Shaun Ross: The Sleep Experiment
Five political figures were sealed in a gas chamber, with a continuously administered air born stimulant for the purpose of keeping the subjects awake for 15 days. The prisoners were promised freedom if they succeeded, but this was never the case.

The subjects behaviour began as normal, but over the coming days radically worsened to the point where communication with the researchers completely haulted. After a few days the chamber has gone completely silent, they check whether the subjects are still alive and receive a response expressing compliance.

On the 15th day, the researchers decide to turn-off the stimulant gas and reopen the chamber. Upon looking inside they see that the subjects have severely mutilated themselves with blood covering the chamber. Once removed from the chamber (against their will) subjects are found to have an superhuman strength, a resistance to drugs and a desperate desire to stay awake and receive the stimulant to do so, it is later found out that anyone of the subjects who falls asleep dies instantaneously.

After being treated for their injuries the subjects are being prepared for their return to the chamber. Out of the three remaining subjects, one falls asleep and dies and one is shot by a staff member. With only one remaining subject, the researcher asks what they are, their response is that they are the inherent evil which lays dormant in the human conscience because of the need for sleep. The researcher shoots the prisoner in his head and then shoots himself to stop anyone from finding out about the horrors of this experiment.

This image is used to establish the innocence of the participants prior to the experiment. It shows the purity of human kind and how innately we are good people despite our flaws, juxtaposing the outcome from the experiment and impact it had on the subjects.

https://pin.it/qAXeAcq

Naomi Smalls: Black-Eyed Children

“Black-eyed children” are mysterious creatures who supposedly resemble kids between the ages of about 6 and 16 — creatures who appear only in the night, when they show up at the doors of unsuspecting residents and ask, in breathless and monotone voices, to use the bathroom, make a phone call, get a ride home, or grab something to eat. Theories about “black-eyed children” variously claim them to be vampires, extra-terrestrials, inter-dimensional beings, or some form of a demon

The putative origin of the black-eyed kids legend is a 1998 ghost-related mailing list post by Brian Bethel in which he related an encounter with “those darned black-eyed kids” outside a movie theater in Abilene, Texas, then averred that someone else (with whom he had not previously discussed the subject) had reported a similar encounter in Portland, Oregon.

So for this photoshoot O am serving creepy and intense and somewhat odd and we have a guest Kim Chi #BlackEyedChildren

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ec/6a/20/ec6a20baf686389e806f10a65738b752.jpg

Gigi Hadid - Nale Ba

https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Gigi-Hadid-Harpers-Bazaar-October-2016-Editorial06.jpg

The myth goes a witch roams the streets in the night and knocks the door. The witch apparently speaks in voices of your kin so you would be deceived to open the door. If you open it then you will die. However in some variations the spirit is believed to be a bridal ghost who roams around the town in search of her husband. She is known to take away the man of the house who is often the sole earning member of the family, therefore, bringing bad luck to the entire household.

With my photo I wanted to incorporate both of those stories together my clothes are a black bridal gown to mix the bridal element and creepy factor of stories 1 and 2 together. Whilst the whole photo is set in a spooky scenery to drive home the elements of the first story.

Jhonattan Burjack: The Hat Man

The Hat Man is one of the many lesser known urban legends out there. He got his nickname due to his victims always describing him as having a wide-brimmed hat, along with a long trench coat and shadowy lower body.

The Hat Man is one of the most mysterious urban legends since many don’t even know why he appears when he does, although it is said that he often shows up in times of intense negativity and family dysfunction. Unlike many other urban legends, all the Hat Man really does is whisper ominous warnings to his victims and occasionally speaking in enigmatic riddles.

In this photo I’m portraying the Hat Man with his wide-brimmed hat and trench coat along with his face looking contemptuous and somewhat angry.

https://imgur.com/qsHoEWq

Lucky Blue Smith - Dark Watchers

The Dark Watchers (also known by early Spanish settlers as Los Vigilantes Oscuros) is a name given to a group of entities in California folklore purportedly seen observing travelers along the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The Dark Watchers are described as tall, sometimes giant-sized featureless dark silhouettes often adorned with brimmed hats or walking sticks. They are most often reported to be seen in the hours around twilight and dawn. They are said to motionlessly watch travelers from the horizon along the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. According to legend, no one has seen one up close and if someone were to approach them, they disappear.

