Belle of Brazil

Alana, Miss September

Things are taking a turn for the better in the Playmate world. Although this year hasn't been one of distinctive, really hard-hitting hall of fame talents, we've still had a couple of greats, the most recent being everygirl Shelby Chesnes. Her endearing beauty set her in a certain class, but what about the real bombshells of the year? I'm talking about an in-your-face poser with glamor, class, and most of all, a hard, chiseled figure.

Fortunately for us, we have Alana Campos as our Miss September. Alana is an unexpected entry for this month, as most Playboy fans fully expected Danielle Burt in this spot. But, due to extenuating circumstances, we have Alana instead. I initially wasn't too high on the potential with Miss Campos, but she makes it damned hard not to like her.

Initially, busty Brazilian beauty Alana looks exactly like the kind of woman we've been looking for this year. She has the South American look, and has a tiny hint of Teles twins in her - some of the greatest Brazilian imports to grace Playboy's pages. Her posing style is akin more to Francesca Frigo from a few years back, who had more of a passive style and suffered due to an overly conservative pictorial.

Once you take a look through Alana's spread, you fear that she got the Frigo treatment, in a lot of ways. You'll immediately notice that what we have here is a sexy, obvious choice for Playmate. Alana's prized asset is her entire body - it's immaculate and well-balanced. While it won't hit you in the face with some bombastic breasts or a killer Brazilian butt (sadly), she's slim and silky. While she could use a bit of tone to really put her over the top, her figure is tall and slick.

So Alana's body isn't lacking. But what about the rest? Unfortunately, we don't get a model who hits on all cylinders here, and it's mainly due to her tame and generic pictorial. While Playboy got a hit with Shelby two months ago due to the perfect fit with the type of model she was, Alana gets an underperformed, underedited spread. Alana is a potentially physical and talented model, but a passable set of photos with some nice costuming is just not enough to vault her over the top.

• Face: B+
  Alana's face is beautiful and exotic, but prevents her from overcoming a weak pictorial solely through her physical assets. She has a lovely smile that spreads from cheek to cheek, and exotic, angular eyes that are truly a sight. However, her face can sometimes come off a bit edgy, preventing her from giving off the subtle looks of a more low-key Playmate.
• Body: A-
  As I said before, Alana packs a punch when it comes to her figure. It's extremely well-proportioned, with slim lines and sexy skin. Her breasts are just the right size, albeit not being very noteworthy. Her behind is lacking due to high expectations, but is certainly nothing to sniff at. All in all, she's right up there with the other great physical specimens of 2012.
• Talent: A-
  While Alana doesn't quite deliver on the level of Shelby, she's easily one of the best posers of the year. She's vastly underutilized for her style and skill, but still delivers an above average showing. With a penchant for the camera, you can really sense her enthusiasm, and she sizzles at times, knowing exactly how to tailor her body to the situation.
• Pictorial: B
  Unfortunately, what really holds Alana back is her subpar pictorial set. There's nothing that really pops here, as she goes between generic costuming, never really hitting her stride. The photos straddle a line between colorful and dark, never really figuring things out. I would have rather seen her take a bold, sensual stand in either direction, but the editors never let her break free.
• Centerfold: B
  Alana's centerfold is plain and average, showing off a standing frontal shot that doesn't differentiate itself much from the bland flavor of the rest of the pictorial.
• Overall: A-
  I see Alana as a model who falls between a B+ and A- rating, but I give her the higher rating purely due to her exotic uniqueness. She's immediately likable from the moment you see her, and that's what really pushes her through in my eyes. Her body may not be as stunning as Leola's or Shelby's, but ranks among the best this year. Her pictorial is drab, but her glowing appearance brings her up to my top 3 this year. While she may not stay there for long, I'd expect Alana to easily stay in my top 5 for the PMOY race, as she represents an great upward trend for the year.

