Garrett's Comments (sent via mail):

Your Name:

Alton Mason (brunodrads): "Old Town Road" This photo for sure exemplifies "old town dweller." The outfit and the pose make this photo much better, so overall, great job!

Anja Rubik (Delano): I for sure understand the whole "Garden of Eden" approach and connecting your name to its interpretation of "Angel." however, for me, this photo is not very strong. The idea was amazing; however, it is not 100% translated into the photo.

Guinevere Van Seenus (CutieAmy): Well Done; I love the white "Ghost" vibe you have here. I believe the white "flowy" dress also gives off ghosts, so great job!

Kim Jong-in "Kai" (Minie): Kai, I honestly believe this photo was risky. When I first looked at it, I wondered if it was a drawing; then, I did not fully understand how this photo showcased "warrior" since it takes a minute to figure out where exactly you are in the photo, so yeah, this was risky.

Sora Choi (spinfur): Sora, I love this photo. This photo, for sure, does not need a description because I can see pretty much everything you are presenting, so once again, I love this!

Garrett's Comments (sent via mail):

The Ennead:

Alton Mason (brunodrads): This photo gives "Egyptian god" with the gold and the outfit from the headpiece, the jacket, etc., so I think you did great.

Anja Rubik (Delano): Okay, I kinda see the "angel" route you are taking here with the wing-like things, the destroyed boat, and the dark environment behind you; however, I think it could have been stronger.

Guinevere Van Seenus (CutieAmy): This is very interesting; I love the pose and facial expression. You did a great job connecting the meaning of Tefnut and your photo, so great job!

Kim Jong-in "Kai" (Minie): This was indeed very interesting; this shot was very solid for me. I understand the route you are going with air, wind, and the plane.

Sora Choi (spinfur): "God of Chaos, Storm, and War." You hit all three of those in very different ways with your photo. The first you mentioned is the storm, which is very apparent around you; Chao is also there with the various elements around you, and finally, war, which can be interpreted with your photo.

Garrett's Comments (sent via mail):

Motherland:

Alton Mason (brunodrads): From what I could understand, "Nebraska" is most noted for its agriculture, which you sorta alluded to in your explanation. In terms of your photo, I wish you would have tapped into that just a little in your description to tie that aspect into your photo. I do, however, see glimpses of "serenity" and "peace," but I wish you would have tapped more into the agriculture and rural aspect of things with your description to make that a central focal point of your photo.

Anja Rubik (Delano): Anja, I like this photo. I love your connection with aviation and its tradition/history with Poland. Regarding your photo, I love how you are posed on the nose of the plane. You are the focus here, and overall, this was great!

Guinevere Van Seenus (CutieAmy): I see parallels between your traditional clothing and your photo here. The skirt to your ankle and hair ornament in your photo is similar to the example photo/traditional clothing from the Netherlands, so great job!

Kim Jong-in "Kai" (Minie): Kai, I think it was a pretty good connection with the reed fields, which are very prominent in South Korea, so great job!

Sora Choi (spinfur): Sora, I agree that "Martial Arts" sure has roots in South Korea in terms of your photo; I can see hints of "tae kwon doe," especially with the pose, so not bad.

Judge Reece Semi Final Comments:

Alton Mason (brunodrads) -
Upside Down: I shouldn’t be surprised with how you pull some of these positions off. You look graceful on your tip toes and makes your light touch look effortless. You look more natural in the upside down version, so well done!

Your Name: Classic Alton! For a name with such a specific meaning, you’ve found the right photo for the theme. Even though the pose alone is noteworthy, those eyes are captivating and really complete this masterpiece!

The Ennead: WOW!!! This is as good as it gets! You look poised, royal, and commanding. The outfit is on point and your stoic expression is exactly what was needed. Excellent work!

Motherland: I did not expect this shot to be reused for this topic. You’ve become known for your unique poses and this one is as special as the rest. Since this theme is to reference your motherland, I would have liked you interact more with your environment .
Other than that, good job!


Anja Rubik (Delano) -
Upside Down: Starting off with a bang! You’ve incorporated so many elements into this shot and aced every single one! Your arched back shows off your straight hair while the smoke creates an eye catchy affect. Great job!

Your Name: This is a new side to Anja we haven’t seen before. I see the Garden of Eden route and I appreciate that you’re embracing a softer side. This was a fine attempt, but there is something missing to make this have a wow moment.

