Here is an example of a article with a different narrative called: Why Boys Are Failing in an Educational System Stacked Against Them (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-boys-are-failing-in-a_b_8...)

Note that the focus of blame here is on the education system and then look at the image. The person in frame is the teacher, representing the Educational System, and the boy. The article mentions both college rates and high school dropout rates.

You are right that its generally not the author of the written text that chose the image, through the words I would describe if I was being a more technical correct about it would be authors of the article since an article rarely if ever now days has a single author. There is the author/s of the text, the editor, the proof readers, layout design, image selection, and each participated in creation the collaborated created work.