What’s the Difference Between Snapshots and Portraits, Anyway?

I have been asked “What’s the difference between a snapshot and a candid portrait?” more times than I can count recently.  It’s a reasonable question given I’m a photographer, and a portrait photographer at that. To help blur the line further, I have a strong dislike for posed portraits and prefer a more candid, photojournalistic style.  That likely explains why so many parents tell me I’ve captured their child’s personality.  Perfectly!

So, for me, distinguishing snapshots from portraits, even candid photojournalistic portraits, comes down to a combination of five (5) key elements.  I plan on exploring these elements over the coming weeks, but for those of you dying to know now, they are:

Light and Exposure– The single most important aspect of photography.  Stated in its simplest form, photography is nothing more than capturing light.

Focus and Depth of Field – The best portraits rarely have an unlimited depth of field.  Portraiture is about knowing what, and how much, to put the focus on.

Texture – Shapes and lighting angles are key in defining texture in a two dimensional paper plane.

Composition – It is imperative to consider leading lines and shapes; otherwise, you just end up with a “picture of  a face”.  If the viewer’s eye wanders when looking at a portrait, you’ve missed the mark.  Negative space is just as important.

Color – If you’re capturing portraits for a color print … need I say more?

There you have it.  While every portrait may not have all of these elements, a professional photographer is likely thinking about each and every one of these every time the shutter closes.

Stay tuned as I explore these in more detail …