Thread: Official ENTM-GD thread! 2.0

Round 2 is complete!


Wow… what an exciting week! Cosplay is always a popular one, and once again our models did not fail to impress us – everyone did AMAZING this round, and made it very hard for everyone involved to rate you. Thank you for all of the work you do, and know you’re all wonderful!

A reminder that this is Week 2, and so it is with a sad heart that I have to remind everyone that from here on out we will be losing a model every week. Please remember that all of you do a fantastic job, and honesty no one is going home for a bad image. Much nitpicking and critiquing was involved – and I think you gave the judges a meltdown with how fabulous you all were! XD

With that said – Below are the judge’s critiques:

Ciara

Rivienne- It's been a long time since I saw this series so I had to go back to google to get a better feel for it. I think you did a wonderful job! Your background is lovely and carby makes a lovely replacement for Kyubey. Please understand this is a very hard round to judge, everyone did so fantastically so I only really have tiny things I can attempt to nitpick. Truthfully even that’s really hard to do. I think the only thing that I could even try to is to have pulled a little closer to your character so you didn’t blend so much to everything else. Please keep in mind however that this is only a very minor thing due to how busy this shot is. Very well done!


Kipih- This is a anime I hadn't heard of before and I’ll have to take a peek at it due to its very slayers like look about it, for that thank you! Your costume seems to match well to the googled versions from what I can tell, you did a fantastic job~ Your background is lovely and clear, and you caught the spellcasting of your song perfect. Try as I might, there’s not really a lot I could nitpick of this picture. Fantastic job!

Xelah- This is one of the FF series that got me in constant feels. I spent many days loving this story and shed a few tears to boot. You caught Yuna's vibe and feel of her sending the souls off the beach very well. The colors match up great and I can almost hear the song of prayer starting up with the drums. As mentioned above I’m having a really difficult time nitpicking these shots and though I won’t dock marks to cosplays done in previous rounds, it would have been nice to have you set it to the sunset at the beach. I did find the background a little lacking though compared to the other shots so please keep in mind though magic effect -are- quite lovely, backgrounds can rally make and break a picture too! On a side not though this won't cost you marks in my books but it’s good to take a look at past rounds because it’s hard to judge a shot when it was done before with a little more creativity. Please keep in mind that doesn't cause me to mark lower though, I’m merely trying to give advice as a judge for the future. Lovely job and thanks for the nostalgia!

Tress- Well done mother of the dragons! This whole round has me pulling out my hair trying to judge things! To me, this is my favorite shot right here. It's lovely, your lovely, the minion is -perfect- and the background was beautiful, the fog really did it for me. Lightings spot on and you even have the prefect look to pull this cosplay off. Back to that awful trying to nitpick thing. I can’t really find much to say about these shots though I suppose if I had to say anything about this one it's that I wish you had done it in a more desert like setting to follow where Daenerys was at the time her dragons were small. Hard to dock points for something like that though especially with such a pretty background. Amazing job! (Extra kudos on the cloth tents in the background!)

Kitori- Ahahaha this shot. Its ammmmaaazzing!!! Gaston’s theme immediately played in my head when I looked at this picture. Your expression is soooo perfect for this shot. The background has the same feel as the bar in the movie and is spot on! Pose is perfect, damnit people it's really hard to bring any criticism to these shots.... No one overshadows you, I love that your slightly off centered (though models don’t think I don’t mind centered pictures because I do like them!) Bah, I give up. I honestly can’t seem to criticize this shot. Amazing job.

Katarh- You did a lovely job matching Yoruichi's fierceness in this shot! Your outfit matches great, hair, well, everything! The background is gorgeous as is your pose! You did an amazing job at popping out on this shot as well. Once again I’m at a lack of really finding anything wrong with this shot or areas to improve. Great job Katarh!

Stephen- Though I never really finished this series I saw enough to know that you really hit this one spot on. Being a lalafell you chose a great shot to really pass off as Ciel and using a second person to play as the butler was a perfect way to really pull this off. Your outfit suits this whole thing very well. So much creativity has come out of this round, and amazing shots, making this whole round borderline impossible to judge. The only thing I could really nitpick here is a different angle to your room, and even that’s not enough to loose points, it just seemed a bit more bland then some of the others. I also felt the lighting could have used a little more of a darker theme to make it really shine but it's still so well done! Great job Stephen!

