I know this was meant in jest but I have to say I am getting extremely irritated by the casual use of the "A picture paints a thousand words" phrase in reference to the no-photo policy.
This quote is a bastardised mash-up with no discernible origin. It is NOT some deep, irrefutable fact. Most importantly though, whatever origin you choose to believe, it basically referred to PICTURES not photographs. That is, a DRAWING of an event or a feeling that conveyed a story far more quickly than words. So, in that respect, you've done a good job!
In photographic terms, though, perhaps a good example of the phrase would be the napalm girl in the Vietnam war. Or how about Princess Diana all alone in front of the Taj Mahal? Those pictures really did “tell a story”.
Throughout history, drawings, cartoons and photographs have been used to tell stories – some true, many not so true. If you stand back for a moment, it's actually extraordinary to think that, in this sophisticated technological age where it is so easy to manipulate photographs, that anyone could place any faith whatsoever in a profile photo. It's just one shot taken one moment in time. It doesn't tell you anything. Except of course the gangland photos, f**k you photos etc . And how many of those do we get? I'm guessing 0.000001%
This whole subject is fascinating to me! It's made me think of so many things.