PBC Hall of Fame - Jennifer Liano (1970)

Although perhaps not as famed as some of her 1960's Hall of Fame predecessors, the first entry to appear in the 70's was 22-year old Jennifer Liano from California. With all of the glamor and glitz of Playmate styles of the day, Jennifer was an oddball of the pack, a free spirit with a maturity and talent that made her one of the finest girl-next-door's in Playmate history.

Look back at Jennifer's oddly extensive Cyber Club pictorial, and you'll note one main thing - this woman looks like she belongs in the 90's. Jenn's look is way ahead of her time, with a darkness that overlays milky white skin that immediately draws you to her features. Her spectacular face isn't something you see every day - heck, we haven't seen anyone quite like her in all the decades  of Playboy's history.

Of course, some photos of her pictorial were immediately iconic. When Jennifer sported her pigtails and batted those long lashes around some of the most beautiful eyes a woman could have, it's almost ethereal. Even today, it's almost an experience in itself just looking back through this woman's work, which she did so effortlessly. Every move isn't too calculated, just natural. There's no hint of nerve anywhere, just a pure sense for the camera, giving Miss Liano one of the great pictorials of all-time.

• Face: A+
  There aren't really enough words to really describe just how fascinating Jennifer's face is. Her features are almost otherworldly in their balance and beauty, and it all starts with her amazing eyes. While the era was a great time for beautiful faces (we've gotten farther away from that tenet), Jennifer was above all of them in many ways. She had a dark, independent look that was emotional and almost lonely in several aspects. It was a face that drew you in and didn't let go.
• Body: A+
  Although the obvious issue of exposure is always there with past Playmates, you can't avoid it with this girl - Jennifer has a fantastic body. Even though all you see is her toplessness, the balance and curvature of her figure is way ahead of its time. Although it isn't strong and hard like bodies of today, the suppleness contributes to this model's sheer innocence.
• Talent: A
  As I said before, the overall darkness and almost gothic natural look of Jennifer was really what created her awesome persona. All of this wouldn't be possible without her strong penchant for the camera, knowing how to get just the right shots. While she benefited from stellar photography, Jennifer never got in her own way, which is more than can be said for several of today's ladies.
• Pictorial: A+
  Jennifer's pictorial boldly sits at the top of most of the finest work of the 1970's. Miss Liano took all of her physical gifts and ran with it, producing a varied and colorful set that oozed personality and set a low-key but intriguing tone throughout. It's on par with even some of the finest pictorials of our day. Although that comparison isn't always fair, this one can hold her own.
• Centerfold: A
  They just don't make centerfolds like they used to, and Jennifer's is a borderline classic. Those deep, sensuous eyes take hold. A tight pink pair of pants cling closely to her sleek waistline, hinting at much more underneath. It's just a fantastic shot.
• Overall: A+
  With Jennifer, we had a model who could truly do no wrong. Even among my hall of famers, that's not a sure thing, with missteps here and there. But with Jennifer, what we saw is what we got, with consistent posing coupled with physically one of the finest models in 1970's Playboy magazine. Indeed, they found an unbelievable talent in this one, and it all comes down to her near-perfect face and amazing persona. There has never been another Jennifer Liano.

PBC Hall of Fame - Cynthia Myers (1968)

1968's Cynthia Myers was another Playmate who didn't just reflect the trend of the times, but set the trend of the times. She was and is still an instant classic, and with her passing last year, it seems even more prudent that I write this post as an homage, as well as a tribute to one of the most popular Playmates ever.

Cynthia was more than a woman - the 18 year old model was Miss December in a year where she followed a strong performance by November's Paige Young. Connie Kreski eventually won the '69 PMOY title, but no woman would leave her mark on the Playboy world quite as much as Cynthia did, becoming one of the most recognizable girls from the 1960's.

Although Cynthia's pictorial set is meager by today's standards, you have to get a good feel for Cynthia to really appreciate what she brought to the table. She wasn't particularly edgier compared to other ladies of her time. It's really the pure beauty of Miss Myers that stunned her fans back then - large, glowing eyes combined with a voluptuous frame and spectacular, massive breasts that really anchored her persona. She was always understated in her presence, but physically, she was over-the-top in ways that still defy imagination today.

