#cycle12

I think it is pretty clear why Aminat is on this list: her body. Without any doubts in my mind, Aminat has the strongest body we have ever seen on ANTM. I mean it must have been great to carry her all the way to the final 3, in spite of a subpar performance 90% of the way there. Aminat really that that ideal body; the dream type you never expect to actually have. Her figure was flawless, and she managed to suit all the styles of clothes she was given. In person she just had such a commanding aura, and always looked incredible at panel. This was helped in no small part by the fact she clocked in at slightly over 6 foot. On top of the strength of her body, Aminat’s skin was perfection. This girl really was made to model swimwear, and even if her beach shot on the show was interesting, she has more than proven she has evolved. While her body is definitely her strength, I actually adored Aminat’s face as well. Her beauty shots on the show were all stellar. They showcased her fully, luscious lips, and beautiful chocolate eyes. It was a shame Aminat never managed to nail both aspects in the same shot. I think she struggled with angles, especially for her face. When slightly off it lost a lot of its charm. Had she managed to get a grasp on the two separate aspects, I definitely feel Aminat would have been a much larger threat on the cycle, and a real contender to win.

Aminat somehow manages to get first callout for both of the beauty shots. This is just ironic. Honestly this shot is beautiful, like I said last time her features somehow managed to photograph so softly. There is just such a caring and commercial exuberance coming from her eyes, it is the perfectly typical commercial look. Aminat really did put up a fight in the finale, but despite  giving her this position in my rankings, I probably would have made the same choice to eliminate her over Teyona this week.

Final Runway

It should be no surprise Allison is the only contestant (well, along with Rae if you consider the honourable mentions) to have two slots on this list. She epitomises what the show sought to entail, and her portfolio was the highlight of both her cycles. This shot in particular, along with Elyse’s snake shot, is probably one of the most well received and iconic images from ANTM. I have yet to see someone who denies its brilliance, and while there are other shots that have grown on me more, this still remains a classic. It really is a work of art. It shines as a beauty shot as much as it succeeds as a whole; her face is everything I could have hoped for, and she truly embraced her bird-like features. The body too just has such a delicacy, and I love the way she has filled the screen. Tyra truly deserves so much credit for setting the scene, and capturing such a magical image. As much as Allison brought, I feel Tyra really matched it. It proves that strong images really take a combined effort from both the model and the photographer.

I would be lying if I didn’t say this was partially on here because of that song: it is absolutely stellar, and if it was full length I would totally be obsessed. None of the other songs came anywhere close for me (even if Lisa’s was damn impressive). The video too was the clear winner; while everyone else created a second-rate music video, Allison, along with some excellent creative decisions, created something ethereal, extraordinary and flawless. It actually feels like a work of art. Every second has been nailed, every movement is perfect, every frame is stunning in its own right. And the fact Tyra’s irritating breach of the beauty hasn’t stopped it from making this list is a testament to how strong Allison is. It is without a doubt one of the very few redeeming things to come out of All-Stars.

Jourdan’s Paint Shot

Really, I never actually knew Don went on to do Guess, but I am not at all surprised. Same with Natalie too. Both of them sort of fit the typical mould. I know Simone from AusNTM Cycle 7 also has done Guess, and I wonder if there are any others than those (and the winners who won a campaign).