Turn acceptable into exceptional.

Welcome to my latest blog where I will be teasing out the differences between a snapshot and a photograph. You might think there isn't any difference, however, I want to show you that there is. I also want to demonstrate how you can transform a snap into a photograph that you'd be more than happy to share on social media.

In an age where everyone carries a camera in their pocket, snapping a moment has never been easier—but not every image tells a story. There’s a subtle, yet striking difference between a snapshot (commonly referred to as a snap) and a photograph. One is a fleeting click; the other, a crafted composition. So, what sets a casual capture apart from a frame-worthy photo? Let’s zoom in and find out.

Let's start by looking at the snap. A snap is more often than not spontaneous, casual, and taken quickly. They are usually unplanned, for example, a moment captured on a phone or with a point-and-shoot camera. The person taking the snap has less concern for composition, lighting, or technical detail, being absorbed in the moment and eager to capture what's going on. People take snaps on holiday, at a party, or family gatherings, or everyday situations. They act as a visual reminder of a happy event. I know I have thousands of snaps amongst my photos, ones I have taken on the spur of the moment without any real thought about composition, the light, or whether I need to change any of my camera settings. 

On the other hand, taking a photograph is a more deliberate and considered event. You will pay more attention to framing, from which direction the light is coming, your subject, and to your overall technique. Doing all of this hopefully produces a better outcome than when you take a snap. A photograph can be artistic, professional, or documentary in nature, and it typically implies a higher level of skill or intent behind the image.

The difference between a snap and a photograph mostly comes down to intent, quality, and context. All snaps are photographs, but not all photographs are snaps. A snap is informal, off-the-cuff; a photograph is often crafted.

Having said all that, is it possible to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, and transform what on the face of it is a snap into an artistic photograph?

My wife and I were sat in our daughter's back garden when I took this snap. It wasn't planned, but my wife looked relaxed and the light shining on her face gave her a healthy glow. So I snapped.

A few weeks later I was going through my photos, as I frequently do, when I came across this image again. I wondered if I could improve it with a bit of judicious editing. That fence was a major distraction; my wife's face was going to be the subject. Using Snapseed, I therefore first cropped, then softened her face. I darkened the background. Finally I placed a frame around the image, which I then shared on my social media channels. 

The framed image is below.

I then had another go at editing because I thought I had made the background too dark. I also wanted to have less of a tight crop. Below are the unframed and framed second edits.

Perhaps some of your snaps could be rescued and turned into more artistic and worth-sharing photos?

It's a common misconception that smartphones can only take snaps and that to take a photograph it must be taken with a 'proper' camera. One of my future blogs is going to be about a Zoom talk I attended that shows you how to get the best from your smartphone camera.

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Hope to see you next time.

© Mike Young 2025.