#cycle21top10

It is a shame that after this shot Ben went so downhill. I think that is one of the reasons that I always believe Matthew was robbed of being the comeback. Both were on par before the comeback, but after Matthew continued to grow, while Ben flopped. It is understandable, but definitely a shame. I wish he brought the same strength and confidence he did in this shot to his later work. It is a massive feat to outperform some girls in a shoot completely working against you, but Ben managed to do that. Every other guy struggled, but he shone.

I can’t believe the best photo of the cycle comes from someone who placed 10th. Matthew consistently proved he was robbed of a higher placement, but I never expected something of this level to be produced. Matthew looks chic, cool and ultra-modern, which is pretty much everything the brand is. The bag looks great, but as do all the clothes. Normally I am drawn to shots that feel like pieces of art, but this just surpasses all those. It reminds me of Nastasia’s shot from Cycle 19, in that even the most commercial shoot can produce incredible photos if done perfectly.

The top 2 this cycle were incredibly close; probably the closest since Cycle 13. I went back and forth between the two of them, and in the end I decided that since both contain stunning feats of modelling, I personally preferred the setting and styling of the MCM shoot over this one. So this shot only really misses the top spot due to being a weaker concept. Shei cannot be faulted at all; this is divine. It is one of the most stunning poses. That back arch is everything, with the breathlessness just being the icing on top of it. Shei being the one to suggest the two-toned wings is all the better too, as it shows she had a direct creative impact. Even if the paired shot was technically the final product, it is this solo shot that deserved all the praise.

There are 2 of Lenox’s shots on this list, and this is probably the strongest technically. In fact, it is probably the strongest display of technical modelling this cycle, maybe second to Matthew’s MCM bags shot. Lenox has positioned herself perfectly to highlight every piece of clothing. This would be impressive in any location, but to remain so calm and poised on ice is insane. A well-earned first call-out, like all of Lenox’s this cycle.

This may not technically be Lenox’s strongest display of modelling skills, but it is my personal favourite. Lenox is radiating beauty here; her skin is glowing, and her legs look incredible. This was a disappointing week, as it was a gorgeous setting with very few good results. Lenox deserves praise as she turned it out when no one else did. Even if she doesn’t go down as our winner of the cycle, at least she got recognition early on for her strong performance.

Lenox’s HIV Awareness Shot

Yet another one of Shei’s photographs that was severely underpraised by the judges. She looks radiant in this photograph, and is emulating movement in an incredibly difficult position, yet none of that is good enough. How Shei made the final 5 is beyond me, but I’m glad she did. She may never have received the praise she was owed, but at least she got a placing someone close to what she deserved.

I’ll keep this short: this is how I’ll choose to remember Mirjana. She was a stunning girl, who had the face and the potential to succeed, but was robbed of that. RIP.