I  have always wondered if that is possible, so I challenged my self to find this out. Think how cool it would be if you could search up a person in Active directory and find a picture of the person. It would be much more easy to find persons in a large organization.

I searched the internet for information about this, but I did not find anything usefull. Except a page that wrote that there is an example in windows server 2003 sdk that expands ADUC with thumbnail pictures, but he could not get it to work. Hmmm….

Here is a picture that proves that it is possible:

 (Its a picture of me by the way)

This is how I did it:

1. I installed windows server 2003 SDK.
2. I found the project file under
   %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SDK\Samples\netds\adsi\samples\DSUI\userext\
   userproppage\userproppage.dsp
3. I compiled it in Visual studio and included MFC files in the build.
4. The results of the compiliation is a Dll file that I registered with regsvr32
5. I then started adsiedit.msc and edit adminpropertypages attribute that I found under:
   Configuration\cn=configuration,dc=lab,dc=int\cn=409\cn=userdisplay
    
6.  I then added <number>,{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}
   (Where number was the next in line) to the adminpropertypages attribute.(In my case the number was 10)
   
7. Then I started Active directory users and computers and the Human resources showed up on every user.

In order to implement this properly you have to add this value to alle your display specifiers for all the objects you intend to add pictures to.

The best way to do this is with a script.

When picures are added to the user, the picture is saved in the thumbnailphoto attribute on the user object.

I guess that Microsoft choose not to implement this because of the size pictures can take. Replication can become a problem if the AD base is to big.

If you where to implement this, I would recommend to only allow black and white photos. Just to keep the size of base down.

Use this at your own risk. If you want the dll file you can find it here:

www.moe.am/wp-content/uploads/userproppage.dll

UPDATE:
Here is a script to both enable and disable the display specifiers.

ADS_PROPERTY_CLEAR	= 1
ADS_PROPERTY_UPDATE	= 2
ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND	= 3
ADS_PROPERTY_DELETE	= 4
Set objRootDSE = GetObject("LDAP://RootDSE")
strRoot = objRootDSE.Get("configurationNamingContext")
'Set objConfigurationNC = GetObject("LDAP://" & strRoot)
Set colDisplaySpecifiers = GetObject("LDAP://cn=DisplaySpecifiers," & strRoot)
For Each subcont in colDisplaySpecifiers
	Set objLocaleContainer = GetObject("LDAP://" & subcont.distinguishedName)
	'Contact objects
	Set objContact = GetObject("LDAP://cn=contact-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objContact.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	arrCounter = Split(arrAdminPropertypages(LBound(arrAdminPropertypages)),",")
	objContact.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND,"adminPropertyPages",Array(arrCounter(0) + 1 & ",{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}")
	objContact.SetInfo
	Set objContact = Nothing
	'inetOrgPerson-Display objects
	Set objinetOrg = GetObject("LDAP://cn=inetOrgPerson-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objinetOrg.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	arrCounter = Split(arrAdminPropertypages(LBound(arrAdminPropertypages)),",")
	objinetOrg.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND,"adminPropertyPages",Array(arrCounter(0) + 1 & ",{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}")
	objinetOrg.SetInfo
	Set objinetOrg = Nothing
	'User objects
	Set objUser = GetObject("LDAP://cn=user-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objUser.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	arrCounter = Split(arrAdminPropertypages(LBound(arrAdminPropertypages)),",")
	objUser.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND,"adminPropertyPages",Array(arrCounter(0) + 1 & ",{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}")
	objUser.SetInfo
	Set objUser = Nothing
	Set objLocaleContainer = Nothing
Next
WScript.Echo "Done!"

ADS_PROPERTY_CLEAR	= 1
ADS_PROPERTY_UPDATE	= 2
ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND	= 3
ADS_PROPERTY_DELETE	= 4
Set objRootDSE = GetObject("LDAP://RootDSE")
strRoot = objRootDSE.Get("configurationNamingContext")
'Set objConfigurationNC = GetObject("LDAP://" & strRoot)
Set colDisplaySpecifiers = GetObject("LDAP://cn=DisplaySpecifiers," & strRoot)
For Each subcont in colDisplaySpecifiers
	Set objLocaleContainer = GetObject("LDAP://" & subcont.distinguishedName)
	'Contact objects
	Set objContact = GetObject("LDAP://cn=contact-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objContact.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	For Each item in arrAdminPropertypages
		If InStr(item,"{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}") Then
			objContact.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_DELETE,"adminPropertyPages",Array(item)
			objContact.SetInfo
		End If
	Next
	Set objContact = Nothing
	'inetOrgPerson-Display objects
	Set objinetOrg = GetObject("LDAP://cn=inetOrgPerson-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objinetOrg.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	For Each item in arrAdminPropertypages
		If InStr(item,"{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}") Then
			objinetOrg.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_DELETE,"adminPropertyPages",Array(item)
			objinetorg.SetInfo
		End If
	Next
	Set objinetOrg = Nothing
	'User objects
	Set objUser = GetObject("LDAP://cn=user-Display," & objLocaleContainer.distinguishedName)
	arrAdminPropertypages = objUser.GetEx("adminPropertyPages")
	For Each item in arrAdminPropertypages
		If InStr(item,"{69D967C6-AB39-47b7-8F00-410185C80F89}") Then
			objUser.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_DELETE,"adminPropertyPages",Array(item)
			objuser.SetInfo
		End If
	Next
	Set objUser = Nothing
	Set objLocaleContainer = Nothing
Next
WScript.Echo "Done!"

Update 26.09.2010:
It is now compiled for Windows server 2008 R2 by audunms. He is approved under comments field in this post. Anyway, here is his link:
http://www.uccorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/userproppage.zip
Thanks Audunms

 Update 20.10.2010:
This is taken from msexchange post http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2010/03/10/454223.aspx:

OliD said:

i have written an Active Directory Users & Computers MMC extension to manage the thumbnailPhoto ( and EmployeeId/Number) – it resizes the selected image to 96×96 for you. It adds two tabs to the User properties page:

http://www.dewdney.co.uk/adext/adext.zip

I have tested this and it works as a charm on Windows server 2008r2. This extension has the thumbnailphoto and jpgphoto attribute. There is a readme in the zip file that explains the installation procedure. Simply genius.

Update 08.12.2010:
Information on using pictures in Sharepoint:
http://www.uccorner.com/188/sharepoint/sharepoint-2010-user-profile-pictures-two-way/

Information on using pictures in Lync 2010:
http://www.codesalot.com/2010/photos-in-lync-2010/
http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2010/11/22/microsoft-lync-2010-photo-experience.aspx

Information on using pictures in Exchange 2007/2010 with Outlook 2010:
http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2010/03/10/454223.aspx

So there are now 3 variants of the ADUC extension. One created by me(Microsoft), one from AudunMS, and one from a guy called OliD. The one to use is OliD’s one: http://www.dewdney.co.uk/adext/adext.zip
This will also compress the picture so it does not take up as much space. When you use this you do not have to change the display specifiers as described in this post. All installation instructions are within the ZIP file.  In order for the thumbnail attribute to get replicated you have to change the attribute in the schema MMC.

You have to make sure the “Replicate this attribute to the Global Catalog” is set.

I will try to create a post later on how to utilize the thumbnailphoto attribute to change the user logo picture in windows on desktops.
And please, feel free to comment on other areas we can utilize thumbnailphoto.

UPDATE 10.01.2010:

Just stumbled over a standalone program for managing/viewing pictures in Active Directory called AD photo Edit. Definitly worth a look:
http://www.cjwdev.co.uk/Software/ADPhotoEdit/Info.html