The Ennead: Your photo did a good job trying to fit a whole story into a single picture. I see the angel, not evil route you were going for and for me it works. Nice job!

Motherland: This is a one of a kind shot! You look so powerful on top of the plane and it highlights your beauty to sky heights! Your head down was a smart choice to really show that you’re honoring the technology of your country. You’ll stand out tonight for all the right reasons!

Guinevere Van Seenus (CutieAmy) -
Upside Down: At first I thought you accidentally submitted just a background because you blended in so well. Everything about your arched pose is fantastic, from your legs to your back. In the non-flipped version, you are clearly visible and have this dominant presence that I’m a big fan of. You get lost a bit in this version, but overall this is a good shot!

Your Name: There is no question that you’re the white ghost. Your strong pose is a bit off putting, but everything else captures exactly what you described.

The Ennead: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! Everything about this is amazing!!! Despite your head being nearly engulfed by the water, you look at peace Wearing a bejeweled outfit and sparkly eye makeup are the cherries on top that make this a very memorable photo this week.

Motherland: Just when I though you hit your peak, you saved the best for last! Your modern twist has wonderfully paid homage to the Netherlands while making sure your style is prominent. Your personality goes so well with this tribute and I’m so pleased to see you end the semi-finals with a fantastic finish!

Kim Jong-in "Kai" (Minie) -
Upside Down: Now this is a cool shot! This looks 100% better flipped and shows off your creativity wonderfully. While I’m not the biggest fan of your crouched position and hunched back, the illusion of Kais is easy to appreciate and still creates a great photo. 

Your Name: This is an art piece! Extremely risky, but very pleasing to see. It’s a clever concept to have many versions of your in fighting positions, but I would have liked to have seen at least one of you in the spotlight to see the warrior final product.

The Ennead: You are owning up to your visual versatility! The color scheme makes this seem other worldly, which is a nice bonus. I just noticed that your stretched out arm looks as if you’re literally guiding the plane to safety. I ended up liking this more than on a first glance. Good job!

Motherland: This is my favorite shot of yours in this semi finals! You look like a grown up school boy and the personality fits it perfectly. You’re showcasing this beautiful field wonderfully and I love that you found a way to stand out within it. Great job!

Sora Choi (spinfur) -
Upside Down: Looks like you’re starting off the semi finals with a big risk! I can see why you were saving this one for the upside down challenge; the pose works so well flipped! Your stretched out hands and your leaning back are great details to this shot! My only note is that you’re leaning far back just enough to not receive any light on your face, but your pose is carrying this shot to a good score.

Your Name: I don’t know how you did it, but I see the conch shell you’re portraying. Your pose is so compacted yet spread out that I can’t help but keep looking at this trying to figure you out. Each different colored clothing helped separate each part of the shell.
This is your biggest risk yet, but you’re reaping all of the rewards!

The Ennead: Oooooh now this a a great choice! I would have been fine with you relating to one aspect, but connecting three of them exceeds expectations. The is stunningly breathtaking and a standout tonight!

Motherland: I appreciated your vision to go for a more relaxed, calming nature to highlight the values closer to you (self discipline, loyalty, etc). The pose speaks for itself and your focus seals the deal. This was a smart way to honor your heritage.

COMMENTS (UPSIDE DOWN):

Guinevere - Welcome to the semifinals Guinevere. First things first, I like the illusion this photo made when turned upside down - that's one thing I've always been impressed with for the theme, you can make magic of it. I would say that you did your job of looking at the part, as you did look quite like a part of the tree itself.

Anja - Congratulations on making the Top 5. I find this shot very interesting, Anja. This certainly fits well with the theme, maybe because of how you were positioned like some creature. I had to look really closely because I didn't see that classic Anja we are seeing, this felt very different and just shows your versatility.

Sora - Now I see why you did wait for the moment to post this photo. Before anything else, welcome to the Semifinals. Sora, this shot is good. I like the color scheme in this and the look and illusion that you are falling. I think this shot certainly looks the part of being a "better" upside-down shot than the original.

Kai - Also, congratulations on being here in the Semis, Kai. Again, I'd say this is like a broken record already I like the way you see and interpret things. While the requirement is simply looking good upside down, you put the Kai touch of really relating it thoroughly. This shot is really good. One of the best I've seen tonight.