So for this photoshoot I wanted to emulate the story behind the urban legend in a more modern day feel and tempo. Im portraying a Dark Watcher watching from unsuspecting travelers from a distance. You'd never really know what they look like but they see you. Hiding amongst the trees not really allowed to leave but look on to those that pass by.

https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Lucky-Blue-Smith-LOfficiel-Hommes-Italia-2015-Cover-Editorial-Shoot-003.jpg

8:09 PM
Based on Czech Republic version The White Lady is a ghost of Perchta of Rožmberk, who was the daughter of an important nobleman. She married another nobleman, and the marriage was not very happy. Perchta, typically dressed in a white gown was betrayed by husband. Legend has it, as her husband was dying...he asked for her forgiveness. Perchta refused, and her husband cursed her. Till this day, she haunts his castles as a ghost.

http://fashioncow.com/flowerpower/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Saskia-De-Brauw-by-Paolo-Roversi-Vogue-Italia-Couture-Supplement-Issue-14.jpg

In the photo, I am depicted as a modern day Ghost of Perchta, displayed in a white gown. I wanted to include subtle inspirations of royalty within the picture so it will relates to the story and time period it took place in.

ps vi - yoonyoung
as the abominable snowman, also known as the yeti

the abominable snowman is a folkloric ape-like that is said to inhabit the himalayan mountains. simialr to bigfoot, stories of the yeti first emerged as a facet of western popular culture in the 19th century. the scientific community has generally regarded the Yeti as a legend, given the lack of evidence of its existence.

the abominable snowman is commonly known for being a prominent winter urban legend, which i decided to capture in my atmosphere and clothing to represent the bulky, almost invisible creature as its fur is commonly described as white. the importance of the sheep in the photograph is inspired by one of the many hoaxes surrounding the abominable snowman in russia in 2011, where the yeti was described to have attempted to capture the sheep for their own as apart of their omnivorous diet.

https://i.imgur.com/nwXRzR7.png

BRYCE THOMPSON -the killer in the backseat

So I just finished getting some groceries from the mall and I’m on my way to my car in the isolates parking lot , I put my groceries In the boot and I call my gf to tell her I’m on my way before closing it

So I get in and I drive off , but then not even 5 minutes out the truck right behind me starts honking violently at me , so I’m checking to see is my lights on, did I forget my wallet and I slow down , but this makes him honk even louder so I drive on and I get to the gas station Since I see there’s atleast people there

I’ve not evens taken my seatbelt off when the trucker stops at my car with a gun, my heart beats fast until I see he’s pointing the gun at the back of me and lord behold a Small thin man sits behind my seat with a gun

Turns out the trucker saw the guy trying to stab me and honked to distract him ❤️

https://imgur.com/U8IsiYD

In my shot I’m showing me looking into my rear view mirror because of the truckers honking, not knowing the danger that’s in my backseat

*sits behind my seat with a knife lol sorry typo

XXCLOSEDXX

COMMENTS:

Team A (Team 4 Emotions)

LENOX TILLMAN (The Jinn) - You look sultry and sensual in this simple photo but I wish you could have shown more instead of just presenting a head shot. It would have been better to present a sensual woman in a whole body shot to see how men got really attracted to her. The positioning of the left hand is a bit awkward and there's no reinforcement of your REGAL brand here.

LUCKY BLUE SMITH (Dark Watchers) - Wow! I love the looming vibe this shot is emanating. It gives me life! You're giving us a feel of what it's like to be there due to your excellent choice of setting. Through your brooding stare and forbidding appearance you managed to convey how Dark Watchers look like. Your choice of urban legend is a top-notch and it translates in the photo. Most of all, you didn't forget to reinforce your DARING brand. Job well done, Lucky!

