If you want proof that photons only transmit code and not energy just look in the mirror.

Look in the mirror what do you see?  A facsimile? Don't be too intellectual.  Your right side is not on your left side it is exactly opposite as point A corresponds to Point A with one eye looking back that the same eye.  A quality mirror just codes photons in the visible spectrum and sends them back as re radiation which is how and why  the image you see of your self can be seen by others at different perspectives.  Call that frames of reference?  What ever interpretations you want to make form it is from reading code essentially.  Our human eyes are adept at reading code .