RE: If you own a pet store, would you let visitors take photos of your pets?
From knowing a fair amount of breeders & small pet store owners, (reptile related mostly, but all types), this mostly comes from people who's "people skills" aren't their strongest quality, and are stressing about money. They get the "this is a business, not a zoo mentality." It happens in reptile shops more with people who keep coming in wanting to hold everything and never buying anything.
I would let people take pictures, it will mostly work out to be free advertising. And would build long term good will with people, even if they aren't buying anything. They may need something years from then. It's just bad business. I would assume you left thinking the guy was an a$$. And would be prone to spend your money elsewhere, which in turn will lead to him stressing about the finances, which will probably put him out of business eventually. It is an incessant cycle. I have actually watched many people open pet shops and do something of that effect to themselves. Sad really.