Velora- Though I’m becoming a bit bored with this particular cosplay as it seems to be the exact same outfit and done a lot that I see, I can't help to admit that you choosing the background you did really sold it on me. Your lighting is perfect, the mixtures of light and shadows are done so lovely. Your background is PERFECT; like the best background I’ve seen for this cosplay. Great job Velora!

Eldaena- This shot is gorgeous, I’m really looking forward to your pictures. the focus, and slight softens are loooveely. Your outfit is spot on, and the lighting is gorgeous. The only thing that causes it to take less points in my opinion is that since the is technically a modeling contest, I feel like you aren't really the main focal of this picture. I would have liked to see you a little closer in this shot and more of your face. Other than that there’s really nothing else I can complain of. Fantastic shot Eldaena~

Iris- Awww! you lalafells always make the cutest shots! Your outfit is perfect, almost made for this cosplay alone, and your pose is darling. Your background did a lovely job of giving that wonderland feel to me. the colors and lighting are great. I feel like you’re ready to meet the Cheshire cat, while searching for that pesky rabbit. Great job!

Annouille- Even though I haven't played Undertale yet it’s all I hear about from my kids and Tumblr! At least enough to know you really pulled off Undyne to the t! Your outfit matches hers so well as does your pose and facial expression. Your background was very well selected to fit the whole underground lifestyle of the game. It adds a lovely mixing and blending of colors without pulling away from your character. Excellent job!

Xev

Velora Hunter
Most people avoid the Southern Thanalan like the plague. Very few can appreciate the cacti, The Amal’jaa, random bee swarms and the roiling sands. However, it is obvious these people lack taste. Southern Thanalan is an exquisite desert jewel that doesn’t get half the respect it deserves nor nearly as much love. What other zone could crush a man in half with its weather effects alone? If the scorching sun in that region were not already enough to melt bricks, Velora Hunter just made it that much hotter. All the elements of this costume combined make the character instantly recognizable and the location just accentuates that. Great lighting, great pose, and great use of the overwhelming force of nature that is Southern Thanalan. It’s all the mystery and intrigue of exploring a forgotten city with none of the clumsy pitfalls of platforming.
Tress Amell
Take what’s yours with fire and blood! Tress is winning the Game of G/Pose this week by using it in combination with the foggy weather to create a wonderful misty effect. The muted backdrop still resembles a place we could believe really existed within the Seven Kingdoms while bringing the focus in on our lovely dragon queen. This shot utilizes great colors, great contrast, a fab costume while also accessorizing flawlessly with a minion. It is known Khaleesi; this shot is wonderful.
Kitori Orihara
No one's slick as Gaston, No one's quick as Gaston. No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston's! For there's no man in town half as manly. Perfect, a pure paragon! I seriously cheered at my monitor for a few seconds upon seeing this shot. Love the costume, character choice and background to bring it all together. All I want is more of this. And who wouldn’t? He’s everyone’s favorite guy! The only suggestion I could think of is that if you pulled in ever so slightly, you might be able to hide the NPC chilling in the back behind your inspiring manliness.
Annouille Andouillant
Why, here’s our hero now standing in a heroic stance as his gaze stares off into the distance. It isn’t easy being beautiful but by golly, someone has got to do it. This is a fun costume complimented by the eye patch and red hair. The vivid reds and orange in the backdrop contrast well with the dark costume. My only suggestion would have been to have our hero stand in front of the bland rock rather than blocking the fun part of the scenery.
Iris Dawnshade
