As a headshot photographer I have noticed a majority of my younger clients requesting unnecessary retouching after their headshot sessions. Over the years, I have noticed a worrying pattern emerging, where naturally beautiful young women (and some men), are asking for cosmetic edits to “fix” flaws that simply don’t exist. This surge is not rooted in vanity, but rather in the culture they surround themselves, which is the constant comparison and filtered perfection from the social media platforms. Australia’s upcoming ban on social media for under-16s, effective December 2025, aims to protect young people from these pressures and restore healthier self-esteem, a shift that professionals in photography, like myself, will overwhelmingly welcome.
Photo-editing apps and social platforms bombard users from a very young age with images that are curated, enhanced, and heavily filtered, it’s also been exacerbated with the introduction of fake AI images. Trends indicate a powerful link between frequent exposure to such social media content and lower self-esteem, particularly among girls and young women. Studies reveal social media fosters compulsive comparison and dissatisfaction among people in the prime of youth, by normalising very high beauty standards. The result is widespread self-criticism and a growing inability to accept one’s natural appearance. Where I receive a shopping list of requests for digital “corrections” to perfectly healthy and attractive faces after my headshot photo sessions. I sometimes dread getting booked by young woman, as they are the hardest clients to please.
Australia’s new law which is going to prohibit under-16s from holding accounts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat after December 2025 is being introduced to counteract these harms. The government hopes this will curb relentless exposure to unhealthy messages and give young people space to cultivate self-worth and emotional resilience before engaging with social media as older teens.
Professional headshot photographers like myself, have a unique vantage point on this crisis. Witnessing otherwise confident clients with nothing to “fix” feeling the need for retouching. For example, “Remove the scar on my chin” (but there is no scar), “straighten my teeth” (but they are already straight), or “reduce forehead lines” (but there are no lines present). These are not just quirks, but red flags for an entire generation’s crisis of confidence, bred by a digital environment where authenticity is rare, and polish is the expectation.
As the December deadline nears, there’s a vital need for both continnued discussion and documentation on the toll social media has brought on youth self-image. Photographers, alongside teachers, parents and mental health professionals, can serve as powerful witnesses to these changes, offereing firsthand insights and stats about the attitudes and influences that shape today’s media-influenced youth.
It’s going to take a while for the pendulum to move the other way, but the ban is a positive start to enable young people to enjoy their self images in a natural and healthy way again.
About Georgie Greene Photography
Based in Sydney, Georgie Greene is a professional photographer specialising in headshots, personal branding, and dating photography. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in media production, Georgie helps people express authenticity, confidence, and approachability through powerful imagery.
Website: https://georgiegreenephotography.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiegreenephotography/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiegreene/
Media Enquiries: georgie@ggphoto.com.au 0414679797
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