How are age progression photos made for missing people?

An age progression picture, which shows what a missing person might look like today, can be critical in finding leads, reigniting public interest and hope for families, and bringing someone home.

- Harriette Boucher, The Independent

But for those who haven't seen their child or loved one in years, it can be deeply emotional to see the familiar, yet different face, of someone who has been gone for so long. Police, journalists, and charities like Missing People use these digitally created images to spark recognition from the public. The Independent and Missing People have this week launched the SafeCall appeal, aiming to raise £165,000 to fund a new free service offering support and safety to the 70,000 children reported missing each year.

Donate here or text SAFE to 70577 to give £10 to Missing People-enough for one child to get help. When fresh evidence runs dry and leads go cold, police call on forensic artist Tim Widden to create an image they can use to gain more information. He told The Independent: “It’s obviously incredibly painful for families with missing loved ones, and to be able to play a part in ending that doubt and finding out the truth of what happened is, I think, really important.” When he is asked to create an image, he uses the most recent photos of the missing person, alongside pictures of parents and siblings, to see how they could age.