Selena Gomez is guaranteed a few million likes whenever her social media account is fed — after all, when you have 150 million followers the odds are in your favor. But when the young singer, actress and superstar stares into the camera with a challenging “I dare you” sort of look on her face — all the while wearing a scarlet red bikini top with rich red lipstick generously applied — that will get 11 million likes and counting.
Sure, many will say that the bikini top does all the work of winning our attention. (And it’s hardly something to be ignored.) But for the fans who know Gomez’s actual story — her fight to rise above the challenges she’s faced and still faces — the real work of this photo is in Gomez’s eyes. It’s there that fans can see the determined look she gives that promises she’s ready to take on all challenges. This is a statement photo in every way, from the way she’s dressed to the way she’s staring down her obstacles. A very savvy and purposeful choice by Gomez, it’s a highly effective photo in communicating just where she is in life and how she feels.
