#cycle16week8

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1 – Brittani

I’ve been somewhat tepid on Brittani for a while now, but she produced one of the finest photos of the show here. Another Cycle 16 week with such a clear first call-out, really seeming like a recurring theme. There isn’t a single flaw with this photo. Despite lying in a sea of trash, rolling on the ground, she has created one of the finest, most expensive, luxurious and glamorous photos I’ve ever seen. The delicacy of the pose, the power of the eyes, her bone structure, the extension of her leg showing through the sheer fabric. All perfection. She looks like an otherworldly supermodel here.

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1. Brittani

There are so many incredible photos this week, but Brittani is on a whole other level. Not only is this my favorite picture of the cycle, it’s one of my favorites ever on the show. She is the queen of garbage, which I totally mean as a compliment. I love how it looks like she’s melting into the landfill while still remaining glamorous; the way the dress is flowing off of her is just gorgeous. The pose is insane, she’s extending her body perfectly and somehow the arm over her head doesn’t seem contrived. The balance of light and shadow on her face is fabulous as well, and the soft, sensual expression is really interesting when juxtaposed with the setting. I know Brittani underperformed at go-sees, but there’s no way that she should’ve been in the bottom 3. This photo is a masterpiece.

This is easily one of my favorite photoshoots in ANTM history. The garments were awesome and the setting was completely unexpected. I could see the Top 5 photos all being used in a Vogue Italia spread.

[topmodelranking]

#1 – Brittani

Throughout the competition so far I have had some controversial opinions, most of them relating to Brittani. But this is the one photo in her portfolio that I have nothing negative to say. Brittani is lying on the floor of a dump, yet this is still one of the most expensive, luxurious photos I have seen in this shows history. The way the light is hitting her face is flawless, I love the dark line right down the middle. Her expression is soft, but still has a subtle strength to it. Then you have the pose, it is just perfection. The arm placement has such a drama, and I love the way the leg shows through the sheer fabric. She looks long and lean, thin and gorgeous. She honestly looks like an absolute supermodel. This is the shot that makes me okay with Brittani’s win (and her walk, her walk is good too), as this is just otherworldly.

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2 – Kasia

There is something otherworldly and ethereal that just draws me to this photo. I think Alexandria and Hannah may have technically stronger photos, but Kasia’s is just mesmerising for me. The serene expression, and the gaze off to the side, with the strong stance, draped in beautiful fabric…it feels like some Greek goddess standing in her temple. She makes the trash feel luxurious. Her body has been slightly lost in the dress, but yet I find myself not caring given how strong the vibe of the photo is. It is absolutely stellar.

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3 – Hannah

Our commercial girl of the cycle could easily have been overwhelmed by this dress, but she is serving it here. It is your more typical high fashion shot, with an exaggerated pose, the strong face, but sometimes you can’t beat the classics. The only negative is she has lost one of her arms, which I think is a bit awkward, but it is such a minor issue. She has managed to fill the entire shot with her energy, and deserved the praise she got.

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4 – Alexandria

I was expecting something more exaggerated from Alexandria, but this understated vibe is working for me. It is a smart choice given what is doing on with the styling, set and wardrobe. I really think all of my top 4 are magazine ready for me. Alexandria looks grand, elegant and sophisticated. The furrowed brow gives the shot an intense haunting energy which I adore, though I have seen her face photograph stronger elsewhere. Still an overall beautiful shot.

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5 – Molly

Molly had my least favourite dress of the week, and also the one that was the hardest to work with. I am impressed she almost pulled it off, but there is something off. Her body looks killer, and from the neck down this shot feels great. It is the face where she loses me. The side glance to the camera isn’t working for me, and with the expression she gives it feels like she is almost asking “am I doing it right?”. I wish she had kept the face in profile to match the full shot, maybe thrown her head back too, adding to that windswept fantasy.  

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6 – Jaclyn

As sad as it was to see Jaclyn go, I can’t fault the decision made this week. Her photo is a significant step below the others, and there is very little positive I can say about Jaclyn. The pose is overly dramatic and reads as amateur. The angle her face has been photographed at also has lost all definition and has returned her round soft features. The expression and pout aren’t really working either, and the whole thing is reading as desperate. All good points are due to the styling and setting, and Jaclyn drags this down a lot.

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#2 – Kasia

While Hannah’s may technically be the better shot for displaying the outfit, Kasia’s photo just has the edge for me this week. There is such a drama to the silhouette, the drape of the fabric is gorgeous. Maybe it does look slightly shapeless, but I still think it is fantastic. Her face is beautiful too, the expression just sells the shot. It is fantastical, magical, elegant and just another high fashion photo. Not considering group shots, this is definitely my favourite of Kasia’s photos in the competition.

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#3 – Hannah

Hannah is slaying it, this is high fashion brilliance. I love the angles she is serving with her body, and the distain dripping from her expression. It is just completely unexpected from her, she is really stepping outside her comfort zone. She has really made her dress look expensive, which is impressive while standing in front of a dump. The only issue I have is the lost arm, it just distracts me slightly.

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#4 – Alexandria

I mean I know this first call was mainly due to her performance in the go-sees, but this shot is another underwhelming addition to her portfolio. Sure her face is quite nice, there is some lovely intensity shining through. But the long shot isn’t holding up, she is covering up the detailing in the front. It makes the dress kind of look like a single shiny sheet of fabric draped over her. It has lost all its form, so she kind of failed at her job.

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#5 – Molly

I felt bad for Molly, she got one of the roughest outfits to work with. And I don’t really think she succeeded. Her face is reading as unsure, and the pose just seems so obvious. I wish she hadn’t faced the camera, maybe then it could have read as a dramatic caught moment. But right now it seems too posed.

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#6 – Jaclyn

I can’t even complain about Alexandria staying another week when a shot like this exists. Jaclyn just really struck out, I didn’t think she could go worse than her faux fur shot but then she produced this. The pose is just overly dramatic, the hand to the head is so cheesy. Her face is pretty bad too, it just is completely round. She looks like a three year-old, it is so sad to see her revert after last week’s strong performance. This was a sad, but obvious elimination.

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2. Hannah

Hannah really brought out the edge this week, this photo is fabulous! Typically her photos have been more soft and ethereal but she is bringing pure fairytale villain energy here. I love the fire in her eyes and the way she’s slightly growling. She is completely owning that voluminous dress and serving so many subtle angles with her body position. There’s the perfect amount of effortless drama in this photo. For the second week in a row I really don’t have anything to critique about Hannah’s photo, I just preferred another girl more.

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3. Alexandria

After a couple of underwhelming weeks Alexandria is back! This is the most high fashion she’s ever looked. She could be showing off the front of her dress a little better, but I still love the understated-ness of her overall pose and she’s really working the chest/neck piece. Her signature pouty face actually works perfectly in this picture, the way she’s glaring regally off to the side is brilliant. I totally get why Alexandria was called first since this is an awesome shot and she won go-sees.

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4. Molly

Molly did a great job of showcasing her outfit, especially since she had one of the more difficult garments of the week. Normally I wouldn’t be crazy about the totally profile pose but the shape she’s making with her body is fantastic. My only complaint is that I wish she hadn’t given a side-eye stare at the camera. I like the power in her expression but I think it would be stronger if she were staring out into the horizon (or you can check out the picture I have of Aminat in the Cycle 12 model ranking; if Molly had gone in that direction this photo would be even better). Molly impressed me yet again, it’s just a step below the others this week.