But if you say I'll get photos when I email you, I'd have to be at least half sold. And part of what I'd want to know BEFORE emailing you is what you look like. I don't think stats and description would usually do that. So, unless you said something on your site or ad that really, really enticed me, I'd probably pass.

In fact, I'd think you would be more leery of guys who emailed you just to get your photos, whether they booked or not.

This is the Internet, a world of possibility, and we all have the attention span of a housefly. You are assuming that every potential client is going to go to multiple places, do thorough research, then wait for a reply and a photo. Some won't. The easier you make it for someone to get all the info they want, including an idea of how you look, the more visitors you are going to convert into clients.

Yes, there are reasons to do what you do, and the impact of your approach will depend on where you work - the bigger the city and the more competition, the more it will hurt you, while in a smaller place where there are fewer options and word travels offline it would not make so much difference.

I often start with reviews, so a lack of photos would not be such a big deal for me. But I do not think that is how most hobbyists work.

zig

We(and I mean all of us) are used to instant gratification. If a website doesn't load within 10 seconds it is common for the 'user' to 'click' his mouse for somewhere else.  
By making photos a 2-step process requiring the wait for an e-mail response you've lost the race to get(and hold) the 'users' attention.  

 With all the competition for the users attention(and money) why you would hobble your enterprise in this way?    

Unless there was some big overriding reason for me to pursue the toil of asking you for photos (Free turkey and stuffing dinner with all the fixings!), then I would not pursue you any further without at least one photo.

Men are very visual and the photos are the first thing I look at, and I don't think I'm alone in this regard.

Call it shallow if you will, but that's how we are wired up.

So, yes, do get some photos up there.  You'll be glad you did.  Be sure they are really good ones so use a profession photog who has experience with this kind of thing.

The 'Doll' charges $$$$$ and hour and there are no photos of her face. If you set an appointment and on meeting her, don't care for her face, it costs $$$$$$$$$$ to reject her and walk away

American women seem not to understand this so I think having discreet photos that blur your face will make a lot of men intrigued and want to book you to discover the mystery

I've been to many websites with password protected portfolios.  However, I don't want to register or have to remember yet another password so I have NEVER done so and I just move on.  

Pics are not necessarily THE most important thing to me but no matter how enticing other things (bio, blog, reviews) might be, no-pics is a deal breaker.  

I gotta see pics WHEN I'm in the mood and can view them, not when I get an email 3 or 12 hours later and I'm in a compromising position