Praise be to Allah (The Glorified and Exalted).
In Islamic theology, Allah (God) (The Exalted) has created a system of rules, right and wrong on this Earth. He has His own Jealousy or sense of Honor, this is why sometimes His Rules may not necessarily be the same as other individual people (that have shaped their own ideas based upon their society, family, education, etc). This is the reason He sent revelation and prophethood to teach mankind His Rules. In the end, He will Judge the people on the Day of Judgment based on whether they followed His Rules or not. Those that follow His Rules go to Heaven and those that refuse go to Hell. The Almighty states that He does not want humans creating images of animate beings (humans and animals). This is His Law. This may have to do with His Jealousy over His creation, which He made by His Own Hand. This is perhaps why He (The Glorified) does not want anyone, by their hand, mimicking His animate beings. This is perhaps why the Almighty becomes Angered and Tells the individuals that have created animate beings by their "hands" (either by portrait or statue) to "breath life into it" on the Day of Judgment.
There is a concession given to creating toys, books, cartoons, for young children or drawing images of people in order to find them, such as missing people or criminals. In the medical profession, drawing images is also permitted, in case of performing surgeries, or etc.
In terms of taking pictures, there is a difference of opinion. Some say it is also forbidden, but others say it is permitted because it is not something done by the "hand," (meaning as intimate as creating with one's hand) but a process of snapping a photo. Recording videos is also permitted, likewise.
In other traditions, creating images of animate is also forbidden. For example, fundamentalist christians known as old amish, do not like have their images taken or image making. There are also fundamentalist jews that are the same. It may have to do with the following commandment from among the Ten Commandments:
"You shall not make for yourself an image, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
Learn more about Islam at the following sites:
1)
http://www.islamreligion.com/
2)
http://thedeenshow.com/
And Allah (The Glorified and Exalted) Knows Best.