What's the difference?

[SimonW]

Between a snapshot and a photograph? 

[ABERS]

A question with an infinite number of answers.

One man's photograph is another man's snapshot, and vice versa.

[Jonathan]

Pradar asked for questions to put to Martin Parr.  I suggested something along these lines.  They refused to ask him.

Seriously I would love to hear his answer.  I'm guessing it's something to do with intent.

[picsfor]

Pradar asked for questions to put to Martin Parr.  I suggested something along these lines.  They refused to ask him.

Seriously I would love to hear his answer.  I'm guessing it's something to do with intent.

I saw Martin earlier on this year at Islington and he was asked this question. I believe his answer was "purpose and audience of the picture"
A snapshot was felt to be for personal or family memory purposes where as a photograph was intended for a wider audience.
I think he dismissed the commercial value of the picture on that basis that every picture has commercial potential - just whether it gets viewed, considered and used for such a purpose
I think that's it.

I just remember thinking - i could go with that definition...

I think it was because you suggested it Jonathan - you know they're your number 1 fan   He was not afraid to take any "honest" questions or enter into discussions about whether his work is good or not - and that was outside the designated question time.

[Malcolm1938]

Being logical I suggest that all Snaphots are Photographs but not all Photograhs are Snapshots.

Snapshot (photography), a photograph that is taken in a short moment of opportunity (Wikipedia)

A photograph - A snapshot that is better than you exected to be.
A photograph - A picture produced with careful consideration using a camera
A photograph - My awful picture of someone else 
A Snapshot   - Someone elses awful picture of me

I think that Jonathan is right - it comes down to intent....

[SimonW]

Our local annual flower show also covers vegetables, baking, handicrafts etc, and has a class for "A Snapshot" - with a specified subject which changes annually. My gut feeling is that the entries for this should not have any "photoshopping". - ie. snapshot implies not much time spent on it.

(I suspect that the judges wouldn't spot post-processing if it was carefully done, but I'd feel it was cheating. And considering that for the majority of the entrants photography isn't their main interest, if the winner was known to have been improved post-shot, it might discourage people from entering in the following year.)

[ABERS]

And there was me thinking it was an opening to an in-depth conversation about photographic themes.

However I bet that the veggie and flower entrants get up to some underhand practices to fool the judges! Examine their Hollihocks very carefully, and make sure those Haggis's aren't forced.

[Graham]

    So there we have it then, "What is the meaning of life" answerd in seven posts! That's what makes this place what it is, reasond well thought out, and short, answers to difficult questions.
                         Until I pipe up of course.
                                         Graham.

PS  Is this a good time to say that I rather like the work of Martin Parr and I like his attitude even more.

[Jonathan]

I think it was because you suggested it Jonathan - you know they're your number 1 fan 

Nah, I was one of the many proposing similar questions.  In fact mine was one of the more politely phrased - and I was genuinely interested in his answer.

They were afraid to ask him anything remotely "controversial" - hurrah for fearless journalism!

BTW not seen any Tweets from Amy or Rach for ages.  Either they have got bored, shut the website down or blocked me.  Any of those seem likely.

[picsfor]

Amy & Rach - gone quiet?
Does that mean i have to go over to Prada to see if they are still present there?
Some one have an answer to Jonathan's question please!

[deetus]

Between a snapshot and a photograph? 

OK my two pennorth.

A snapshot is basically a quick shot of something that may catch my eye and has some interest.
A photograph is something that has greater interest and that I tend to take more care with, composure etc.

However anyone looking at my efforts may not see the difference 

[Simple]

Here's my thoughts.
A snapshot is where the photographer sees something he likes and takes a picture of it.
A photograph is where the photographer sees something he likes, analysis why he likes it, decides on how to get that point across in his picture, and than takes the picture.

The trick is to make the photographs as quick as snaps, or in Martin Parr's case make photographs look like snaps.