Writing cutlinesSome pointers

Cutline pointers

1. Cutlines must be clear and thorough – no photo stands alone in terms of meaning.

2. Explain the photo fully –Think about the five W’s. Who are these people (name, identifying info), and how old are they? What are they doing? When did they do it? Where?

Cutline pointers 3. Get rid of ambiguity, give necessary context –

is the person in the photo laughing or crying? Is the person getting ready to jump off or bending over to help someone up? What happened before? What happened after? What was the outcome?

Cutline pointers 4. Identify the subjects of the photo – all individuals

who are central to the action and meaning of a photo must be identified. Usually background “passers-by” do not need identifying. In very wide shots of a crowd, identification is not necessary.

Cutline pointers 5. Don’t be redundant – don’t stress something

the photo makes obvious (at “stutter” caption). This is like repeating the lead in the headline, or repeating a quote in a preceding paraphrase (stutter quote).

6. Be accurate – just as in news story, the facts must be checked. Check locations, names, match names to individuals. Be careful to reread caption after cropping a photo. Photo portrayal may have changed somewhat.

Cutline pointers 7. Write active, crisp prose – use action verbs in

active voice – have someone “doing something.” Avoid redundancies and wordiness. Don’t say “pictured above,” or “as shown at left.”

8. Use present tense for action in photo. But use past tense for description of past events that provide the photo with context and background. Don’t change tenses in sentence.

Cutline pointers 9. Show rather

than tell – let the picture show whether the event or scene is “beautiful,” or “hair-raising” or “serene” rather than telling the reader this in a caption.

Beautiful Kodiak Island isnestled within a breathtakingcoastline of mountain ranges.

Cutline pointers 10. Match the

tone of the photo in the tone of the cutline. A dark somber cutline won’t fit a picture of someone smiling.

Tiger Woods wraps upanother stellar yearon the PGA tour.

Cutline pointers

11. Be honest with readers about photo tricks and techniques.

12. Credit all photos.

Keisha Smith/Staff

Cutline pointers

13. Be careful about using “dummy” text for captions when laying out pages.

http://www.risd.org/schools/phs/clubs/ponyexpr/photoj/photppts/cutlines/sld001.htm