Studying images of families in works of art and in snapshots is compelling, and the author wondered if looking at both types of images side by side might help students understand both kinds of images more fully. Snapshots often prompt detailed and vivid stories among family members and friends. Therefore, she wondered if dialogue about snapshots could be used, in an introductory art history course, as a springboard to discussing related works of art with students who are sometimes reluctant to fully participate in group discussions. This article presents evidence that dialogue is essential in the creation of meaning, as students make critical observations between works of fine art and their personal family snapshots. In doing so, students internalize and construct personal meanings about works of fine art, using family snapshots as vehicles. Similarly, they internalize and construct personal meanings of their family snapshots using works of fine art as the vehicles. (Contains 1 table, 4 figures and 2 endnotes.)