09/02/2026
To my friends, to my clients..
With the recent light shed on the ruling that was made regarding AI-generated child sexual abuse material, I made the decision that Poetic Lens will no longer publicly post identifiable images of children.
There was no debate for me.
I will absolutely continue photographing your children, families, milestones, weddings, and all of the beautiful moments I have always documented. I will still share my work, but when it comes to minors, their faces will no longer be shown publicly on my platforms.
The advancement of AI has created a reality that I just cannot ignore. Images posted publicly online can be collected, manipulated, altered, or used as source and reference material for AI-generated imagery. Technology can take pieces of real photographs, including features and likenesses, and generate synthetic images that the original child, parent, or photographer never consented to.
The thought that an innocent photograph I took and shared could potentially be manipulated or used in connection with someone's sexual exploitation of children is enough for me.
For many years, I have been a strong advocate against child abuse, sexual assault, exploitation, and human trafficking. These issues have always mattered very deeply to me.
I cannot control what other people do. I cannot control where technology goes next. But I can control what I put onto the public internet.
You guys have trusted me with some of the most precious people in your lives. I believe protecting your trust matters infinitely more than engagement, advertising, portfolios, or having another beautiful photograph on my feed.
So, effective immediately, I am choosing privacy over promotion when it comes to children.
I will still share my work. I will still tell your stories. I will simply find ways to do that without publicly displaying identifiable faces.
Your children do not need to be content for my business to be successful. I love you guys for your continued support and love.You and your children deserve that peace of mind above anything else.
Thank you to every parent who has trusted me with your memories. I take that trust incredibly seriously.
Mellie 🖤✨️