My textbook says “a photograph is often perceived to be an unmediated copy of the real world.”

I suppose this is true to a point. During the majority of my life the ability to digitally alter a photograph has been prevalent and more common. And, being the questioning and curious person that I am, it is hard for me to accept pictures as they appear.

Either way, the picture is always more interesting when a particular angle or vision has been applied. The picture then becomes more about the perspective of the person who took it and what they want you to see, and less about the subject itself.