SASKIA DE BRAUW (Ghost of Perchta of Rozmberk) - The story sounds good and I like how you incorporated royalty through accessories and embroidered embellishments on your white gown. I like the haunting vibe the shot gives off, plus the black-and-white filter adds to the appeal. Though I'm not a fan of the blank space. Somehow I can see your DAUNTLESS vibe, but the photo doesn't have much of an impact. Overall good job.

BAE YOON YOUNG (Abominable Snowman) - Okay. I find the urban legend very appealing as it is new to my ears. However looking at your photo, I find it very disconnected from the story. Yes, you're standing in the middle of the snow and it kinda proves your UNWAVERING brand but I don't get the monstrous vibe in your overall appearance, especially with your soft facial expression. There's no illusion of being bulky at all and the way you hold the sheep is very motherlike. I don't think Yeti would hold his prey in a very tame manner instead of being predatory.

Team B (Team True To Our Skin)

GIGI HADID (Nale Ba) - The story is good and I like the black bridal gown. However those are the only good things about the photo. As much as you tried to have the shot taken in a spooky forest, there's no vibe of creepiness here. There's no aura of that bridal ghost or let's say the witch. It's just a woman wearing a black bridal gown. The photo lacks in impact and I think you've forgotten to reinforce your QUIRKY vibe in the shot.

JHONATTAN BURJACK (The Hat Man) - I'm very familiar with your chosen urban legend so there are details in your description that I found very uncertain. But it's your description so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Fedora and trenchcoat look good on you, but I hope you could have went for something darker in color since The Hat Man is always associated with black color hence the shadowy figure. I also don't see contempt and anger in your facial expression and you also didn't reinforce your RESILIENT brand in the shot. You could have at least gone with a sinister smile to give the shot a menacing vibe.

LIZZO JEFFERSON (The Slit-Mouthed Woman) - Okay. The covering of the lower part of your face goes all the way down to whole upper part of your body that resulted in you looking like a shrub. Your pose makes it worse as you still have to look like a model and not someone who looks worn out. The whole outfit is wearing you and I'm not a fan of the blank space. Your VIBRANT brand is inevident. If you would ask me if you're pretty, the answer is no.

SHAUN ROSS (The Sleep Experiment) - You've just proven how BOUNDLESS you are with this shot, Shaun! I like the unique take on the concept as it is not the usual interpretation of urban legend story. You managed to show the innocence and purity of human kind. I also like how well thought-out your back story is. This is definitely one of my favorite shots this week.

Team C (Team Sinners)

BRYCE THOMPSON (The Killer in the Backseat) - FINALLY! The goal of the theme this week is to present a photo that shows an URBAN LEGEND STORY, not a specific URBAN LEGEND CHARACTER, which you perfectly did. Awesome job, Bryce! You really are proving to us why you deserve your CLEVER brand. I like how the shot looks like an actual scene in your story and how the story was told in first person point of view. You're taking us there with you. The black-and-white filter adds to the already dark vibe of the shot.

JOSH BEECH (The Slender Man) - I LOVE IT! This is dark and intriguing, very fitting for the theme. I love the background story and I love how you were able to portray your chosen character. The intimidating pose, the impeccably crisp suit, the black-and-white filter, and the overall look all added up to your MYSTERIOUS brand and to the menacing vibe of the shot. Others may not appreciate this cause your whole face is covered up, but hey, that's what your chosen urban legend is asking of you. It's not your fault and you shouldn't be blamed on that. Kudos!

This is how Slender Man looks like:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slender_Man#/media/File%3A%D0%A2%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BA.jpg

NAOMI SMALLS (Black-Eyed Children) - Intense at its finest! This is probably one of the best shots I've seen from you, Naomi, and I'm not even a fan. The inclusion of another model in the shot made your story more believable. I love the white outfit and accessories and how it matched up to your creepy look. Though I'm not a fan of the hairdo as it doesn't fit the "children look". That deep stare gives me a very threatening vibe and the reinforcement of your PRIME brand translated in the quality of the shot.