• Face: A+
  Undoubtedly still one of the most recognizable faces in Playboy's history. With all of the cookie cutter Playmates that littered the scene in the mid 2000's, it's nice to look back on a true original that is Cynthia. Those eyes have still never been matched.
• Body: A+
  Even by today's standards (or perhaps especially by our standards), Cynthia's body is bombastic and over-the-top in many ways. She was perfectly tapered, with a great structure, but it always comes down to her breasts. Cynthia's huge, natural boobs are a relic of the past, sadly. Making overly large breasts look so good is a delicate balancing act, and no one did it quite like Cynthia.
• Talent: A
  Although it's difficult to gauge her talents from her pictorial offering, it's still apparent that Cynthia is always comfortable in her own skin. Understated albeit her outstanding body, Cynthia's game is to keep it simple.
• Pictorial: A-
  Great, original photos, with perhaps not the quantity that we're used to now. Cynthia's movie star looks and intimate zeal always shine through.
• Centerfold: A+
  With a meager pictorial, it all came down to this. Cynthia's centerfold photo is arguably the greatest centerfold of all time. Just this photo could vault her into my hall of fame alone. With an exceptional overhead shot showing off every 'showable' curve on her interesting body, and a wonderful look at those glamorous and deep eyes, this centerfold is the textbook for how all centerfolds should be done. Big, bold, and sensual.
• Overall: A+
  It's really obvious to have Cynthia in any 'top Playmates' list, and it's not just as a nod to nostalgia. The youthful Miss Myers, the first Playmate to be born in the 1950's, stunned the Playboy world and launched a career that would make her one of the most exposed women of he era. She was as big a superstar as a Playmate could get. Even when we look back now, we're dumbfounded by her gorgeous eyes or her amazingly balanced body. Even with the vast physical gifts, she remains a grounded, subtle young lady in all of her photos. And now, she will be missed. To Cynthia!

PBC Hall of Fame - Angela Dorian (1967)

As my fans know, all Playboy models who garner an A+ rating from me are on the right-hand side of this blog, featured in my Hall of Fame. To honor these ladies in retrospect, I'm doing a review of each one, using my usual 5-category letter rating system. Enjoy!

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In the early second decade of the Playmate era, back when women took on a whole different look from the girls we see today, the times truly reflected the display of the female body in art and print. The early 1960's featured Playmates who were shorter, with girls of 5' 5" and shorter being the norm, with a less balanced body type than we saw throughout the 80's to the present. Women had a thicker upper body, with generally larger breasts and smaller hips.

One girl that truly rocked the blueprint for the 1960's archetype was Miss September 1967 and 1968 Playmate of the Year, Angela Dorian. Angela was a true shoo-in for being the year's overall winner, facing minimal competition from the likes of Lynn Winchell and Kim Farber. It was not a particularly strong era in Playboy history, with a sea of very pretty faces masking the fact that there wasn't very much talent to go around.

Angela broke the mold, in every sense of the word. First, figure that Angela's body was immaculate and unheard of at the time. Her bombastic proportions were truly unseen (36"-21"-35", a 0.6 waist-hip-ratio), especially among the body types of the time. Heck, a 0.6 ratio would put a fight into most of the ladies nowadays, with far wider hips and narrower waists in general.

It's hard to isolate Angela's sheer quality by just looking at her unusually toned and slim body - her overall look is mesmerizing. Angela's face is angular in all the right ways, being perfectly symmetrical and having a level of mystery that was lacking at the time. Her overall look and talent was undeniable, as she put on one of the best shows of the time.

