For you and others seeking to do this I would encourage you to look at the MySQL mailing lists (search for 'image blob'). There are at least 3 threads in the last three years that debate the topic of whether the image should or should not be stored in the database. It really does boil down to need/want in the end, but there is some good discussion on the subject none the less.

note: the information may or may not be Perl specific