The question is how directly. For instance, no reasonable person would argue that the photographer's father deserves the IP rights because he helped create a n

The question is how directly. For instance, no reasonable person would argue that the photographer's father deserves the IP rights because he helped create a necessary factor in the circumstances by which the photo got taken (the existence of the son). However, if the father didn't exist then clearly the photo would never have been taken. So the manufacturer is involved, but very indirectly. The manufacturer definitely isn't the author. Edit: Clarified my argument