• Face: A+
  Angela's face was one of the most attractive of the entire 1960's, and that's saying something. The era was one of the best times for spectacular mugs, with Angela's uniqueness shining through. Her eyes are wonderfully interesting, with a perfectly shaped face and gorgeous, flowing hair.
• Body: A
  Angela's body was unusually tight for the time - the typical 1960's body lacking a decent butt and such a shapely set of breasts. Angela brought a nuanced, curvaceous body with slim contours reminiscent of girls in the 70's and later. Her body was ahead of its time, which truly set her apart.
• Talent: A+
  Angela's style is that of subtle talent. While never being a bombastic, over the top Playmate in following suit of the girls of her time, Angela also brought a level of sophistication and sensibility in her posing, taking control of every photo. She looks otherworldly in some of them, becoming an instant star.
• Pictorial: A
  Miss Dorian's superb pictorial truly set her apart from other ladies in 1967, en route to her PMOY win. The pictorial had great variety in posing and costuming, and while it lacked the true punch of Playmates of the current day, it was far beyond the passivity of the old days.
• Centerfold: A
  Although not the best centerfold of 1967 (that honor goes to Fran Gerard, who had one of the greatest pics in history), Angela's would have otherwise shone through all the way. The outstanding shot of her laying in a hammock was exemplary of the high-quality centerfolds of the time. The dark lighting and great silhouette are mind-blowing.
• Overall: A+
  Angela did not redefine the Playmate of the 1960's - she came in at the tail end and truly broke the monotony. She was ahead of her time by years, and perhaps a full decade. Angela's strengths lie in all aspects of her as a model, from her body to her posing style, which was never aggressive, but always just right for her persona. Her innate beauty was unmatched, and along with Cynthia Myers the next year, she carried the torch for outstanding 60's Playmates. Even today, Angela's pictorial is a breath of fresh air, choosing to go for art and style rather than outright, brash nudity.

A Step Back

Beth, Miss August 2012

As far as 2012 has gone so far, coming off a great Playmate performance in Shelby Chesnes, we've seen the only "up" in a series of "downs" this year. Shelby was an excellent addition to a class that was otherwise limping along, infusing a young, fresh dose of talent into a bunch of girls that seemed without direction.

In our August Playmate, we have a very familiar face in Beth Williams. Beth debuted a little less than three years ago as a Cyber Girl of the Week, and throughout the years, her pictorial output has been well above average. Unlike Shelby and many of the other ladies we've seen this year, Beth is no stranger to the Playboy world. She's posed off and on, earning the CGOM title, and always had a fierce fanbase who vigorously backed a Playmate appearance. This year, their prayers have finally been answered, but to what effect is the question.

Indeed, Beth has always been an attractive model to me. While I never really bought into the hype with her, I thought she was a more than passable girl. Her height is a real strength, and her beauty lies in her subtleties. I thought her lovely dark hair was always one of her best features, always looking a bit frazzled and accessible. While she was quite talented, she never really showed to be the true, picturesque beauty that is demanded of a girl in the Playmate position. But then again, far less-deserving models have had that title.

Beth's transformation for her Miss August stint is, well, disappointing to say the least. Although I never have had high hopes for her, I thought that a model as seasoned at her could have turned out something more spectacular. Instead, we were shown a pictorial with a bit of pop and fizz here and there, but something that was generally pretty flat. Beth is a great model when the shot is just right, but there are too many flaws and changes here to really appreciate her for her potential.

One thing that really irked me was Beth's transition from shoulder-length black/brown hair to having long, thick, dirty blonde hair. It's something that I believe does not suit her well, and takes away from some of the magic that came with her being a natural, girl-next-door model that was the centerpiece of her appeal. While this may be a small change, it does quite a bit to influence her persona as a model, and seems like a waste of a perfectly good opportunity.

When all else is factored in, Beth does as well as she can with an abysmally boring pictorial. Her "country cowgirl" theme has been tried and beaten to death, but not executed particularly well here. Her brunette look might have complemented the softer colors far better here, as she seems to just fade into the background anonymously. Her body is, as it was before, photogenic and beautifully natural, but it's certainly not enough to carry her through.

