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Simple facial recognition? Doesn't sound like a trope to me. People Sit On Chairs.
In cases where the photo is missing a feature (beard, glasses, what-have-you) that would typically be supplied by Photo Doodle Recognition, it could be considered a variant of that same trope — the person looking at the photo is still supplying the missing feature, just mentally.
As described: chairs.
How is this People Sit On Chairs?
Maybe you wanna add a detail to your initial question - that the person recognizes the true identity of a person in the photo?
We don't need justice when we can forgive. We don't need tolerance when we can love.
@Getta: Good Point
Sherlock relies on Sherlock Scan.
Spotting the Thread or Imposter Forgot One Detail?
Edited by bitemytail
@bitemytail : This has nothing to do with an imposter.
This is really interesting though. To help clarify - A person sees a picture of someone they know, in a context that reveals something they did not know about the person. They didn't expect to see the person they know in that context, and it reveals to them something the person was trying to hide. e.g. in the school yearbook of a person they've said they've never met, acting like friends; a picture of them in a country they said they've never been to; they're in a family portrait, and it's relevant that they're a member of that family.
In that case it's just The Reveal. Likely to also be a Wham Shot.
Edited by Ulysses21 Avatar from here.
That's way too general.
Apparently there is nothing closer. "Eureka!" Moment is also related.
The Reveal But More Specific. Not everything has to have a spot-on exact trope. Bear in mind that Tropes Are Flexible.
Avatar from here.
Maybe I should create a YTTKW for this trope: Photograph Reveal: Sub-Trope of The Reveal, Supertrope Photo Doodle Recognition. Sure, tropes are flexibile, but without Sub Tropes, a trope can get stretched preeeeetty thin.
Especially since The Reveal is practically an omnipresent trope.
Edit: Actually, I went and read the photo-doodle one, and that seems a bit too specific. Maybe it should be changed so that it's this - that the photo doodle one should be made to not require modifying the photo. That seems really specific.
Edited by lavendermintrose
Photo Doodle Recognition is about adding details to a picture to reveal someone's true identity. But what is it when someone sees a photograph of someone and discovers their true identity (or a previously unknown fact about them), simply from the context the picture itself provides? For example, in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sherlock Holmes didn't need to add or block out any features to recognize the Big Bad as the son of the Baskerville's Black Sheep (Watson needed more help). Or perhaps a girl discovers something about her much-older boyfriend when she sees a photograph of him with her mother, revealing Mom as her boyfriend's ex...
Edited by MrInitialMan