
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
December 31, 2009
The Portrait in Snapshot Photography
Since the beginning of photography in the mid-nineteenth century and for roughly 150 years since, portraits have always been a dominate theme.
As a snapshot collector, portraits of people are probably the most common image to find. Close ups, waist high views and full body shots are the big three, however most photographic portraits are poorly composed, poorly lit, and run of the mill. Composition alone does not make a great portrait — it’s the little things that are more difficult to define: the nuances of pose, the shift of a shoulder, the eyes, or the psychological power that may give us insight into who the subject might be.
The following portraits represent a just a small portion of vernacular images from the Accidental Mysteries collection, ranging from late 19th century to the mid-twentieth century.
All images © John Foster, Accidental Mysteries
Observed
View all
Observed
By John Foster
Related Posts

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
The Remarkable Mr. Deeds
.jpg)
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
Doug Rickard: N. A.

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
An Archive of Czech Film Posters

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
A Visual History of Lunchboxes
Recent Posts
Minefields and maternity leave: why I fight a system that shuts out women and caregivers Candace Parker & Michael C. Bush on Purpose, Leadership and Meeting the MomentCourtney L. McCluney, PhD|Essays
Rest as reparations: reimagining how we invest in Black women entrepreneurs Food branding without borders: chai, culture, and the politics of packagingRelated Posts

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
The Remarkable Mr. Deeds
.jpg)
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
Doug Rickard: N. A.

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries
An Archive of Czech Film Posters

Accidental Mysteries
John Foster|Accidental Mysteries