snapshot
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snapshot
A spontaneously and quickly taken photo that often captures a situation in an unposed and authentic way.
Während der Party habe ich ein paar lustige Schnappschüsse von den Gästen gemacht.
During the party, I took a few funny snapshots of the guests.
The word is made up of 'schnappen' (to grab something quickly) and 'Schuss' (in the sense of 'shot' or 'photo'). So it describes a photo that you 'shoot' very quickly and spontaneously.
Im Urlaub habe ich viele Schnappschüsse von der Landschaft gemacht.
On vacation, I took many snapshots of the landscape.
You can recognize the literal meaning from words like 'Foto' (photo) or 'Kamera' (camera). The figurative meaning is used in the context of data or reports and emphasizes that the information is only a momentary snapshot.
Dieser Schnappschuss vom Sonnenuntergang ist wunderschön.
This snapshot of the sunset is beautiful.
The most common combination is 'einen Schnappschuss machen' (to take a snapshot). You can also say that a snapshot 'gelingt' (turns out well) if it came out especially well.
Warte, ich mache schnell einen Schnappschuss von euch!
Wait, I'll quickly take a snapshot of you!
The figurative meaning is often used in journalistic or business texts. It signals that an analysis or report provides only a preliminary or superficial impression.
Der Quartalsbericht ist nur ein Schnappschuss der aktuellen Geschäftslage.
The quarterly report is only a snapshot of the current business situation.
picture / image
'das Bild' and 'der Schnappschuss' can both mean a photo. 'Bild' is more general and can also be a drawing or a painting. 'Schnappschuss' means a photo that was taken quickly and spontaneously. It often feels natural and unposed. The words can be confused because a snapshot is also a picture. If only the visual representation is important, 'Bild' is enough. If you want to emphasize that the photo was spontaneous, 'Schnappschuss' is a better fit.
Beim Ausflug gelingt Tom ein lustiger Schnappschuss von seinen Freunden.
On the outing, Tom manages to take a funny snapshot of his friends.
Vor dem Termin speichert die Chefin das Bild auf ihrem Laptop.
Before the appointment, the boss saves the picture on her laptop.