#cycle 16

1. Brittani

Brittani is obviously not MOST PEOPLE. She looks like a fantastically beautiful and evil heiress and I want to read a book about her/watch her starring in a TV show. She is 1) serving an interesting face that shows off her eyebrow, cheekbone, nose, and lips to especial advantage 2) selling that faux fur coat and 3) holding the jaguar like a fashion accessory. That’s MAJOR.

2. Hannah

This was a close call (and Hannah actually got top call-out from the judges). She looks gorgeous, and almost ethereal--and I love cats but the jaguar isn’t overpowering her. Her hair being lit like that? Stunning. The way her face is turned towards the light and the graceful, eager line of her neck? YES. Also I love the tension in her hands. They’re almost claw-like, but in a beautiful way.

3. Monique

This doesn’t come close to the top two photos, but Monique looks beautiful and model-like, her expression is a bored sneer that still manages to be elevated, and the cat is Doing His Thing.

4. Mikaela

I think Mikaela’s face would really connect here more if she closed her mouth. Her open lips don’t create enough contrast to the downward angle of her cheekbones. Also, her leg is super awkward here and she’s not managing the cat well. 

5. Alexandria

Kind of cute, but really just OK. She’s not really modeling here--anyone could do this, and the placement of her free hand shows how little effort she put into this pose.

6. Dalya

Dalya got sent home for this, which was honestly fair and probably would have been choice as well--she wasn’t performing well from week to week, and this is a middling photo at best. Her lovely bone-structure looks flat, her hands are almost meek, and the line of her body is not exaggerated or directional at all.

7. Molly

Poor Molly. She deserved better, and I’m sure she took better--I think Tyra just chose this as her “best photo” to try to push her to handle the HORRIBLE HAIR they sewed onto her head more capably.  Her face in this shot is strong and elfin, but the proportions of the photo are terribly off and the cat and her hair are swallowing her.

8. Jaclyn

Jaclyn is trying here, but this just looks strange, and it’s the most unflattering angle for her face possible.

9. Kasia

And then we have Kasia, who looks as if she is about to DROP THE CAT. Kasia won best performance in last week’s commercial (and she looked gorgeous in it), but I think her presence in interviews and real time have been stronger than her pictures so far. I think she probably CAN produce a strong picture, and I want her to, but I might have put her in the bottom too for this awkward, open-mouthed shot, just to shake her up a bit.

Top Contenders: Brittani, Hannah