When uploading multiple images of the same organism in the Android app, it is remarkably easy to unintentionally select non-target photos without meaning to. I know, been there, done that. When scrolling, one can unintentionlly select non-target photos. I once uploaded 35 different images of multiple organisms quite unintentionally. Had to delete and start over. If one is a new user on a high speed connection, one might not catch an errant photo in the upload set. This may have been what happened in the cited observation. Thus the response to the observer ought to be instructive and informative as they may not know this happened. Note that if the observer has only a mobile device, then deleting and reuploading may be easier than editing.
I agree, we need to always assume good intent from the observer, especially new users. I try to imagine myself in their situation, what could have gone wrong for me? And how would I like it brought to my attention?
Our guidance from the admins, standardized over a year now is to provide a high-level ID like Plantae or Dicots then encompasses all the taxa in all the photos. Of course if they have 2 plants and 2 animals, then it becomes “Life”, but you must open the observation to add a disagreeing “Life” ID. Plants and Animalia can disagree right on the ID page. I always add this:
You have several different species that are the focus of these photos. Please split this into one species per observation so that we can make an ID. (multiple views of a species are fine).
and sometimes even:
As each of these organisms has its own date and place of observation, it may be easier to delete this and upload each separately, so the iNat system can extract date and location from each photo.
Thank you so much. Sometimes it seems the more time I spend on the forum, the more I hear things “everybody knows” which the site doesn’t mention at all. I might start a list!