A photographer named Lewis Hine said, "If I could tell a story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera."
I think Hine is underestimating the power of words. When I crawl into bed and want to fall into a story I usually pick a book, not a set of photos. Sure, I've sat around looking at pictures from my past and the story they tell is much more descriptive that maybe the diary entry I have for that day, but it could be the other way around. The photo reveals what appeared to have happened that day. It may look like I'm having fun, but words can describe if it's a façade. Maybe I hurt my ankle and limped all day, a snaphot could easily miss that.
Photographs and words tell stories in different ways. I think Hine should have said "the story" instead of "a" story. Maybe the story she wants to tell cannot be told in words, but plenty of stories cannot be told in pictures. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a perfect example of something that just doesn't work in film, but is amazing as a radio show and book.
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