#bello sanchez

[topmodelcentral]

Bello Sanchez 

~ America (22) ~

by Catherine Asanov

[topmodelranking]

#13 – Bello Sanchez

Bello is essentially the male version of Courtney; suffering from pretty much all the same flaws. I think there are too many things working against him, and I’m not sure he can overcome it. Male modelling is probably stricter in standards than it is for girls, especially nowadays. Bello’s body is far more designed for high fashion, but like with girls, that is notoriously specific in the body type, and Bello is nowhere near tall enough. He is essentially written off from runway, and castings are going to be challenging. What puts him ahead of Courtney is that I think Bello’s features are more striking, and adaptable. He didn’t excel in many of the photoshoots, but he did alright in varying his style, proving surprisingly adept in areas I wouldn’t expect, like the commercial.

Bello’s worst shot shouldn’t be much of a surprise. I have made my opinions about the possessed shoot pretty clear, and they have not softened since I ranked them. Bello looks ridiculous in his shot, and there is nothing even slightly modelesque. I can’t believe the judges didn’t oppose his comical stylings more, but then again, I didn’t agree with them the majority of the time. His strongest photos tended to come when he wasn’t really doing that much. In his bound photo with Lacey he looked strong and commanding. His physicality is so strong it manages to give Lacey some solid competition, even if I think she edged him out. It really was a success. Other options would be his dogs shot, for essentially the same reasoning.

I can’t help but feel the judges were under some delusion if they thought Bello really had what it took to succeed. I am all for a model being unique, but Bello took it to new levels. It just got even more ridiculous with his long weave. At that point Bello was definitely being brought along for reality TV, rather than a potential winner. He outlasted so many others who actually had potential, and it is a solid reason Cycle 22 really seemed like a weak point for me.

[topmodelranking]

#2 – Bello’s Possessed Shot

I still can’t take this shot seriously. The end result is so comedic, and so bad. Bello’s haunting eyes should have carried him through this; it really was his shoot to lose…and lose it he did. The pose is unflattering for such a short guy, and the face is wild, but not in a good way. Had Bello done nothing with his face, and just some simpler pose, this shot could have been great. He might have been read for relying on his look again, but at least that is better than producing one of the worst shots of the cycle.

[topmodelranking]

#8 – Bello

Sitting aside Nyle’s shot, this just feels like a cheaper version. The clothes feel less expensive, Bello’s modelling feels a lower-class, and even the dog looks less attentive. The shot itself is fine, and I really like how Bello’s eyes link to the dog, but there have been so many shots of Bello where his face gets him by. This week that just isn’t enough. The shot feels a bit amateur, with the way he is just holding on. Bello was a massive character in this episode, and I was totally expecting him to be in league for a comeback. This is just a let-down in the end.

[topmodelranking]

#7 – Bello

The bottom 3 were definitely the right choice, and it really was a toss-up between Devin and Bello: Devin probably had a better portfolio, but Bello’s shot is better. In the end I probably agree with eliminating Bello. Devin just had the more model ready physique, and more conventionally sellable look. I struggle to see arguments for saying this shot is worse though. Bello at least tried to bring some variation to the shot. I like the rocker sign hand positioning, and the facial expression feels like a nice balance of intensity in the eyes, with the blank doll-like stare. Sure it reads a little bit cheesy, but at least it is something. The body isn’t as strong; the way he is bending, and the motion at the hips just feels off to me. I’d rather he stood straight up, as it feels right for a doll in packaging. I’m not sure he really pulled off a convincing illusion with this shot.

[topmodelranking]

#4 – Bello

I was pleasantly surprised by Bello. I completely expected to be ranking him pretty much last this week, but his take was pretty strong. The one issue I have is that his body doesn’t necessarily fit the best for the brief, but that wasn’t his fault. He did everything to overcome that; his slumped posture worked well, and his interactions with Courtney felt natural. His long hair worked perfectly, giving us the vibe of that mysterious foreign stranger. Bello fulfilled the role in every shot, and the end result is definitely one of the strongest for the guys.

[topmodelranking]

#11 – Bello

While Bello nailed looking possessed, he lost any remnant of fashion in this comedic portrayal. No bonus points are being given for that, as fashion should always be the priority for these guys. It looks like something right out of Scary Movie, and not at all in a good way. The face is bizarre, and the way he is rolled in on himself makes him look about 10 inches shorter than he is. Plus, I think it is generally not a good idea to make your ass the most prominent part of the photo.

[topmodelranking]

#9 – Bello

This used to be my top 3 this week, but since the episode airing I have slowly grown off it. I still love elements of the photograph, but I just find it has more significant issues. The main positive is the impact the shot has: the hair flip looks great, and I love the elegance of the hand. It isn’t going to work for everyone, but I really think this would be a statement shot. The other issues just stop it really working; the face lacks definition or power, the leg positioning feels awkward and the way he is caressing the shoe feels contrived. If these flaws were all fixed slightly, then Bello would have produced one hell of a photograph.