#auscycle5week1

What an awkward photograph. There is something…almost good in the way her bone structure has photographed, but the tension in the lips does nothing to help that. The pose is horrible, both in terms of making Franky look good, and in terms of selling the product. Also, I don’t really know why but the hand on the lipstick just feels so disjointed, it really feels like someone else’s hand. Not a fan of this photograph, and honestly would have been a contender to eliminate this week for me if not for her immunity.

I think that Cassi had the best shot as a whole. She utilized her prop/environment very well, and the backbend pose is super fabulous and brings some fantastic curves to her body that really help to sell the swimwear. There’s a hint of worry in her lips, but otherwise I’m impressed with how she kept her face relaxed. Her bone structure looks amazing and I love the softness of her eyes. This was a strong start for Cassi and she made herself a contender right from the beginning!

This should not really be ahead of Cassi, but I just love this photo so much more than any other this week. Her film being poor is something to comment on, but this early on getting even one shot at this level deserved so much more praise than Madison received. The instant flaw of this photo is that the focus isn’t on the product, it is on Madison. But it kind of reminds me of Hannah’s shot from the faux fur shoot, I find myself not caring. There is enough swimwear featured, and the spraying water, to allude to swimwear, that just her striking beauty is enough to carry that idea. This is a flawless beauty shot. The jawline, the strong expression. The pose too in this cropped version feels great, even if the wider shot they showed on the show was a bit more awkward. But I am judging what they released, and this is a phenomenal first photo.

My top 2 this week was very difficult for me to rank, and Cassi probably is the most deserving first call-out. She is one of the few to draw the focus to the product, the swimsuit looks beautiful on her, and the curves of her body look brilliant in it. Most others also dealt with the props awkwardly, but Cassi looks like a natural leaning over that flamingo, her body feels casual and relaxed despite holding such a difficult pose. It is leagues ahead of what any other model achieved in their pose. I’m not in love with the face though. The expression is eerily beautiful, and she pulls off the dark lips well, but I am not a huge fan of how flat her face looks from this angle or the tension of the lips. If that had been perfected, this would be a near flawless shot. It is still an incredible start though to her portfolio.

This photo has me all the way up until the face, much like Clare’s shot. I think the pose is unique, really stands out this week, her body looks incredible, and it showcases the swimwear…well enough. It is an editorial shot, rather than a commercial one, but given how weak most of the photos were this week I can’t be mad. The face just feels a bit awkward, another pained expression. I almost wish she had thrown her head further back, maybe given us a stronger angle for the jawline. It is close to being perfection though.

This photo is almost there, but there are just two aspects that annoy me. The slight arched back is beautiful, her legs look incredible, and I think the positioning of the arms showcase the accessories well, without seeming forced. Her bone structure looks good too. The two negatives are that I think the leg is a little bit too high, it should have had a slightly greater angle to seem a bit more natural, and then the overtly sexual expression. It cheapens the shot slightly. Still, a very usable photograph, which is more than most this week.

Adele being in the bottom 2 was a ludicrous choice, as her shot is really close to being great. It isn’t the most revolutionary pose, but her body looks incredible in the shot, and it would work well for a commercial swimwear brand. The face is pretty weak, her jawline lacks any definition and blends into her neck, and the expression reads as uncertain. If her face was as fierce as her body, this would be an easy top 4 photograph, maybe even top 3.

And now for a shot that has even less of the swimsuit, and even is missing any water to act as a contextual clue. This is a bizarre best shot to pick for this week, but I can’t fault Tahnee for that. What I can fault her for, is that she has managed to make her incredible face look a bit mediocre. Like with Mikarla, I can feel her almost shivering. There is a hesitation that I feel contradicts with the styling and pose. Still, her eyes are gorgeous and her bone structure has photographed incredibly. It is a shot that succeeds because of her natural beauty, and in a poor week that gets her this high.