My mother warned me there was no Wonderland in the random holes in the backyard. But did Yours Truly listen? Much to the surprise of nobody here, gophers do bite. Unfortunately for you, my dear readers, I lost neither life nor limbs on that misadventure and lived to write you more illustrious reviews today. Unlike me, our adorable little potato is out living the dream. She has found the Wonderland and looks cute as a cupcake in that blue ruffled dress with the Disney styled white apron and blonde hair. This screenshot opens up the imagination to a world of wonder, giant mushrooms, singing flowers and of course, tricky white rabbits. It’s a simple costume but Iris brings it to life with the moody location. The rabbit minion is the final icing atop the cutesy potato cake.
Xelah Jakkya
If this explosion of sparkly fabulousness isn’t enough to expel all things non-fab from the Final Fantasy world of Spira, then I don’t know what is. Standing center stage under a rain of glitziness, Xelah executes a perfect water dance as Summoner Yuna. The costume and pose are perfect and come together to make a shot that’s instantly recognizable while still putting a unique spin on it. As far as those pesky suggestions go, a little light on our heroine’s face would have helped just a bit.
Kipih Lanbatal
One of the pitfalls of getting old is no longer recognizing half the anime characters that are popular at any given time. Researching this character took me not only a google image search, but also a Bing search. (I know, don’t judge.) That said, the costume looks pretty accurate and we’ve got us a bright sunny screenshot here complete with some magical music. Standing to the side with a little more contrast might have made the musical effect pop more, but it really isn’t necessary. Overall, this is a lovely shot full of life and color.
Rivienne Cotrlaint
This week it’s our Elezen beauty that’s bringing on the hunger pangs rather than our usual resident lalas. Looking at this picture, I can’t help but wonder what kind of cakes those are: Lemon? Pumpkin? At any rate, I sure hope Rivienne brought enough for everyone. Sitting poised across the table from the Topaz Carbuncle, Rivi’s use of yellow on opposing sides of the screen creates some nice symmetry. As far as costumes go, this is also one of my favorites: The purple thigh-highs, the pigtails and the bright canary petticoat all come together to make a beautiful cosplay. This is a darling shot and the only thing that would make this confection any tastier would be some more contrasting colors in the housing décor.
Katarh Mest
Not many can pull off orange; especially paired with purple. This shot is a fine example of why Katarh is not like the rest of us mere mortals. Not only does she work the impossible, but she looks incredibly fierce doing so. Between the battle stance, the costume and Katarh’s natural coloring (She even has those golden eyes!), this shot makes great tribute to the character. Because the scenery is a bit dense, this scene might have benefited from the background blur of the /gpose but it still looks great regardless.
Stephen Fairbrook
Previously on Stephen Fairbrook, we had us one sharp dressed little lala. This week, Stephen is stepping up the game by bringing us not only one, but TWO Dapper-Dan kinda mans. The only problem with this kind of upgrade is that next week, I’m going to be terribly disappointed if there are not THREE handsome man honeys to up the ante. This is what happens when you start spoiling us, Stephen. We come to expect things. After doing an extensive google search, I can’t help but feel completely enamored by this adorable rendition of quirky eyeball dude. The background leaves us a bit to be desired in the color palette, but with two fine dressed fellers like that in the front, who really cares?
Eldaena Vonxandria
It was an ordinary day in the Duty Finder when the sky suddenly opened up and one of the stars fell into the Lost City of Amdapor and after it exploded, Eldaena emerged victoriously from the smoke. While that bit may or may not have happened, here she stands, tall and fierce against a rain of glimmering spores. From what we can tell, the costume looks pretty darned sweet. I do think if we could see it at another angle, it might better let us indulge in all of its glorious details.

