@bornfromanegg - it became a point of discussion because we were talking about which sources are valid historical records to believe in. If you say 'a photograph of Hitler is enough evidence to believe his existence', then with same philosophical equality of logic, I can say 'a painting of Jesus is enough evidence to believe his existence'. You will refuse to accept my statement, despite having no scientific basis to differentiate your claim from mine.

if you say 'a photograph captures reality, but a photograph can be imaginative' - sure, but a photograph can be manipulated to be imaginative as well. As far as a person looking at both a photograph and a painting, and trying to decipher which is true and which is false, he has no way to distinguish between them - because both are prone to manipulation.

But I don’t know why you’re trying to prove this point. Even if you’re right, it says nothing about whether Hitler existed, and I certainly never claimed to believe that he did because of a photograph.