Pildistanud

Pildistanud is an Estonian term formed from the verb pildistama, meaning to photograph. It is the past active participle, literally translating as “having photographed,” and it functions as an adjective-like form used to denote the person or agent who performed the action. In ordinary language it is most visible in photo credits and captions.

In practice, pildistanud is commonly seen as a label in photo credits: Pildistanud: [name], which translates to “Photographed by [name].” The form can also appear in noun phrases such as pildistanud fotograaf (the photographer who photographed) or, more generally, as part of a caption describing who took a given image. It is distinct from pildistatud, the passive past participle meaning that something has been photographed (for example, pildistatud foto, a photo that was taken).

Grammatically, pildistanud is a non-finite participle that agrees with its accompanying noun in number and case when used attributively. In standard usage it remains a label or modifier rather than a fully independent finite verb. For contrast, the related form pildistatud is used to describe the result of photographing—the image itself—rather than the photographer.

Related terms include pildistama (to photograph) and pildistatud (photographed, the passive past participle). The distinction between pildistanud and pildistatud is common in Estonian photo credits and descriptions, helping to clarify who took the picture versus what was photographed.