IMHO, Jenbel, all decisions we make should be based on how they affect the community, not on how they affect us personally.

If having pictures of community members would enhance the community, then we should take a serious look at overcoming whatever stumbling blocks may be in the way of making them possible. In this instance those stumbling blocks are easy to overcome.

-Visual clutter can be overcome with an on/off switch.

-I have great faith in the intelligence of the FT Community. I am certain they will be able to find the on/off switch if they don't like to look at other people's pictures.

-Those members intent on mischief, will always find a way to create it. That is why we have moderators.

-It is the responsibility of all of us who wish to serve the community to do so freely, not to balk because we don't like a certain aspect of our job. If there is a moderator who can't bear looking at smilies, avatars, or flags, if we should decide to use them, it would probably be in the best interest of FT if that person resigned and was replaced by a another who had no such reservations.

-A head shot photo, is a head shot photo. We all have them on our driver's license and passports. How difficult can it be determine if a head shot is a heat shot? Surely far simpler that deciding whether there has been an excess use of smilies, which is truly a subjective decision.

-Yes, you are quite right, I do expect that some currently unidentified FlyerTalker would be happy to step up to the job of cropping photos if that became an issue.

Yes, being able to put a face with the name would go a long way toward building community, just as showing a flag indicating the posters nation, would help build greater understanding. All to the good of FlyerTalk.