• Face: B
  With any semblance of accessibility Beth had as a brunette, she severely lost quite a bit in her transformation. Although she's the same decently talented model she was before, the focus now shifts to her face itself, while the hair was a distraction before. Miss Williams' face is not particularly photogenic in itself,  only at times looking balanced and entirely wholesome. Her squinty, forgettable eyes don't help, either.
• Body: B+
  Quite simply, Beth's best attributes stem from her very slim and tall body. Although she doesn't have the volume and balance that Shelby had, Beth is just-right, having a great set of natural breasts and a sleek, clean look. Although it won't capture your attention with its curvature and lines, it looks great on camera.
• Talent: B
  Beth is an otherwise highly talented model with a great vision for the camera, and should be with her extensive experience. However, she definitely doesn't hit it out of the park when it's counted most, as a Playmate. She never gets into the groove of things, always looking uniformly uninteresting in her photos, and only actively posing at times. For a woman with such demonstrated talents in moving her body, she oddly comes out cold.
• Pictorial: C+
  While Beth's physical changes and lack of a convincing performance didn't help her case much, her drab pictorial certainly hurt it. The theme is ill-conceived, and lacks any semblance of trying to use the model's looks to the producers' advantage. Blame Playboy, and the photographers, but this isn't what a girl of Beth's hidden talent deserves.
• Centerfold: B
  While it's a good shot choice overall, it fits into the boring mold of the rest of the pictorial, just looking like another blown-up photo. Certainly not her best picture.
• Overall: B
  Beth Williams has done plenty for Playboy over the past few years, and I'm sure her numerous fans would disagree with me here, but this is not what we were looking for. When Playboy anointed Beth as a Playmate, this wasn't the way to go about it. She is a wonderful model, and had all the physical tools to put on a stellar performance. However, Beth is a finicky model, and with such subtlety and depth comes a responsibility for the editors to put her in the right environment. As was Shelby, Beth isn't a 'bombshell' who could just strut out and look like a sexual goddess - she needs to be tailored to look that way, through great production value, as we saw with Leola and Shelby this year. With this girl, they just never put in the effort to get it right, and it hurt the model most of all.

Multiple Threat

Shelby, Miss July

As I've been saying month in and month out, we're starting to see a re-tread of the 2011 class in this year's crop of Playmates. We've seen some rather mediocre performances up until now, with six Playmates with no one really taking a stand as "the one to beat." While Leola Bell cemented herself as the frontrunner thus far with a stunning pictorial coupled with a voluptuous physique, it was still anyone's game.

But, there's always a turning point, and I predicted last month that we'd start to see the real contenders rise up as the year came to its second leg. First up was Miss July, the relatively unknown Shelby Chesnes. The bubbly 20-year old model was immediately flung onto our radar with the announcement that she would be a Playmate. The relative newcomer to the Playboy scene had a few sparing modeling shots online, which were enticing to say the very least. It seemed like we were getting a true "crossover" model, one with looks that were actually accessible, and made the leap from girl-next-door to bombshell Playmate seamlessly.

So, now that Shelby's shed those modeling clothes and gone nude, how does she stack up? Let's just say that the other ladies this year should be afraid. Very afraid.

Shelby represents what we've been missing from the Playmate of the Month position since Amanda Cerny brought it last year - the crossover. She is unbelievably wholesome, from first photo to last, but offers a multidimensional character that shines in every photo. All at once, she is charming and flirty, while turning on the heat and delivering a killer pose with her sharp but mystifyingly unassuming frame.

Shelby may be short and slim, but she's
a lengthy, curvy woman in her set. Very photogenic.

Let's start with the look. Shelby has it all together, exuding a precise confidence in all of her poses. She blends a sensuality with a friendly demeanor just by flashing a quick smile or flexing her cute cheekbones. Although she may not have the most angelic and memorable face, hers is one that is tantalizingly unidentifiable. You can't quite put your finger on her, and that's what makes her exciting - from photo to photo, you feel like you are looking at many different models. Miss Chesnes can be cute and understated in one instance, and then let her hair flow with reckless abandon in the next.