Garrett Neff//

Lizzo Jefferson: I was expecting to see something much darker and much carrier, but this is very glamorized. Lizzo, Your face isn’t entirely covered on the lower half either.

Josh Beech: I like this just a little bit; I feel like you were on the right path with the whole face covering. I would have, however, like for you to be in the dark with just a silhouette forming.

Lenox Tilman: I think this is a very safe shot, don’t get me wrong. I really like this photo. I think it’s very safe for me.

Shaun Ross: I’m not a fan of this shot at all honestly, after reading your explanation and viewing the image. I don’t see a correlation, and I believe you are capable of better.

Naomi Smalls: I would have liked for you to take it a huge step further and not relied so much on the makeup to show “The Black Eyed Child.”

Gigi Hadid: Alright, Gigi, I really like this photo to me; this is something you’d bring to a final. I love the usage of the dress and how you connected everything overall fantastic job!

Jhona Burjack: I like the usage of the hat, and how you connected everything, however, I think what would’ve made this photo even more mysterious as you say is if the hat completely covered your eye or covered it to the point where we can only see the lower half. But for me, this is not a bad shot.

Lucky Blue: This is a perfect shot. I like how you’re almost hidden behind the bushes. This was a great photo, lucky!

Saskia De Brauw: Saskia, I can see the whole ghost look your good for. I think you did an excellent job of portraying your character.

Yoon Young: I think you achieved the theme, but it would have been nice pose and facial wise to get a little bit more.

Bryce Thompson: I don’t really like this photo that much, I would’ve like to be a confused or frantic look on your face.

Garrett's Top 3 In No Particular Order--

- Gigi Hadid
- Saskia De Brauw
- Lucky Blue

I feel like I did a good job.

COMMENTS:

Lizzo (The Slit-Mouthed Woman) - Yes you are pretty, that's the answer. Now, I really liked how this shot turned out to be aesthetic rather than scary, yes it may look manipulative but that's how the slit-mouthed woman should be, you definitely wouldn't go near her if she'd reveal herself as that creature. I think you perfected that aspect whilst not forgetting you are modeling.

Josh (The Slender Man) - You've picked one of the most well-knowned urban legend character to portray, and you did what you had to do. I am not much of a big fan of your shot, you could have done a bit more for me. I do admit that this is somehow just a little bit of upgrade on your toothbrush photo last week. And you did bring mysteriousness on the table with that whole face covering.

Lenox (The Jinn) - This was my choice for your winner's promotional picture back in cycle 11, so don't get me wrong, I definitely love it and would allow such picture to pass mainly because it wasn't used by you. Now for this certain task, I'm really uncertain of your choice. But then again you choose to show that manipulative ways and it somehow works on a simple head shot, at least for me.

Shaun (The Sleep Experiment) - This is definitely another case of bad quality type of picture. A few more detail would of been a big help. Your explanation was well thought of that I hope to find a photo that would definitely be the story and your time for spotlight. For me it was another day that I am hoping you'd do better for the next shoot. It is because you may have captured purity but other than that, there's none.

Naomi (Black-eyed Children) - I am really disappointed for this. Why? because with your past unique and memorable shots, I would have expected something that would make you, your brand Prime. This shot was not it. I say you have taken the easier route with that make up on, but you were sadly and heavily outshined by your partner.

Gigi (Nale Ba) - And this is how you deliver a shot! Everyone please take notice of Ms. Gigi Hadid right here. I believe that you have slayed this photoshoot big time, you have taken every consideration for the criteria and have checked all boxes. You not heavily focus on the theme, but gave it emphasis, you focused on delivering us the more important part - the overall impression for the shot, and you killed it!

Jhonattan (The Hat Man) - This is another case of I picked it for a reason, this appeared as your opening intro picture on Cycle 14 which ofcourse I handpicked, and would definitely not be at your fault. Again, I loved it as much as it was last season. Now, you definitely gave a mysterious and creepy vibe even with that handsome face, it's definitely hard to pull through. I must say however you did took the easier route for this.