Kai (Guest Judge for the Week)

Eldaena: I love this image – the way you used the dungeon, and the background are amazing. Also the outfit, you did a great job of imitation the one she wears. I feel that everything in this image ties together very well and you got some good light for being in a dungeon where you can’t use a sun minion for help! To nitpick, because the outfit is so lovely and it was done so well I wish you were just a bit closer so we could see you better. Lovely job!
Katarh: This is great, the outfit, hair, eyes everything is just goodness wrapped up in a warm ball. It is a great representation of the character! I admit I do not really watch this show, and didn’t know of this character but I had to look back and forth a few times because you did such a good job matching close to the outfit, only thing I can say is the background is very busy with the bridge, river, plants etc- while my eye does go to you – this might have been nice with the /gpose to soften out the background a bit.
Velora: This is lovey; it fits her – the whole thing fits her. I really don’t have much to say about this because I just love it. The outfit, pose, background and temple ruins in the distance make me feel like she’s in Egypt or some far away land looking for that treasure. Great job!
Tress: I love almost everything about this image – while I have never seen this show, I know this character and I feel you did a lovely job with replicating it while still making it your own. The softness of the background – and the tents as if her camp is just across the water added with Midgardsormr playing over of her sweet baby dragons sets the picture up very nicely. It is a complete story. Only thing I can nitpick, and this is just me - the clipping, its making her look as if her had has been cut off and has metal pieces sticking out. Unfortunately, it’s a flaw in the game lol, but once I saw it I couldn’t un-see it. XD
Kitori: I love this shot – the outfit is pretty much spot on and the setting could be the tavern from the movie. Even the pose is very much Gaston, and I feel you did a great job with the feel here. I don’t really have much to nitpick here, maybe if you had had a few more people in the back cheering to make it look like a bustling bar where everyone is there to see Gaston in all his glory, but overall great job!
Annouille: This is a great outfit, and I will admit I have no clue who this was – but looking into it you did a really good job. I love how you placed the darker colors that you’re wearing against the bright tones of the plant behind you – the weapon really pops as well against the dark. It’s well-lit and over all very nice image!
Iris: This is adorbs! You are the cutest Alice ever, and that Rabbit is being as pesky as always! This must have been hard, I know that rabbit only stays up for a few seconds, so bravo! I also loved the area you picked, those plants in the background (if you meant to or not) are reminiscent of mushrooms, lol – and the darker tones of the colors around you make your blond hair and light blue outfit stand out
Kipih: Once again an anime I am not aware of – while looking into this I can say you seems to have done a very lovely job with the outfit over all (minus cape lol) and with the hair as well. You caught the instrument in a very nice spot where the notes and colors coming off are not overwhelming, but still give a nice effect. The only thing I can say about this is you do blend in a bit where the dark shirt and dark trees meet – but this is a minor detail of a beautiful shot.
Xelah: This is a lovely Yuna, and I like that you went for something a bit different other than classic images that people know of her. I will give you props for that, but that said – while the overall image is nice be aware of your face – with so much brightness and flashes around you, the darkness of your face gets washed out a bit. Unfortunately, us with darker and lighter skin run into this issue of making sure not be over or under lit because it can make us looks like blobs of color and hide our lovely features. Remember to make the eye come to you first and everything else second.
Rivienne: This is a lovely image and I feel it is very well lit. I will be the first to say I did not know this show so I had to research this a bit. While I see what you were going for and applaud you on getting as close as you can, I’m not sure if it reads 100% like her outfit. That aside, the only other thing is that Carby did vie for my attention with his sparkly cuteness – so maybe if you had been a bit closer so more of the picture was about you… with the light skin/hair and ton of the shirt it does blend slightly into the furnishings behind you.
Stephen: Bam! Knew this right off the bat and this was an excellent job of representing the character – you even have your butler to server your every whim. Brilliant! That said – while the cosplay is spot on, everything else is a bit plain, you’re defiantly the star of this – but I wish there was something a bit more interesting going on in the scene, maybe outside a fancy house that could be his etc… so while I adore you, the image over all cries out for just a little more umph!

Remember scoring is as follows:

For scoring, each model was awarded points based on their placement in vote order. So, if Model A was ranked 1st out of the 11 models, they gained 11 points. 2nd place gained 10 points and so on, until the 11th ranked model gains 1 point. We then tally the judge scores too, which get inflated to count for 75% of the total vote. Below are the total rankings, along with the public score count and judge total pre-inflation.

Overall Results:

Velora Hunter: (343 public, 31 judge)
Tress Amell: (288 public, 31 judge)
Kitori Orihara: (268 public, 28 judge)
Annouille Andouillant: (239 public, 21 judge)
Katarh Mest: (274 public, 16 judge)
Iris Dawnshade: (279 public, 15 judge)
Eldaena Vonxandria: (258 public, 14 judge)
Kipih Lanbatal: (180 public, 15 judge)
Stephen Fairbrook: (239 public, 10 judge)
Rivienne Cotrlaint: (168 public, 9 judge)
Xelah Jakkya; (170 public, 8 judge)

Congratulations to Velora for making 1st place this week – but will she continue to dominate going into Week 3? Come back to find out!

As for our departed this week:

Xelah, it was a pleasure to have you in the competition, and we only wish you the very best. From the myself, Ty and the judges, we want you to know we adore you and keep on letting that beauty of yours shine! You are now and always a part of the ENTM family! <3

Friendy Reminder:

Model shots for Week 3 are due Today Dec. 17th by 11:59 PM EST!

Remember models and fans, after this week we will be taking a few week's break for the holidays and will be returning in 2016. Below is the schedule so everyone knows what is going on~!

Schedule (Remember all things end or are due at 11:59 PM EST):

It is now Week 3 of Eorzea's Next Top Model!

Once again we ask that you vote on the lovely models, but remember - from this point on (as much as it breaks our hearts to let you go!) a model must go home at the end of every week so make your votes count! This weeks theme takes us to the newest city in our world, Ishgard:

"They have finally opened up their gates to us, and wow it is a sight to behold! Take us on a tour, show us what you love about this new city! Please stay within Ishgard, other than that you can do whatever you like!"

