Agree wholeheartedly.
I do read profiles and references (skim or spot check if there are many) as part of my decision-making process. Photos are definitely a major factor too.
Why? They can be revealing indicators.
Are there travel photos? I’m looking for people who are seeing the world, an area, wherever. Where I live, I also receive requests from people who are:
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homeless
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looking to move for a job (but don’t have one at the moment, or uni)
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are having housing problems (evicted)
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have relationship issues (partner kicked them out)
Travel photos provide some indication that the person is really on a trip, or has been. It’s not foolproof, but it’s a useful indicator.
From their photos, I can determine if they tend to be:
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social (out with groups)
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party (some is okay, possibly too much if all the photos are in a bar behaving wildly)
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eat out (food pix generally indicate an interest in cooking or dining)
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sports-minded (athletic, a fan, etc.)
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artistic / musically inclined (fan or player)
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narcissistic (profiles with nothing but moody selfies)
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smile a lot (a sign of positive energy or happiness)
In my experience, photos tell something about a person that might not be gleaned from their self description (a lot of people struggle to write them) or references.
To use a cliché, they are a window into their world. And that’s valuable data.