As I consider how the inclusion or omission of a picture could alter the perception of a news story, I think about the fact that we live in a world where people can take pictures of us at anytime with devices as simple as a cell phone. Celebrities have to deal with people wanting to take pictures of them on a daily basis. 

I am reminded of an instance a few years back wherein I was having a bad experience with a salesperson in a department store; and, another lady who had not seen me for years, but saw my facial expressions from the other side of the store, commented that she was shocked to see me looking so "mean".

I was not aware of my facial expressions, but she also was not aware of the situation and treatment with which I was receiving. Had someone taken a picture of me in that moment and circulated it, people might conclude that I was not a pleasant person. However, if they could talk to me, they would understand that the picture was taken during a time when the expressions on my face were appropriate for what I was experiencing.

So, is a picture really worth a thousand words? Or, can the actions in a picture look like one thing, but really mean another? 

Please respond with at least 50 words. Thanks