contest'.

Another hopeful, Anna Lim, 17, found it a challenge to 'part my lips only a little'.

'Whenever I take photos, I'll break into a wide smile,' said the second-year Nanyang JC student.

Mr Choo said he could tell how comfortable a girl was from just her eyes and mouth.

If a girl was tensing up, the veteran photographer would stop the shoot to get her to loosen up.

He said: 'If she's not spontaneous when I'm snapping away, the pictures will show how helpless she is.'

Besides the heat from the spotlights, the girls said they were intimidated by onlookers at the shoot.

Li Jia said: 'There were so many eyes on me, I had to pretend that nobody's watching.'

But 19-year-old student Nicole Joy Tan enjoyed the attention.

'I feel pampered with people doing my hair and make-up for me. This is the kind of stuff you see on TV and it's actually happening to me,' the self-confessed fan of America's Next Top Model said.

LaSalle students Sheralynn Shen Jega and Becky Ho, even found time to snap a few photos of themselves.

So how did the two girls prep themselves for the contest?

Sheralynn said with a smile: 'I practised my pout at home and tried to seduce the mirror.'

Sheralynn, 19, is the daughter of The New Paper Sports Editor RJegathesan.

(No staff member from The New Paper is on the New Face judging panel.)

For Becky, the photoshoot ended almost as quickly as it began.

When asked how she was able to do it, she said: 'It's important to be comfortable with the environment.

'There's no use worrying.'

Another plus from the New Face competition is the friendship aspect.

Becky said: 'Sheralynn and I used to be 'hi-bye' friends in school, I know we'll come to be closer through this contest.'