Alton - Welcome as well to our semifinals Alton. You've done so many eccentric and large poses, I think it would be a disappointment if you'd missed this and I think you did quite a job. While there were similar takes on the upside down. You stand out because you keep it very simple and easy on the eyes. You were the star of that shot.

COMMENTS (YOUR NAME):

Guinevere (Phantom) - Well you did the assignment, and you did it in a high-fashion way. Guinevere I like this. This is a great shot, maybe the leg positioning I found quite weird but that body, head, and arm positioning just wrapped everything beautifully. You somehow managed to convince me, that this is a ghost shot - to the colors, the fabrics, etc.

Anja (Angel) - Looking angelic, that I do not think was going to be a problem for you, even if you've been this tough and fierce Anja, I've seen you time and time again in your soft sides too. I think this is a good shot, The filter, I think being on the "cooler" side would've made this better. Nevertheless, still a good shot.

Sora (Conch Shell) - Oh wow, initially when I saw your description I was actually thinking why would you not want something easier? Certainly, you would've made it easy with air, but when I saw this shot. I understand pretty well. This is such a stunning shot! Not only were you able to get the colors somehow right, you were able to relate it smartly.

Kai (Warrior) - Very much agree with your name's meaning here, you are by far one of the most resilient models I've seen and thus this interpretation was just spot on. Now, I do understand how some wouldn't like this. But for me, I do. It's just very creative and I believe you nailed the theme pretty well.

Alton (Old Town) - I am impressed. This shot definitely gives not only the "Old Town" but also giving a strong "Mason" impression. Now, the black-and-white filter was a smart choice here as well. Not only that, you were able to also put some small tribute from your hometown with that countryside inspiration.

COMMENTS (THE ENNEAD):

Guinevere (Tefnut) - A Guinevere we rarely see, this soft side of you. I think it's a good shot, this fits the theme well. It just felt calm, serene, and just peaceful looking. Your beauty is comparable to goddesses and this just proves it. This also just felt like it would've been a good album art or an interesting magazine spread too.

Anja (Nephthys) - Yet again another Anja look we've yet to see. I like your take on this Anja. You pretty much chose a deity that is probably one of the harder ones to portray, but I believe you did fairly well. I like it. From the littlest details, you were able to connect, the colors, the mystery, and the afterlife.

Sora (Seth) - I appreciate you almost doing everything Seth is a god of, that only would require a lot of thinking and creativity. I was able to see clearly the Storm this photo represents, the chaos and war would really depend on such elements included not only in your photo but also explanation, the war was quite a stretch but I still like the shot overall.

Kai (Shu) - Yet again another impressive take. This whole shot felt like an art. The colors, the contrast I love it. But going on with how this relates to the theme, I like it a lot. What a modern way to show your relation to what you were trying to embody. And with how this looks, I believe it also would've been a solid upside-down submission.

Alton (Osiris) - Oh wow! What an interpretation, Alton. This is just a strong shot and definitely felt like you're a God yourself. This looks powerful and striking and you have that commanding vibe easily in the bag. The setting, the garments and accessories just wrapped this more beautiful than it already is.

COMMENTS (HOMELAND):

Guinevere (Netherlands) - I like that you paid tribute to your roots. I also appreciate the fact that you try to incorporate in your ways the traditional clothing of Volendam and take it as couture. Those facial expressions are killer. The backdrop also helped you be the star in this shoot because it complemented you really well.

Anja (Poland) - Be proud already of what you've accomplished as the last Favorites' standing and also representing Poland successfully in NTM. I like this shot, also like the route you take. This looks very minimalist, very high fashion and just an art itself. You were able to really give a nod to your roots. Great job!

Sora (South Korea) - Well, Sora I also like your take on this. You focus on a particular martial art and just translate it well with your posing. I did wish to have seen something fiercer or more intense with your facial expressions. Nevertheless, you've done well with the theme, and the clothing tweaks that made it more interesting.

Kai (Suncheon, South Korea) - This just looks peaceful. This is something I could stare at for quite some time and just feel calm. I like that you took us more to a familiar place in your hometown, which I think was smart too. Most of your submissions have felt like an art and this one definitely does too.

Alton (Nebraska, USA) - What a way to close our semifinals, Alton. I think I find this very similar to Kai's submission - something about it just feels calm and serene. The colors, are just pleasing to the eyes. You've also taken the route of just giving a taste a glimpse of life in a rural area and just delivered it with a signature Alton movement.

XXCLOSEDXX

Thanks judges for the comments
And good luck all.
♥️

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