#cycle22

In any other week I’d be harsher on this shot, but for a casting shoot he has done what was needed: highlighted his strengths. His body looks incredible in the swimwear, and perfectly defined. It is generally exactly what I expect from a flawless body. His face too has photographed defined, and chiselled, especially that jawline. He is masculine and confident. Dustin’s look isn’t exactly unique, so he needs an excellent shot to make him stand out, and this does it for me.

Final Runway

There isn’t anything technically wrong with this shot. Nyle got all the doll-like elements down: the harsh-joints, the hot but vacant stare and the clasped hands. He also managed to look smoking hot, with both his body and face looks incredible, and literally like a real-life Ken. Nyle definitely did everything expected of him, but the fact is Mikey and Lacey gave the shots a little bit of life. They make Nyle’s just seem almost too literal in comparison.

The comeback contestant being Dustin was definitely a choice, clearly done as he posed no threat to the others, but I just don’t get what it benefited the show to bring him back at all. There was no clear storyline to tie up, nor drama to reignite. Why not just skip the comeback entirely if they weren’t going to bring anyone worthwhile back? Anyways, this shot is alright. It is definitely one of the better shots of the week, but I don’t see why the judges raved about it. Dustin’s face does look great from this angle, and the connection with the dog is great, but there is nothing incredibly special. The shot feels cohesive, and looks like a fashion shot, but it isn’t the most eye-catching photograph. It should have been enough to get him a relatively high call-out, but the top 2 should have been reserved for others. Also, it annoys me so much that the photograph doesn’t line up with the panelling on the wall. It is just off, and is not doing wonders for my OCD.

Every cycle we have that one model who is saved constantly, but then manages to produce one incredible photo that makes it all worthwhile; Hadassah certainly filled that role for Cycle 22. Not only that, but she managed to take an incredibly iconic and beautiful shot in a shoot where the concept was tacky. Even the other strong shots feel more like ads for movies, but Hadassah’s looks like the centre page in a Vogue Italia editorial. It isn’t overacted, but the calmness somehow feels more haunting than any of the intense expressions seen in the other shots. Her face looks divine in profile, and the pose is effortlessly beautiful. The arch in the back, along with the extension of the neck…all pure grace. The arm is slightly stiff, and had that been dropped down vertically it would have been perfection. Definitely no competition for the top spot this week.

This shot just felt so validating. After a cycle of Mikey giving us the same face, and acting honestly like a douche, seeing him so vulnerable gave us another perspective. The connection with his mum is so strong, it just lights up the entire shot. The shot is beautiful, but the clothes still pop. Like Mame’s shots from the week, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this actually used as an ad.

This shot just harkens back to the classic days of ANTM. Gorgeous with a flair for the dramatics. The clothes look spectacular, but Lacey still steals the shot. Her face looks mysterious, and the angle is incredible flattering for her bone structure. While I felt the judges overrated most of Lacey’s shots – though only slightly – this is the one I think they underrated to high hell.

Such a waste…Dustin clearly didn’t try nearly as hard as the others, and end product is just weak. I feel like it is impossible for Dustin to look bad, but here the actions are letting him down. He is noticeably behind the song in those initial few scenes, and then the second scene isn’t much better. Dustin just looks like that cute guy in a club, who is just sort of there, fumbling about. The next two scenes are a bit better, but not stellar. The handspring was somewhat impressive, but since he didn’t land it perfectly just came across awkwardly on film. His best take was probably in the metal sphere; there was a bit of intensity, but everyone else had at least one great shot, and Dustin’s best one was only mediocre. It was clear the judges knew Dustin wasn’t going to be a threat, and just brought him back as they were happy with the top 6 they had. If I was Justin, I’d be so pissed this guy came back and stole 7th place rightfully from you.