The only restriction was no dungeons connected to the city, with that said:

Good Luck Models
Thank you once again Judges for your critiques
And to all of the voters and fans. You're amazing!

Click here for the gallery featuring the models this week!

Click here to place your vote!

As a reminder, please be careful when filling out the form! Listing the same model twice will result in your ballot being considered invalid.

Best of luck to all the models! LET THE VOTING COMMENCE!

Voting period will end: Dec 22nd at 11:59 PM EST

Oh wow everyone has such nice shots this week :0 I really need to work on upping my skills with lighting!

My outtakes for the week!
Saint Endalim's Scholasticate - http://elfymcnoodlelimbs.tumblr.com/post/135510368600/
Saint Reymanaud's Cathedral - http://elfymcnoodlelimbs.tumblr.com/post/135521345875/

Friendly reminders:

1) Voting period will end: Dec 22nd at 11:59 PM EST - That is tomorrow everyone!

2) Remember models you do not have to have your pictures in this week - we are taking a break. Week 4 images are due by January 7th, 2016 @ 11:59pm EST

See you Wednesday for the announcement!

We have come to the end of Week 3!

Seeing that Ty is off across the pond, pirating with the best of them to bring back bounties of gold – I will be your Host for the week! Once again, everyone did a wonderful job – and I must say that Ishgard pales in comparison to how amazing all of you are! As I have said before, no one is going home for a bad image and all of you are knocking it out of the park!

Two announcements before the results. Please remember:

We are taking a break for the holidays – Models please have your Week 4 images in by January 7th, 2016 @ 11:59 pm (EST) and our lovely voters and fans – you will be able to glimpse the next theme on January 8th, 2016 for the next voting period!

With that said – Below are the Judges Critiques:

Ciara

Kipih- You look wary and tired in this shot, like anyone stepping in those gates for the first time in MSQ should be. Your face managed to reflect the real vibe I had while going through this myself and that's pretty awesome considering all we have is emotes that offer not as much emotion as id like. I do wish your sun minion wasn't quite so close, though I can pass it to be someone walking with a torch so I won't doc anything from it just ask that you reflect lighting to reasoning's there is light there. or just drop it back a yalm and it will make it softer. Great shot Kipih!

Stephen- When I look at this shot I am instantly smiling. This shot immediately made me think of Maxwell, the winner from my cycle and his amazingly talented shots. You captured such a perfect range of emotion, great lighting and your pose is adorable. I suddenly want to go back and read a Christmas carol. This shot is model ready and I would put this on the front page! This is a shot that would sell, keep it up Stephen I’m really proud of you this round, and looking forward to more! Beautiful!

Katarh- I am loving your outfit, glamour, pose and weapon, very beautiful! But as mentioned above I feel the lighting in this is off. Though on the same hand I can chalk it up to your weapon glowing as I think you had been going for. The background is beautiful to match your elegance though standing on a table in the AST guild just doesn't sell this shot to me. You do however look lovely darling and I look forward to seeing your next round

Velora- You really stand out in this picture and I love that. You have a beautiful smile girlfriend, don't stop letting us admire it! Your glamour is one I’ve always quite liked, being rather unique in design but still very fashionable and classy to boot. Your lighting is wonderfully done and you really caught that puff of breath spot on to give this picture a special touch. Make Ishgard proud Vel! Great job!

Annouille- Not to give away spoilers but I really felt the city could use some new preachers! You pull off the look of a true elezen in his city, bringing on the true feelings needed to lead the people with your voice. Your background is GORGEOUS for this shot and your light glow off your weapon really adds a touch of magic to the shot. You stand out in your choice of colors not blending but rather, popping out of the shot. Id listen to your sermons any day!~ Lovely shot Annouille.

Rivienne- I love the scholarly feel to this shot, libraries and the such have always been very charming for me. You are an incredibly gorgeous looking character though I wish you had added more books or a different camera angle to the shot. Also please keep in mind this is a modeling contest, and though telling a story usually sells a shot it is still modeling. I don't really feel like this shot really captured that... Make sure to always make yourself the center of attention. In my rounds I tended to try to stick to shots that I feel could be graced on a magazine, or book cover. So though I might have come across harsh in my criticism know that I still think you are a beautiful model and can't wait to see what you do next<3 Impress me Rivienne

Tress- This shot is gorgeous. It tells the story of the well to do woman with the large heart spreading love and comfort to those on the streets. This picture wins the "Story telling" award for me this week. It not only manages to get you on the level of Ishgard but that of the Christmas were going through and those heart filled people who go out of their way to help. This is also a great use of the sun minion in my opinion. It was placed high enough not to focus a large amount of faked light and yet really added to the gleam in the cold night vibes going on here. Gorgeous Tress very impressed with you this round!

