How to write a

Photo Caption

By Andi MulshineGarden State Scholastic Press AssociationFor the Spring Adviser’s ConferenceMay 7, 2010

On the job, the reporter and

photographer discuss how best to get the shot, based on the reporter’s research and ideas on how he or she will write the story. The photographer

meanwhile, also gets to write.

The caption, or cutline, is the one- to two-sentence story under the photo, which helps to tell the story.

Captions serve to:

1.Grab the reader’s attention.

2.Provide information for the busy reader who may not read the related story.

Two types of photo captions:

1. Photo with a story: the caption is one to two sentences and aids in getting the reader to read the story.

2. Photo without a story: also called ‘Stand-Alone Art,’ it needs two sentences, usually has a headline.

Captions should be:

Active

Complete

Interesting

1. Write one sentence, usually the first, to explaining what’s happening in the photo. The 5 Ws.

2. Write a second sentence giving additional information about the event.

Do’s for writing captions:Do use the first three to five words to grab attention.

Do state the obvious without being obvious.

Do use second IDs.

Do include the 5 Ws and H.

In stand-alone art, the first three to five words sometimes serve as the headline, which is in all caps and bolded. For example:

BLUE MAN ARMED – Long before the night was over, Baby Face Nelson took out his gun and cleaned it for old times sake. Nelson will be in town for the next three weeks, appearing in “Blue Man Crew.”

What is a Second ID:

Instead of using a subject’s name twice in the caption, use another label for them – a second ID.

SEPTEMBER SUNSET – Mary Jones walked her baby in the park as the sun set on Manhattan. The district court judge has been on maternity leave since August and hopes to return to work in December.

Jones’ second ID is district court judge.

Do’s for Captions, continued:

Do consider what is going on before, during and after.

Do use visual and specific nouns.

Do use active verbs.

Do keep cutlines factual.

Do identify all people, except with crowds.

Do interview to gain facts.

Do proofread, especially names.

Don’ts for writing captions:

Don’t begin with a name unless it is the most important element.

Don’t begin with a person’s title.

Don’t state the obvious.

Don’t use “pictured above” or “shown here” or similar phrases. The reader knows.

Don’t use “seems to” or “tries to.” Just the facts.

Don’t pad with worthless information.

Don’t use gag, joke or cutesy comments. But puns are sometimes good.

Don’t comment, question or talk to the picture. “Watch out for that truck!”

Identifying

the People in your Photos:

If it’s a male and a female – no need to tell us who’s on the left or right. Their names will tell us.

If it’s two men or two women – ID the one on the left. “Jane Doe, left, and Barb Jones took their physics exam yesterday, just before spring break.

If it’s a group of people – ID up to five people in a photo, left to right. Sometimes it’s best to ID clockwise.“Participants included, clockwise from bottom right, Jane Doe, Barb Jones, Melanie Righteous, etc.

Who: Dana Dietl, 13, and brother Beau, 9. What: They ordered Roaccutan, an acne drug, over the Internet. Their drug came from Pakistan. Their father is an ex-NYC cop who runs his own investigation company. He found no controls on Internet drugs.

Who: Iraqi Shi’a father and son

What: Shi’a mark the anniversary of the death of Imam Moussa Al-Kadhim. Father and son flog themselves with chains.

When: yesterday

Where: Outside the holy shrine of Imam in Baghdad

Why: First time since Sadaam’s fall that such a display was allowed.

Who: Andy Willner

What: the baykeeper for Hudson-Raritan estuary

When: yesterday. Where: Passaic River How-Why: Passaic is coming back after suffering many years of industrial pollution.

Who: Adriana, 4, Daniel, 7, and Alexandre Martinho, 9

What: The lot behind them is under consideration for construction of an elementary school. However, a builder wants to erect condos.

When: yesterday. Where: Newark. Why-How: Dispute will delay construction of schools. Same problem exists in many urban districts.

Who: Right-Giants cornerback Will Allen. Left-Redskins Laveranues Coles.

What: Coles loses interception to Allen in third quarter.

When-Where: Landover, Md. Giants 24, Redskins 21 (OT)

Who: Rookie center fielder Jeff Duncan and NY Mets

What: Duncan erred, allowing a triple; he struck out three times.The Mets lost, 4-2 to the Montreal Expos.

When: yesterday

Where: at Shea Stadium