Lucia Gorman, who achieved viral fame as the “bored nightclub girl” in a widely shared meme from 2018, has once again entered the spotlight at the age of 24. The Edinburgh native’s original photograph, taken during a night out at Milk Club Edinburgh, captured her unimpressed expression while a friend animatedly spoke to her, and it has since generated millions of shares, cementing its status as an iconic piece of internet culture.

Seven years subsequent to her sudden rise to fame, Lucia is revisiting her viral roots by recreating familiar internet memes, such as Harry Maguire’s ‘Put the Bins Out’ and the relatable ‘Confused Math Lady’. In collaboration with Samsung, she aims to promote the Best Face technology featured in their new Galaxy A56 5G smartphone, which leverages artificial intelligence to enhance group photos by addressing common issues like closed eyes or unflattering expressions.

In her latest photos, Lucia’s playful depictions of typical photography blunders include moments of squinting, sneezing, and blinking. Research conducted by Samsung has highlighted various common complaints about group photographs: 36% of respondents cited blinking, 26% mentioned awkward facial expressions when saying “cheese”, and 21% noted issues with people obstructing one another in images.

According to a survey of 2,000 smartphone users, the average individual dedicates approximately 468 minutes annually to editing and retouching images to achieve the ideal photograph. Notably, Generation Z individuals report needing about eight attempts to capture a satisfactory image before sharing it on social media.

Some prevalent reasons for photo edits include the removal of unexpected photobombers (24%), as well as eliminating red-eye or glare from glasses (23%). Among the leading contexts for photo mishaps, selfies rank first (31%), followed by group pictures (29%), and amusement park ride images (17%).

A striking 38% of participants expressed frustration at being the only one in a photo not looking their best. Nevertheless, nearly half (47%) indicated they would still share a group photograph if they appeared favourable, despite a friend’s unflattering portrayal. Group photos seem to be a contentious issue, with 21% opting to avoid them altogether, while an overwhelming 84% have deleted pictures prior to posting them on social media due to dissatisfaction with their own appearance (38%) or because the image was blurry or out of focus (21%).

Interestingly, 47% of respondents admitted to cropping friends out of photos, while one in four reported that they would crop themselves out before sharing. Further findings revealed that 32% of those surveyed have staged candid shots for a more spontaneous look, with Gen Z leading this trend at 69%, followed by millennials (47%), and then Gen X (23%).

Annika Bizon, from Samsung, commented on the findings, stating: “We understand the desire to capture and share life’s best moments. However, our research revealed we spend nearly a month of our lives editing photos. We’re empowering users to get their best shot effortlessly, so they can spend less time editing and more time enjoying those special moments.”

With the new Galaxy A56 5G, Samsung aims to alleviate the editing burdens that come with photography, incorporating features designed to optimise photography experiences in everyday life. The smartphone is now available for purchase as part of Samsung’s A Series range, which is notably packed with features aimed at enhancing users’ photography experiences.

Source: Noah Wire Services