Q: Is there a way to send a message with a photo attached using imessages. I am not able to send a photo to one of my contacts because I am sending the contact a message text messages. I don't want to send contacts text messages. I want to send them iMe

Does the contact you want to send the photo to use an iOS device or an OS X computer?

If the person is using Android, Windows, Linux or other operating system, you cannot

send them iMessage.

As imobl suggests, assuming the person does not have an iOS device, you would have to send an MMS message.  You would have to have MMS available to you from your cellular carrier (often costs extra).

They also need to have iMessage turned on, and either be on WiFi or in a cellular coverage area with a carrier that supports iMessage.  Further, they need to have Settings > Messages > Send & Receive set up with an address that you are using (e.g., their iPhone telephone number).

Your switches are set fine ... assuming, of course, iMessage is "on", which it certainly sounds like it is.

Perhaps this article will help:

Send messages with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Regarding your comment about all being on Verizon, it still depends where the recipient is actually located when the message is sent.  Is the recipient in a Verizon coverage area (assuming they are not on WiFi)?

If you have MMS turned off, then I do not believe you will be able to send a picture to someone via iMessage, and you also could not have done it via MMS with text messaging as you state. MMS is what is used to send any type of media with a Message.

ChrisJ4203, I wondered about your MMS comment above.  So I just tried this.  I turned MMS off, and attempted to send a photo by iMessage to my wife's iPad using her email address (to avoid possible iPhone handoff).  It succeeded!  So I conclude that turning MMS off only affects a cellular MMS transmission.

Thank you for that study. I'm in my little cubicle here at work, and cellular is non-existent, and wi-fi is sketchy in this area of the building, so I could not verify. I thought about it when you said it, but was under the impression that it had to be turned on. However, when you think about it, sending any media with an iMessage, would be like attaching something to an email. Thanks for the backup.

Kolyei Do your siblings have iMessage turned on?

Are you sending iMessage to their phone number or email address? (Make sure they have the phone number/email address selected in Send&Receive).

Kolyei, sorry for the late reply.

Have your brother create a contact in his phone for himself. Inside his own contact, have him add his phone number and his iCloud address.

Settings > Messages > Send & Receive Have your brother select both his phone number and email addresses where he would like to receive iMessages.