#auscycle5week9

[topmodelranking2]

1 – Adele

It isn’t a perfect shot, but it is my favourite of the week, and I feel it has a niche use as an ad in its current form. It isn’t a high fashion shot, there is something about this shot that makes me feel like it would work for an alternative fashion brand. The pose has a sense of energy to it, I think Adele’s makeover has always given her the look to do more alternative modelling, and even the dress and shoes too fit that vibe. It feels usable, and this week that is enough for me to justify giving it the top spot. In terms of Adele’s elimination, I wouldn’t have done so, but I feel like at this point for me it was a clear two-horse race with Clare and Tahnee, Adele had one shining moment but the majority of her shots were mediocre. I think top 4 is fair, I just think Cassi was probably a more justifiable elimination this week.

[topmodelranking2]

2 – Tahnee

I don’t dislike any part of this shot individually, but all together it doesn’t quite click for me. The pose is again a little bit basic, but it feels better executed than Cassi and Clare. There are no awkwardly tense limbs, it all feels relaxed, and her body looks great in the clothes. It is a clear fashion editorial shot too, shoes and dress are both in prime display. The face though feels a bit grungy; the pained expression is just a confusing choice for such a posed almost preppy photo. Her face looks beautiful, but just feels disjointed on this body. Not the worst shot ever, but a confusing one.

[topmodelranking2]

3 – Cassi

Cassi undoubtedly looks gorgeous here, but it is another really basic pose. I think the arm holding onto the bus is fine, but the rest of the body feels stiff and cliché. Her hand on her hip especially is like digging into the fabric, and distorting her silhouette slightly. The legs are especially stiff. Facially though, this is sublime. There is a level of disinterest and snobbishness that kind of works, even though it shouldn’t. Cassi feels a bit haughty, but expensive and luxurious…again from the neck up. It is again the kind of shot you expect to see week 2 or 3, and then hear them rave about the potential. Not the penultimate week.

[topmodelranking2]

4 – Clare

The gap between all four shots this week was close, all photos had potential but no one really nailed it. Clare’s is just too much for me, it feels like the type of modelling I’d expect to get early on in the competition. The kicked up leg is kind of cheesy, and then the hand on the hip is basic. The clothes look good, and Clare looks tall, but the shot feels cheap, rather than expensive. Facially, it is also such exaggerated fierceness. She needed to dial it back a lot here, and also bring her chin up a bit, since currently she is losing her neck a bit. It isn’t the worst photograph ever, but it is too amateur for this late in the competition.

[antmrankingskd]

1. Clare

The other 3 girls had either a great face or a great pose, but Clare was good all around which was enough to earn her my FCO. I do agree with the judges that her pose is rather catalogue (mostly due to that kicked up leg), but I think the combination of her fierce face, the location, and the styling itself is enough to balance out that issue, plus I can’t deny that the clothes look great on her. I love the intensity in her eyes and how amazing her hair is, though she did somewhat lose her neck. I think that Clare’s shot is the most well-rounded in this so-so batch of photos, and for that she gets the title of best performer of the week.

[antmrankingskd]

2. Tahnee

Tahnee is the exact opposite of Cassi and Adele in that she brought it with her body but failed to do so with her face. She probably has my favorite pose of the week (though she does appear slightly short). She kept things simple while still flaunting her curves, which makes the dress (and those shoes) look awesome as a result. Unfortunately, her face is not at the same level. Sure, she looks beautiful and caught the light well, but her somber and almost pained expression doesn’t match anything else going on in the shot and drags this down from being great. It’s not Tahnee’s best work, but it’s definitely enough to earn her a spot in the final 3.

[antmrankingskd]

3. Cassi

All of the girls obviously had much better shots than what was chosen, but Cassi was the most prominent example. Her pose is so weird because the half closest to the bus is great and simplistic, but the half facing out from the bus is totally busted due to the awkwardly bent knee and stiffly placed hand on her hip. The overall pose doesn’t sell the dress well either. Thankfully her face is pretty strong since she looks gorgeous and pulled off the whole bored high fashion expression quite well. Cassi definitely performed better than this shot shows, but this is still underwhelming.

[antmrankingskd]

4. Adele

The shots this week are fairly even across the board and there’s not much of a difference between the top and bottom spots. Adele’s photo just looks clumsy to me. Something about the positions of her limbs are throwing off her proportions and making her look shorter than she is. The supposedly super expensive dress was cheap looking to begin with, but she did nothing with her pose to flatter it. The good thing is that her face is stunning; she caught the light perfectly and I like how she’s haughtily regarding the camera. It was sad to see Adele go, but since she had been underperforming the past couple weeks I can see why she was eliminated.