A photograph shows an old factory, but the paper print in a collection may have been produced much later. The age of the scene and the age of the physical print are separate questions.
Identify what the date describes
Read whether a catalogue gives an exposure date, print date, publication date or approximate date for the depicted subject. Do not transfer a year from one field to every stage. A later print can still preserve an earlier image.
Keep the physical copy in the story
Record inscriptions, cropping and publication context when documented. These features may belong to the particular copy rather than the original camera exposure. Avoid diagnosing photographic processes from a small screen image unless a reliable description supports the identification.
For a simple note, write “image dated…” and “print dated…” on separate lines, using unknown where necessary. This keeps a photograph useful both as evidence about its subject and as an object with its own production history. One date need not be forced to explain both roles.