Although I agree the photo recon missions are tedious, time-consuming, and difficult, it does add needed challenge to the game as long as they didn't happen too often. Then it would be looked on more positively.

I was promised a carrier to photo at Rabaul. Had to fight myself past the spawn point and four very clever DDs. A narrow-twisted passage where the depth decreases very rapidly. Heavy aircraft patrols and a nasty tugboat which has the ability to detect me and report my location to the DDs. No shore battery that I detected. Despite my best effort, they found me and one worked me over with only minor damage. I managed to slink away and while they were focused on the area where they found me, photographed one carrier and sank it AND the lovely second one parked nearby. Eight torps and 22K tons in a few minutes work. Nice reward for sticking out a mission many would pass up. The scenery there is also very dramatic in low light conditions. Out of close to 20 missions I've been given so far in this career, only one photo and one spy so far. I'm not yet overly bothered by them.
-Pv-