Eldaena- Lovey and almost a touch haunting. You keep pulling amazing shots Eldaena, please don't stop! Your outfit blends to this shot but not in a way it dampens you thanks to your lighting. The slight glow on the pieces also helps to ensure you pop out in this shot. I do wish your sun minion wasn't quite as close as it is, and the one side is a little empty compared to everything happening on your right, but this shot would still rate as a lovely shot to me. Lovely as always Eldaena!

Kitori- You look so calm and peaceful, dressed warmly for the winter night. I could almost hear Christmas songs playing in the background when I look at your shot. Everything looks as calm as you express yourself to be and ill even give kudos on taking the risk of closed eyes shots (knowing them to sometimes make or break a shot in voting). because you did it perfectly. You stand out in your red jacket and warm demeanor. Lovely shot that could pass for a lovely Christmas card. Great job, Kitori.

Iris- Awww! Poor Iris! The timing on this shot is so perfect, and wonderfully done~ I love the innocent feel this shot gives of a simple snowball fight between friends. Lighting is beautiful and you are soooo adorable! I am loving your outfit for this shot and glad you chose the colors you did to stand out and really draw the attention to your character. Lovely shot Iris!

Nozomi

Kipih Lanbatal - I really like the top you're wearing. I think I would have preferred the gates be a bit more to the left here, as it is it feels like you're looking at something we can't see and the they just kind of fall into the background. As gloomy and plain as the palette feels I think it was probably the right choice for your outfit and clearer weather may have reduced the bit of focus that is on the gates. You did a good job bringing yourself forward in the shot with the lighting and the warmth it adds (a warmth the echoes your bittersweet memories of the location), but your sun minion is almost making your hair too bright (almost).

Stephan Fairbrook - No clue how much of it is intentionally but you and your outfit's colors are masterfully echoing your surroundings! The green of your eyes and socks in the bushes, the warmly lit stone beneath you and your hat, the cool blue-grey earring and the tile. A sweet shot concept that plays well with your default lalafell adorableness. Are you going for mechanic or urchin with your outfit? Doesn't matter, either works well with the concept of Ishgard. I assume this was the clap pose; excellent thinking using it this way. The lit window to the left had the potential to pull focus away from you but the inclusion of the bit of another window at the top and your face and hair being well lit and golden instead makes it reinforce you fitting into the shot. The warm light from it brings to mind simple pleasures like good company and happy homes-which works just right with your description!

Katarh Mest - Excellent technical use of that silver dye. The near monochrome of this shot gives it a very artistic feel and the warm, aged parchment yellow reinforces the description of being right at home. You managed to keep the frigid cold of the city in mind (and subtly reinforce the comfort of the location) with the icy blue-grey of the windows in the background. Why are you standing on the table? Using an extra here might have improved the shot; a person interacting with yours in a way that implies you're loved here or are a regular in this place. I don't think the starglobe (weapon) necessarily takes away from the shot but being a bit less obvious (heavy-handed) and figuring out how to still convey your job could have been cool.

Velora Hunter - A sun minion here could have been nice. I think using clear weather for this shot would have improved it and reinforced the awesome sights you speak of. Your pose puts you just slightly off-center but I think pushing that more and going further to the right would have made more of the sights visible and the caption (and therefor concept) make more sense. You almost managed to keep a primary color scheme for the shot but your sash and face sort of disrupt it; this kinda makes the color choices for your outfit and background disjointed. No dead space, which is great! A more awed expression would be fitting for this.

Annouille Andouillant - From a purely aesthetic point of view this shot is amazing. Not sure exactly what you were going for with your pose but it almost makes me think you're giving some sort of sermon. While the colors of your outfit and spell don't obviously match the colorful stained glass behind you they don't feel out of place because of the setting. Your expression is a bit lackluster but I know you can't change it while you're casting. Your personal lighting is very well done with your face and left arm clearly illuminated, but not blown out, with the light fading as your body recedes until the (still fairly subtle) pop of light around your book keeps it from being forgotten. The Halone statue in the background is almost menacing here and serves to place you firmly in Ishgard and remind the viewer of the darker side of the city. Nitpicks are the bottle-shaped light yellow thing on the lower left and the barely visible thumbs.

