I feel like a journalist with a master's degree in neuroscience probably knows quite a bit about performing actual investigation. Do we need to have pictures with every story?
No, definitely not, but sometimes a visual can help people take science more seriously. If advances like lab grown organs are only ever written about, that's more people who will see science as mystical or perhaps even fake. As they say, a photo is worth a thousand words.
I am just curious as to what the process really looks like.
Also: I'd like to see the photo so that I can evaluate claims in context myself. Text leaves too much to imagination.
Not putting actual, real photos or videos in media reporting can and does easily lead to overhyping things. For an extreme example, consider the Magic Leap debacle.
It is probably quite tough to get news-ready rights-released photos from academic institutions on a news schedule. I hope you do some more deep diving into the subject matter, as it's easily findable and stunningly beautiful: https://www.google.com/search?q=lab+grown+retinas
I am just curious as to what the process really looks like.