Caption Writing
Captions are essential to news photographs. Remember that editors consider the informational value of a photo as much as its artistic merit when considering where to place a photograph. An artistic and well-composed photo that lacks basic caption details, such as the name of the person most prominently featured or the context in which the photo was made, is at a real disadvantage against a lesser photograph that clearly identifies some essential element or key player in a story.
News photographers are reporters just as much as the writers. Both must find a story and tell that story in a way that is accessible and compelling to the reader or viewer.
A part of that, which is easy to forget, is collecting basic information on the story. Photographers, therefore, must be prepared to ask the same basic questions that reporters do. In order to write a good caption, you must know the following:
What is happening in the shot?
Why is it happening?
When did it happen?
Where did it happen?
Who is pictured?
Perhaps the most important question of the five is the last one: Who is in the picture? People like to see themselves in print. Readers relate to people in the pictures. For every major figure in the shot, therefore, get the following information:
Name (make sure it is spelled correctly – do not guess, even for a simple-sounding name)
Age
Place of residence
Profession or class standing (year and major)
Once you have this information, you must turn it into a clear, accurate and useful caption. The art of caption writing turns on brevity – try to tell the complete story in as few words as possible. Here are a few rules to help you:
Use only words that enhance or explain the picture, or tie it to the accompanying story.
Use active words and active voice: “Junior forward Bill Smith scores the game-winning goal during the Bronco’s 3-2 win over Cal State Chico on Saturday” not “The winning goal is scored…”
Don’t state the obvious: “A car drives by the construction site at the new Engineering Building.” Duh.
The bottom line is this: information makes a good caption, not length. Don’t try to force in extra words just because you think the caption should be longer. There is nothing wrong with a caption that is just a few words long. This is particularly true of a static portrait or scenic shot where there is little action to describe. Consider this: a portrait accompanying a profile story shows university official John Hernandez leaning over a rail at the campus marketplace. There is nothing wrong with a caption that simply says “University Vice President John Hernandez.” There is no point in writing “John Hernandez surveys the scene in the quad outside the Campus Marketplace.” That is self-evident and unnecessary.
You may, however, make a longer caption that includes details from the story. “John Hernandez is a Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo graduate who says his experience in the CSU system will help him in his new job at Cal Poly, Pomona.”
Questions? Comments? Contact Me: SPScully@seanibus.com