Shelby's posing talent stacks up with some of the best, and again it's due to her intensity and confidence. Her pictorial has her taking turns in the full gamut of lingerie, with slinky little things to kinky babydolls and barely-there thongs. She wears them all flawlessly, due to her slick, well-tuned body. While she might have to go toe-to-toe with Leola for best body for 2012 so far, Shelby has a vastly different body style than anyone we've seen for a while. With a short 5' 3" frame, she certainly doesn't look it. Shelby is anything but short on camera, with an excellent body proportion and a sinewy frame that makes her legs look long and lean. Shelby is unexpectedly curvaceous, with bubbly butt that pops when she wants it to, and a large, sexy set of breasts. If this isn't the complete package, it's tough to know who is.

• Face: A-
  Shelby's face might not be an all-star standout quality of hers, and might be what keeps her from being hall of fame material, but it's still an outstanding attribute. She may look vastly different between different scenes, and it's all due to how she can morph from one character to another. Her face really complements her posing style, with understated features allowing her to ride the border between bombshell sex goddess and your everyday girl.
• Body: A
  While it wasn't apparent at first how well built Shelby is, she's undeniably a thoroughbred in every possible way. A 5' 3" frame can't get in the way of her sleek, slim look, with every inch contributing to a perceived height much taller than she actually is. Add on top of that a gorgeous set of breasts and a perfectly rounded butt, and you have a body that is exemplary of the archetypical Playmate of the 2010's - exceedingly slim, but well-endowed and balanced.
• Talent: A
  While it's easy to focus on Shelby's all around greatness, it might be easy to gloss over just how skilled a poser this model is. She exudes great professionalism, feeling her way through the pictorial with the utmost care. Although she has issues with facial expressions at times, she takes on a multitude of looks, and is a chameleon when it comes to varying her style and adapting to her outfits.
• Pictorial: A+
  The dynamic, engrossing quality of Shelby's pictorial is sadly something that is sorely missed in today's Playmates. Shelby is a bit unassuming as a model, and that makes her perfectly suited for a number of looks. She doesn't wear just one hat, and is a master of several roles, which makes her pictorial a rollercoaster of a ride. She switches between outfits seamlessly, and revels in her nudity, squeezing everything out of every photo. Shelby has probably my favorite pictorial since Katie Vernola's perfect outing two years ago.
• Centerfold: A-
  Although not in a prime position to showcase her great figure, and a bit hunched over, Shelby's centerfold is a great shot. Her legs look long and lean, again albeit her height, and her face looks gorgeous.
• Overall: A
  Shelby is without a doubt the finest talent in a Playmate since Tiffany Toth in 2011. She offers a complete performance, going above and beyond to show off all of her posing skills, and every single aspect of a phenomenal body. With her diminutive size, she doesn't back down, and displays her toned build like a true expert. After showing off a peculiar ability to take on numerous looks and prove to be a true example of what a Playboy model should be in this day and age, Shelby should easily rank at the top of this year's Playmate class. She is the immediate frontrunner for Playmate of the Year 2013, and should be the one to beat from here on in.

Getting Serious

Amelia, Miss June

Let's all admit it - the Playmate class so far this year resembles last year's awfully closely. In 2011, we had an abysmally slow start to the year before eventually landing on some pure hotties in the form of Tiffany Toth, Amanda Cerny, and Ciara Price. In 2012, we're still waiting for a Toth or Cerny to come around to give it a major boost.

While we've seen a mixed bag so far, one thing we can depend on is inconsistency. Almost no one has posed with any real skill and prowess in 2012, besides perhaps Leola Bell, who sped past the rest with a killer body, too. As we turn the corner towards the second half of the year, we're hoping for the real talent to show through. With Miss June, maybe we have a precursor for what's to come.

Amelia Talon takes the title of Miss June, and she comes in with a bit of Playboy history. Amelia was Coed of the Week way back nearly a year ago in 2011, where she was a considerably different model. The main differences between then and now: her hair has been lightened, and of course, her breasts are far larger. Her natural and small breasts before were perhaps her biggest drawback, but now we're treated to a pair of larger C-cups, which may or may not be everyone's bag. But I'll get to that.

