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Walter Villagonzalo left the Philippines in 1986 as a naval officer caught in the middle of a revolution. He wasn’t aligned with either side of the political upheaval, but that neutrality cost him his position anyway — three more senior officers took over his role, and the path back into the Navy looked bleak. With the country in chaos and a family to think about, Walter turned to his wife and said, simply, let’s go to Australia. They already had a skilled migrant visa from two years earlier, and family was waiting in South Australia.

Have you ever typed your own name into ChatGPT/ Claude and asked, “Who am I?”

A few years ago, personal branding was often treated as having a good LinkedIn profile, posting motivational quotes, taking professional photographs and telling people what you do. In 2026, that is no longer enough.

Ten years ago, a business could hide behind a logo. A nice website, a polished brochure, and the phone would ring.

AI headshot tools are everywhere right now. They’re fast, cheap, and easy to access from your phone. But as someone who has spent years helping entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals build their personal brand through photography, I think this is worth unpacking properly.