“An undoctored photograph often means something different to viewers than a doctored or aigmented photograph means even when the two photos look identical to each other.”

For example, imagine a scenario that involved challenges for both the subject and for the photographer:

A. Imagine a photograph of a free-soloing rock climber (no ropes) standing atop a scary-steep rock pinnacle several storeys high, photographed by a photographer who was precariously perched atop a nearby pinnacle, with snow and fog swirling all around.

B. Now imagine a photograph that looks identical but was made by combining a photo of the empty pinnacle as photographed by a drone on a normal overcast day, to which a photograph of a climber standing on solid ground was cloned in atop the pinnacle, to which the depiction of swirling snow and fog was then added.

Many viewers who were told how both photographs were made would say that the two photographs “mean” something different to them even though the two photos look identical to each other (and even though it’s not a “news” photo).