Rivienne Cotrlaint - A nice enough concept but the surroundings don't make it very obvious that you're in Ishgard; you're mildly saved on that point by your styling and description. The dark blue in your hair is a bit distracting but so is Ser Charizard's ganguro look. You've managed to keep your character from blending into the background; would it have improved the shot to have added an extra in the back doing something like examining the bookshelf maybe? Your pose and expression works well with your concept; you look focused but a bit glassy eyed as people intensely reading often do. The lower lighting on your character doesn't take away from the shot here since you managed to bring her to the foreground using other methods and with the location it fits.

Tress Amell - Decent concept but not executed as well as it could be. The guy on the lower left kind of resembles a sack of popotos until you study him more and the placement of Tress is a bit awkward for the shot. The lighting is well done and the background is really stunning. Putting Tress more to the left would have made the shot more balanced; as it is you could hack off the left half and not miss anything. You want to insure that every part of your picture is essential for making is successful; if a part isn't helping, it may end up hurting. The pose is rather awkward, kneeling would have possibly worked better. The expression doesn't feel right either; a gentle smile would have felt more welcoming and angelic. Using the default red of the bustle is an easy way to make sure your character stands out here.

Eldaena Vonxandria - Another haiku I see. A pretty shot for sure, and that it's Ishgard is obvious but something about it seems a bit lackluster. Not 100% agreeing on the use of the void ark set here; sure it glows and the light color nicely sets you apart from the background but it's almost too 'spooky' to match (on top of just being a full set). You managed to keep a balance between you and the spires. I'm tempted to say that your personal lighting is too dramatic but I think if it had been more diffuse you would have lost a lot of presence in the shot. It seems more like a pretty picture than something that really says 'Ishgard'. The snow is good in this shot and keeps the upper left corner from feeling empty. I like the off center decision.

Kitori Orihara - No dead spots! The even distribution of the lights in the background works well here and the lack of sun minion lighting doesn't diminish the shot. The red brings you forward but I don't think it's necessary and its shape isn't very exciting. The purple tint to your hair looks a little bit out of place here. Not loving the angle of your body to the camera; I think a nice back shot could have worked better actually but this is better than head on and places you into the scene (which works with your description.) The way you've set up your background convinces me of the validity of your description. I see both an overall beautiful place and also several small spots that look good. Night worked well here, I think better than day would have. Perfect expression here, closed eyes don't detract.

Iris Dawnshade - Alright execution of your concept but maybe not worth choosing as your submission piece. Feels very simple. Your outfit is fine and doesn't take away from the shot, expression works well. Is that an npc or extra behind you? A smart choice to have the thrower be a Lalafell; anything else would have felt like bullying. Red makes you the focus of the shot and doesn't feel out of place because of the warm lights behind you. No dead spots. Important items in the shot land on the rule of thirds grid. Your minion lighting isn't overbearing and works okay.

Xev

Velora Hunter:
Before I get to Velora’s keen winter fashion sense, I want to acknowledge how perfectly staged this picture is. It’s like the poster for a movie about a small time bard that moves to the big city of Ishgard and makes a difference with her smile and winning personality. AKA: It’s perfect! The bold warm colors of Velora’s stripy ensemble set her in perfect contrast to the wintry steps of The Architects behind. The smile, the hint of breath, it all works. In this imaginary movie of mine, not only must Velora win hearts and triumph over evil, but also overcome those salty, jealous statues in the background. Their attempts at throwing literal shade have been foiled by Velora's A+ lighting game making this film uplifting and great holiday fun for the whole family.

Annouille Andouillant:
Annouille here is serving up some hot preachy realness while letting Halone serve as his guide. The dramatic lighting set against the dark, somber cathedral really makes this a striking shot. The book and robes bring this scene together nicely. With one arm up to the heavens, I am genuinely fearful of the judgement he is about to strike down upon us all. May the grace of Halone have mercy on us all and smite the less glamorous fools of this great city!

Stephen Fairbrook:
Oh Popoto
Pa rum pum pum pum
Playing with snow
Pa rum pum pum pum
Vagrant scholar?
Pa rum pum pum pum
Gold Hue colors
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no critiques for
Pa rum pum pum pum
Just give us more of your
Pa rum pum pum pum
Rum a pum pum pum
Rum a pum pum pum

Tress Amell:
There are streets I avoid at night. Dark alleys where public urination and random robberies occur are generally something I avoid in my travel itinerary. Tress however, will not only boldly go where people like me refuse; she lends a kindly hand to the poor and downtrodden. Despite possibly setting herself up for a late night mugging, she is dressed in a rich gown of beautiful reds that helps warm up the cool tones of the shot. Girl’s got a heart of gold and the lighting to prove it. Gpose is also working its magic here lending a subtle blur to the foggy night. All in all, this shot is beautiful.

