Behind the Image: Understanding the Science, Art and Human Connection of Age Progressions

As part of our 2026 National Missing Persons Week campaign “Answers still matter”, age-progressed images played a central role in helping Australians imagine what long-term missing people may look like today. These images are often among the most recognisable and widely shared tools used in missing persons investigations, attracting public attention and prompting renewed conversations about cases that may have been unsolved for years or even decades.

But what many people don't see is the extensive process required to carefully craft each image.

Creating an age progression is far more than adding wrinkles or greying hair to an old photograph. It is a specialised process that combines forensic art, anatomy, ageing science, investigative information and, most importantly, collaboration with families who know their missing loved one best.

From studying facial structure and familial traits to understanding the effects of age, lifestyle and environment, AFP Forensic Artists carefully develop each image using a combination of scientific knowledge, technical skill and family input. Every age progression is unique, reflecting both the individual being depicted and the circumstances of their disappearance.

As interest in age-progressed images continues to grow, so too do questions about how they are created, what information is used, the role families play in the process and why a forensic artist-led approach remains so important in an era of increasingly accessible artificial intelligence tools.

To provide a behind-the-scenes insight into this work, we spoke with AFP Forensic Artists about the process of creating age-progressed images, the challenges involved and the impact these images can have on families and investigations.

You can read the full interview below:

1. Can you walk us through the process of creating an age-progressed image from start to finish?

We begin by collecting images of the missing person (reference images), then conduct a Morphological analysis of the imagery to describe individual features, identify asymmetries, scars, marks and any other information that will allow us to become familiar with them. This means analysing each facial feature carefully, including their eyes, mouth, nose, face shape, face lines and marks to determine what makes this person unique. We then use components from a facial feature dataset along with manual digital painting techniques to create a likeness of the individual around the time that they went missing, before age progressing them to the age that they would be today. Each digital painting process is unique to the image and the artist creating it. Once an image is completed, it is technically reviewed by another Forensic Artist to ensure that everything has been considered and the likeness remains. The image is then shared with the next of kin or family members to obtain feedback. This is an important step as the family are the ones that knew the person best and can provide valuable information to secure the best possible age progression of their loved one.

2. What material and resources do you rely on when creating an age-progressed image?

Imagery of the missing person is required so that we can accurately create a likeness. In addition, where available, we ask for Images of close relatives and siblings at or around the age that the missing person would today be. This helps us to identify familial traits to increase the accuracy of the final age progression. We also ask the family to complete a description form, which includes general features (eye colour, hair colour, etc) as well as personal style (hairstyle, jewellery etc.) and any lifestyle habits that may impact ageing (smoking, outdoor lifestyles etc.).

In creating the age progressed images, we rely on knowledge relating to human anatomy, stability of facial features and the environmental effects on ageing.

3. What physical characteristics are most important when projecting how someone may look years later?

We maintain the shape, proportions and spacing of facial features, any asymmetries as well as scars and marks (e.g. freckles) and then add the characteristics which we can predict as they age such as deeper facial lines or wrinkles, hair thinning, greying or receding and changes to cartilage in the ears and nose. The deterioration of skin elasticity around eyes, mouth and neck are also important characteristics when depicting ageing.  It may not sound like nice to add to a person's face, but it is done respectfully with dignity, care and the advice and feedback from family members to ensure the best representation is created.  

4. What are some of the factors that are impossible to predict in an age-progressed image?

We must make an educated guess in terms of things like hairstyles, weight and the presence of absence of facial hair in men based on their history and the information we get from the family members.  

Weight gain will add some fat to the face, giving it a younger appearance whereas weight loss will add some age to the face as the fat pads decrease. We will estimate weight based on the reference images, known lifestyle habits and if available, how other close relatives look at the target age.

Persons dying their hair, using hair-loss treatments, wearing a wig or toupee, or headwear to hide ageing affects are things that we can’t be certain of. Many people change their hairstyles over their lifetime and are still recognisable to those that know them well. We hope that creating an accurate facial likeness will help to mitigate the uncertainty around hairstyles.

Plastic surgery and procedures such and face lifts and fillers will affect the face. Injuries such as head trauma which changes bone, skin or muscle structure cannot be predicted. Diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart, liver or kidney disease can be unpredictable factors affecting the persons appearance.

Lifestyle factors such as working outdoors, indoors, making healthy or unhealthy choices with food, alcohol use and smoking will also affect the appearance of the ageing face. We rely heavily on information from the family to know how much this may affect ageing process, specific to their missing loved one.

5. How closely do you work with the families of missing persons during this process, and what value does their input provide?

Helping the families and honouring their missing loved one is our goal. Their input and satisfaction is of high importance as they knew the family member best and are able to provide us guidance.

We make contact with the family at the beginning of the process and throughout depending on their specific needs. The families hold valuable information, references and a unique knowledge and perspective of the missing person that helps us to create an accurate image of their loved one.  

Each family is different and we adapt to the level of contact that they find comfortable.  

Once we have completed an age progression, we will send it to the family for feedback. This is a crucial part of the process where they can contribute and provide further insight so that we can best capture the personality and likeness of their loved one.

6. With AI image-generation tools becoming more accessible, why is a forensic artist-led approach so important for age progression?

AI may increasingly become more valuable but is currently in its infancy. With privacy laws such as they are, the AFP cannot engage with AI in this area until there is clear understanding in where and if data is stored and where the data from AI generation is being sourced.  

Forensic artists are trained in all facets of face portraiture, anatomy, ageing, interpersonal skills and relationship building. An age progression is a collaboration between AFP forensic artists and family members of the missing person. It provides protection of privacy, ensures an individualised age progressed image and includes a review by two expert artists and the family. AI is currently unable to understand the nuances of what makes a person unique as it applies the same adjustments to every image without considerations of specific anatomy or familial traits. The partnership between the artist and family is so important for accuracy and this human element can’t be replaced.

7. Why are age-progressed images such an important tool in long-term missing persons investigations?

Age progressions ensure the missing person’s story is still being told and has helped to solve previous long-term missing persons cases.

They attract media attention because of the mystery, storytelling and thought-provoking content.  When we look at the statistics of missing persons social media websites in USA, Canada and Australia it shows that Age progressions were the most shared posts.  

8. What should families do if they believe an age-progressed image may help in their loved one's case?

Contact the NMPCC who will collaborate with the AFP Facial Identification Team to assess the case. Based on the assessment, we will do what we can to create an age progression.

9. What is the biggest misconception people have about age-progressed images?

We worry that the public may think we use AI to create our age progressions in this modern age. As we’re creating a representation from the information we have, the age progression may not be an exact representation of the missing person now, as humans all age differently based on their environment and genetics. The aim is to work with the families to produce a likeness that will elicit recognition regardless of weight variation or other superficial or cosmetic factors.

10. What is the most challenging part of creating an age-progressed image?

The most challenging part is creating a likeness of a person from limited reference imagery. Sometimes there are few images of the missing person, or because of when they were taken (e.g. film and early digital cameras) they may not be high quality. This is why working with the family is so important, to try and capture the true likeness.

11. What do you hope families feel when they see the final image?

We hope it brings them some peace as well as answers. To complete an age progression for a family is one of the most rewarding aspects of our job. It is a very emotional experience for the family to request and to assist in the completion of an age progression, but the gratitude for our work from the families upon completion can be overwhelming.  We appreciate that when a loved person goes missing it is a very difficult situation filled with grief and loss. Our intention is to shine a light on a missing person and their story. 

You can find out more about age progression here.