NZNTM: Episode 10 in review.

Bianca. All Images/http://tv3.co.nz/Shows/NewZealandsNextTopModel.aspx

It has taken me a long time to get around to writing this post. I am feeling quite unmotivated about it which is odd, considering I actually quite enjoyed the episode. The girls set off to Abu Dhabi (minus Aroha who was left behind at the airport – how horrible is that? But how good is it for television?!) and basically surrounded themselves in luxury and frivolity before getting into their photoshoot, which is what we’re going to talk about today.

Firstly can I just say I adore Karen Inderbitzen-Waller. She’s nice and funny and a great stylist/photographer. But as much as I love her, I can not love these photos. In fact, I quite, quite, quite dislike these photos. A lot. But I doubt this is really her fault. She works with what she’s got. And what she got was a crazy concept and a crazy setting. The whole thing just seemed so difficult. The palm trees, the night time combined with the slow shutter speed combined with new models. I don’t know. I think, especially in New Zealand’s Next Top Model‘s case, that the photos should be aspirational. People should be able to look at these photos and go ‘oh wow, I’d love to be her/have her dress etc’. These photos (and a lot over the series so far) do not do that for me. I think they could’ve come up with a better concept for this.

Oh well, they can do better next time. Let the judging begin:

• You know that when this photo of Bianca (above) is the best of the bunch, that the bunch is not so good. Yeah, so her face looks pretty incredible, she looks tall, you can see the outfit etc etc, but what is with that pose?! It’s some poorly executed pseudo-ballerina type shizz and I really can’t get into it. It makes me feel awkward, and not in a good way. Despite all of this, I think Bianca’s gonna make the top 3.

•  AJ. Okay, so she’s supposed to be this funny, awkward, kooky home-schooled character, but the more I watch, the more she just seems kind of mean and snobby. I still like her face, though. This photo of her makes her look a bit spastic – it’s not a graceful run to the taxi (look at her hands…) but there’s movement and her face looks kind of interesting. I’m definitely not sold on this whole royal blue (it’s that kind of blue that you get on the internet when text is marked as link. Do you know what I mean? ‘Link text blue’? No?) frilly dress thing she’s got going on, especially how its hiding her neck, but I’m feeling kind of apathetic today so yeah whatever, let’s go with it:

AJ.

• Brigette. Where are you going, sweetheart? It’s almost like you’re going to run off to the left of the frame – your leg’s cocked, your face determined, but it’s like the rest of you is stuck. I really don’t know what’s going on here, but you will make the top 3. I know it in my heart:

Brigette.

• Issy won the title of ‘best mover’ from Karen, and she has won the title of ‘best jazz-dance-pose’ from me. I distinctly remember having to do this exact move in a tap dance when I was fourteen. But with better posture, perhaps. I think she kind of looks like she’s half into the pose, half not. She hasn’t fully committed to it. There’s not enough fierce for me. But that’s just me. Otherwise, her face looks good and she looks tall. There is, however, this odd unfortunate string of light that looks like a weird thread coming out of the bottom of her shorts. And on a separate note, this is yet another photoshoot where they have disguised that Alice-Dellal-half-shaved-head haircut they gave her… Just sayin’:

Issy.

• Okay, this is a touchy subject but I am going to broach it anyway: Rosanagh looks bigger than she really is in this photo. That’s the first thing I thought when I saw this. Secondly, her face isn’t so good, but I kind of like the movement in her body even though no one else does. It’s interesting and a bit more high fashion and less staged than the others poses, I think. Thirdly, she is the third of my picks to make the top 3:

Rosanagh.

• Laters Hillary. Like I’ve said in earlier posts, I think Hillary is more presenter than model. She had the best personality of the bunch but her (lack of) height and just her face in general didn’t scream ‘model’ to me. I’m sad to see her go, just because she’s so normal, but will be excited when they inevitably bring her back for the live finale (which is taking place during the World show at New Zealand Fashion Week, in case you didn’t know). Finally, Hillary must be commended on the way she presented herself throughout the entire show. Even when she was leaving she was nice, and non-dramatic and personable. Someone give this girl a TV show!

Hillary.

So, who do I think is going home next? I’m going to call an Issy or an AJ. I’m really feeling Bianca, Rosanagh and Brigette as the top 3. What do you think?