Kitori Orihara:
You better watch out.
You better not cry.
She’s standing in snow.
And closing her eyes.
Kitori’s standing flawless in town.
The scenery’s dramatic.
Her breath is all abate.
This shot is symptomatic
of our queen most captivate.

Kipih Lanbatal:
I don’t want a lot this Starlight Celebration.
There is just one thing I need.
I don’t care about the heathens underneath the Arc Worthy.
Kipih makes this sweet Yuletide, Standing off and to the side.
Sweet illumination too; Kipih, all we want for Starlight is yooooou.

Eldaena Vonxandria:
Ishgard can sleep well tonight knowing it has a fashionable healer keeping watch. Eldaena cuts a fine figure standing in contrast to the dark and snowy night. The way the sun minion is placed gives off the feeling that she is standing partially under a foggy street lamp while her pose looks pensive or even sad. The random city lights break up the darkness of this picture nicely though I will admit; it still has a somber feel. But would it really be a true Ishgard shot without at least one heaping teaspoon of the glooms?

Katarh Mest:
On the 12th day of Starlight, my dear Katarh Mest gave to me:
12 gods a judging.
11 different world maps.
10 in perfect lighting.
9 books a sitting.
8 constellations
7 random dark spots.
6 weights a weighing
FIVE NPC’S!!!!
4 full sized globes
3 lit windows
2 adorable for words
And a star globe for great astrology.

Iris Dawnshade:
Twas the night before The Starlight Celebration and all through the plaza; Not a creature was stirring, but two little Lalas. The snowballs were thrown through the night without care. With ice cold velocity, they flew through the air. Iris looked cute in her fluffy ball cap, while the rest of all Ishgard settled in for a nap. The backdrop was bleak and somber with snow, while our sweet little Lalafel was lit all aglow. The stage was all set, the fierceness was brought, with overwhelming cuteness in one little shot.

Rivienne Cotrlaint:
Some folk like to tell stories with their screenshots. Rivienne one ups them all by not only telling a story, but reading one at the same time. I enjoy the colors and profile in this picture. Rivienne is stunning as always and her dark, scholastic robe and cool tones fit wonderfully in this environment. The pose, the lighting, it all works. The only thing I could want for is more of the eye-candy of Saint Eladim’s Scholastic. And by eye-candy, I mean the delicious Elezen beauties that decorate the various hallways of that zone. One can never have enough scrumptious Elezen in their visual diet.

Remember scoring is as follows:

For scoring, each model was awarded points based on their placement in vote order. So, if Model A was ranked 1st out of the 11 models, they gained 11 points. 2nd place gained 10 points and so on, until the 11th ranked model gains 1 point. We then tally the judge scores too, which get inflated to count for 75% of the total vote. Below are the total rankings, along with the public score count and judge total pre-inflation.

Overall Results:

Stephen Fairbrook: (190 public, 26 judge)
Annouille Andouillant: (244 public, 24 judge)
Kitori Orihara: (132 public, 21 judge)
Velora Hunter: (165 public, 20 judge)
Tress Amell: (167 public, 19 judge)
Eldaena Vonxandria: (180 public, 16 judge)
Katarh Mest: (180 public, 13 judge)
Kipih Lanbatal: (155 public, 9 judge)
Rivienne Cotrlaint: (129 public, 9 judge)
Iris Dawnshade: (148 public, 8 judge)

Congratulations to Stephen, you may be one of the smallest but this week you have risen to the top! But Can this little Lalafell hold onto that spot going into Week 4? Stay tuned, we will be back in a few weeks to find out!

As for our departed…

We must say goodbye to our other darling Lalafell – Iris you are a sweetie and it was great having you in the competition once again. Myself, Ty and the Judges love you to little Lala bits and know that you’re a wonderful part of our family forever! <3

First off~! I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year, I hope your holidays were wonderful!


Also a Reminder~!

Don't forget your images for Week #4 are due by January 7th, 2016! We can't wait to see what you're going to do!

Looking forward to everyone's next shots!