Upon first pass at Amelia's pictorial, I can safely say that I expected more. Not a whole lot more, but more nonetheless. Amelia is a fine model, with a piercing, unique look that places her in a certain class of Playmates. Her facial features are more akin to Jessa Hinton of last year's class - colder, more stoic, and more serious in all her photos. With a consistent gaze from shot to shot, Amelia rarely cracks a smile, and always cocks her sharp eyebrows in a sultry stare. Whether that's a good thing is personal taste, but I prefer a bit of a girl-next-door persona to my models.

Unfortunately, you'd be hard pressed to see any girl-next-door qualities in Miss Talon. She's a model's model, and it shows throughout. She does a fantastic job with her poise and posture, always keeping herself sharp and showing off her very tall frame. With her beautiful 5'7" frame, Amelia takes over pictorials simply with her slim lines and aerodynamic body type. She's sleek all over, with nary a few extra pounds to spare. Throughout her pictorial, however, you can't help but appreciate her breast enhancement, which finally gives her some definition and curvature which was sorely missing in her first go a year back.

Ultimately, though, Amelia's pictorial never really gets off the ground. She has a more-than-passable body, a sexy face, and an ample amount of talent and awareness, but doesn't ever begin to have the depth of skill that makes a really good model. There are few subtleties here - Amelia is a straightforward poser who revels in her nudity and feels completely confident - but that lack of vulnerability makes her a bit one-dimensional.

• Face: B+
  Amelia's face is all at once memorable, stunning, and even a bit boring. While her facial structure is great, with some really intriguing eyes, she's very lackluster in her expressions, always putting on a serious look, with rarely a smile. Her serious snarl eventually gets in the way of her talent, holding her back from being a truly great model.
• Body: A-
  Amelia's sinewy, long frame and great use of her curvature is wonderful in photos. While it's nowhere near the best we've seen this year (she utterly lacks the punch of Leola), she's still got a fantastically symmetrical build, with legs going on for miles, and a beautifully arching back. Certainly her greatest physical strength.
• Talent: B+
  While she's not going to get any "most talented" awards in my year-end rankings, Amelia shows flashes of brilliance that go far beyond the restrictions of her pictorial. She's a seminal posing talent when she wants to be, showing off her well above-average body in many creative ways. Still, she lacks the ability to show off the subtleties of her character, and never transcends past just being a sneering model with a killer body.
• Pictorial: B
  The photographers and producers of Playboy don't do Amelia any favors by putting her in a rather drab pictorial setting. With a body and attitude like hers, one can imagine them going for the jugular, with a really aggressive, Christi Shake/Buffy Tyler-type pictorial set. Instead, they put Amelia in position to lose. She never breaks through, and the pictorial ultimately flatlines, despite the talent of the model.
• Centerfold: B-
  A confused, cluttered centerfold shot doesn't do Amelia's body justice at all. Her prone position never takes advantage of her decent curves, and you never get an idea of Miss Talon's admirable size in this photo.
• Overall: B+
  I give Amelia all due credit for being an above-average model in a below-average set of circumstances. She's a gorgeous model who should have all kinds of success with a gorgeously photogenic body and an excellent attitude towards nude posing. A self-professed nudist, Amelia at times seems like she's born for this, and looks innately comfortable with no clothes on. However, the camera is never able to capture her true essence, and perhaps there was nothing too deep to begin with. Amelia could just be the one-dimensional model she's depicted as, with nothing more to offer than a lean, mean look. This is all fine, but she's never framed as such in her photos or videos, and she suffers because of it.

Another one down, and now we turn our attention to the second half of the 2012 class. Although there haven't been too many fireworks just yet, we've got some extremely promising possible stars coming up. Shelby Chesnes is next month's Playmate, a relative unknown with a spectacular overall look that I'm heavily banking on. Danielle Burt is also a Playmate for 2012, who could also be a wild card in the 2012 race. Looking forward to it, ladies!