As a viewer, you see the point of view and the moment the photographer has chosen.

Recording or Storytelling?
In the 18th century, people thought that photography simply records – a landscape in front of a camera gets photographed. The landscape already exists and isn't created, but merely captured. But is that really the case?

Recently, I encountered a row of photographers on the Hoge Veluwe standing side by side, man to man (and woman too), with cameras on tripods and large impressive lenses, taking photos.

Imagine if I were to stand among them. Together looking at the deer. I could take a photo that would show one or more deer on the heath. As a viewer, you might think of tranquility, a unique moment in a quiet expansive forest.
While all I could smell and hear were the people next to me.

So through your viewpoint, you determine what you want to show – in this case, the deer and not the people. Through the visual elements (heath, deer), the viewer will immediately associate a situation and feeling with it.
And I haven't even mentioned the moment of capture. As a photographer, you determine not only the frame but also the moment of capture. You look at a scene and wait for the moment you think is decisive. It's as if you're looking and thinking, no, no, no, yes… click.

In other words, as a photographer, you don't record reality, but show what you've seen. How you experienced it, or at least what you want to show. You give meaning to an image. You place the image in a context and thereby provide it with an interpretation. Simply by taking the photo, you add value to it – namely your interpretation. As a viewer, you see the crop and the moment the photographer has chosen.