A picture is worth a thousand words, but what the words are themselves are more so up to the designer/photographer, especially with context. Designers must include all of the components when either taking a photograph or inventing a unique illustrative image, but don’t assume that the photo will capture what’s needed to exist in the viewfinder.
Avoid stock images, be creative with using your own images to have more control of what you design. Every element in a photo can impact its meaning.