A photograph is a measurement
A digital image records light under a particular capture setup. Focus, scale, illumination, colour management and compression affect whether strokes can be judged. A larger pixel count cannot restore information lost to blur, reflection or a folded page. A preservation master and a smaller web derivative serve different needs. FADGI gives technical guidance for reliable capture and quality control.
A viewer may crop edges or omit covers and blanks. Missing images do not prove that the physical leaves are missing. Look for an image sequence statement, a target or ruler, and any distinction between ordinary, raking-light or multispectral photographs. Alternate imaging modes can reveal different traces, but they must not be silently combined into an apparently ordinary photograph.
A disciplined zoom
Zoom to compare a doubtful sign with secure forms on the same page and nearby pages. Then zoom out to recover its line, margin, material edge and reading order. Keep an image region or folio reference with your note. An isolated close-up is persuasive only when a reader can return to its context.
Practice: record one uncertainty visible at full page and at close range. Explain which view supports each observation.
Modern-language examples on this page clarify a linguistic pattern. They do not establish unattested sounds or forms for an ancient language. Follow the cited sources below and keep editorial readings separate from the surviving trace.