Quote - > Quote - The gist I get is that, because he had the skill to do that, it took him a fraction of the time?

Actually i think that's entirely subjective. Just depends on the skills and experience of the artist as to how much time something takes to complete. Hand painting isn't necessarily any more or less easier or quicker than using photos, both are just different techniques used to acheive the same end result. The best photo-based textures almost always have some sort of clean up or post work done to the images, but that doesn't mean that it is any longer or shorter of a process than trying to paint everything by hand to a photo real level of detail. 

Texturing a head model also is not the same as texturing an entire body that needs to look good clothed as well as naked. 

Lighting also plays a huge role in how good a texture looks in its final render, and is - or can be - an art form all its own.

~Shane

Thanks Shane, that's a nice, concise clarification, I think