Given the choice, Fastolfe's method is the better way to go, but you could do ...

foreach my $file ( $file1, $file2, $file3, ... ) {
    push @tour_photos, $file 
        if defined($file) && $file ne '';
}
[download]

As for the second part of your question, it was asked and answered in Variable Variables, but why do all that assignment when you can use param('var')?

    --k.