How people appear in photos?

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When looking at someone in loads of various photographs is that a good way to figure what kind of person/what there personality is like?

Do you think there is a big difference to how people seem in pics and how them across in real life?

I do believe there is a difference. Photos capture just a tiny sliver in time, so expression caught in a photo can be an expression in transition. Also, is the person aware they are being photographed? I believe that is a question that is relevant to both still photographs and movies.

However, if you are looking at loads of photographs, as you say, then maybe. I know when I have a fascination with people, say Howard Hughes, Orson Welles, Louise Brooks, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, the mythical Lon Chaney, or any number of other people, I cannot get enough photographs, and I do feel that my mind is piecing together something about them. It's almost like I'm creating a dimensional reconstruction of them in my mind.

However, over the years I have come to realize that the reconstruction is just a projection, an interpretation. For instance if I looked at pictures of my older brother, they don't tell me anything about what he was like, but one would build an impression of him based on his expression and what he was doing. But it would not have the depth of behavior that he had.

I think Howard Hughes is the perfect example. I've looked at dozens maybe hundreds of photo, looking for signs of what was going on with him internally. I just don't see it. There may be hints at some movie footage of him. I can say that what I know about him does get projected onto the picture, so that affects how I see them.

I do identify with your question, but I have come to believe the saying don't judge a book by it's cover is appropriate here.

But if anyone has a different take on it, I would love to hear it. I don't have any answers, just ideas.

*edit* Wait? Did I go off on a tangent and never address you question? I'll have to come back to this after my meeting. (it's lunch time at work)

I'm removing this post. I can no longer delete it so I will just edit over it. I'd written during a stressful day and I think it was too terse and sounded too absolute, and I'm absolutely not absolute about anything.

To an extent, body language can be revealing in a photo. But, mainly in unexpected or casual snapshots, In posed photos, the physical placement of everyone, and body language of each individual, is usually due to the instructions of whoever is behind the camera.

People can purposely mask who they are, in photos or in real life, if they are that type of a person.

Mean people can smile and look friendly, friendly people can be near sighted (and squint and frown), or squint at the sun and look like a grump, etc.

It's easier to tell more if I know why it's being asked.

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