Final answer:
The appearance of the photograph being covered with granules of sand is likely caused by too much noise in the image.
Step-by-step explanation:
The effect of the image appearing to be covered with granules of sand is likely caused by too much noise in the photograph. Noise in a photograph refers to random variation in brightness or color information, which can create a grainy or sand-like appearance. This can happen when the camera sensor amplifies the signal too much, resulting in additional unwanted information in the image.