On a separate page (click link) you'll find some ideas from Novelist, (a book review and finding site). I haven't read any of them, but am familiar with the work of Sones ("What My Mother Doesn't Know") and Wittlinger ("Hard Love," "Parrotfish"), and Hidier, Avi, and Alphin are also generally well-regarded.

Note that many YA/older kids books feature photography as a means of enabling their protagonist to be a spy, detective, or investigator (intentionally or unintentionally). I've left out most of those titles, since they don't sound exactly like what you're looking for though if you decide to go that route, there's always "Say Cheese and Die...Again!" by R.L. Stine and "Claudia and the Clue in the Photograph" by Ann M.
Martin).

(PS - I am posting this for a friend, and have read "Born Confused" and heartily recommend it)