To be honest, when the engineer says that he is a pilot, am I supposed to automatically believe him? I don't have to, but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt, especially since I have yet to see any credential's from him.
However, if he shows some credentials, maybe a few photos or videos of him flying, then I would be more inclined to believe him.
The same concept applies to RE photos. We have the credentials, and on top of that, photo's which even further support those credentials. So I'm more inclined to believe it.
Now, If I knew NOTHING about the earth, or even some common sense, I'd pretty much automatically go with RE, since I have no understanding, and everything that an RE says he can back up with photographic evidence, and that evidence doesn't have to even be of the earth itself.