You make the rules. The photo or image isn’t sacred.
Feel free to remix, modify, or alter the image however you desire.
You don’t require the legitimacy or approval of anyone else
After you die, you cannot feel the joy of accolades or feel joy from achieving “legitimacy” or “success”. You cannot reap the rewards of your own legacy after you die.
This is also the tricky thing —
Whose approval do you care for while you’re still alive?
I assume you only care for the approval from your peers (people who you consider are at your own level). How many people are these? 1, 3, 5, 10 people?
Rare is better.
You’re rare. “A popular success is a petty success”. We value the rare. Thus, don’t you desire the admiration of other rare people like you?
This means you only need the approval of around 5 people. Maybe less, maybe 3 people?
What if you have nobody to admire you? Then it is simple — strive to impress yourself!
Rewrite the rules
No such thing as immutable rules. All rules are just obeyed tyrannies. You as a ruler — you have the power to create your own new rules. To create new artistic and life desires for yourself which you consider beyond basic.
The best art is made in a spirit of play
When children create things in a spirit of play, this is the ultimate artwork.
So as a tip to you friend —
Learn how to play again!
ERIC