HOME

SYLLABUS

• Assignments
• Attendance
• Books
• Cheating
• Critiques
• Discussions
• Diversity
• Extra Credit
• Grades
• Instructors
• Lab Times
• Objectives
• What’s New?

TOOLS

• CSS
• Flash
• Photoshop
• Soundslides

DESIGN

• Color
• Cropping
• Design
• Photography
• Typography

MULTIMEDIA

• Audio
• Maps
• Multimedia
• Video

WRITING

• Blogs
• Captions
• Headlines
• Sidebars

RESOURCES

• Copyright
• Jobs

Captions

CONTENT
CUTLINES VS. CAPTIONS
DIRECTIONAL CUES
GOOD CAPTIONS TELL...
TENSE
WRITING TIPS

CUTLINES VS. CAPTIONS

• Cutlines are the words under photos. In magazines and books, cutlines are known as captions.
  
  
• Together, cutlines and headlines make up the two major types of display type you find in a newspaper or magazine.

Cecil Schwalbe You never know what type of pushy cabin mate you might have.

GOOD CAPTIONS TELL…

• Who is in the photo
  
  
• What the person/people is/are doing
  
  
• When the photo was taken
  
  
• Where the photo was taken
  
  
• Why the photo was taken
  
  
• Occasionally, how the photo was taken

Jump to top

DIRECTIONAL CUES

• In most circumstances, identify all recognizable people. Exception: crowds
  
  
• Make sure readers can tell which name goes with which face. Use terms such as “left,” “from left,” “right,” “clockwise from left.” Example: Lisa Brown, left, and Jan Knight walk to class.
  
  
• Avoid overly obvious identifications. Examples: “Former President Bill Clinton, left, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, right . . .” or “Gina Patterson, left, and her 4-year-old daughter, Samantha …”
  
  
• Directional cues can be set off by commas or placed in parentheses. Either is OK, but be consistent throughout your publication.
  
  
• Identify people from left to right unless the composition of the photo would make that confusing.
  
  
• Don’t begin a cutline with a directional cue, such as “From left.”
  
  
• Weave directional cues into a cutline subtly. The most important words in the cutline are those explaining what’s happening in the photo. You want those words, not the directional cues, to come first. Weak: From left, ASU students John Smith, Alicia Hernandez and Bella Jones won awards. Better: ASU students (from left) John Smith, Alicia Hernandez and Bella Jones won awards.
  
  
• Another alternative: If the people are lined up in a straight row, you can sometimes identify the position of the first person (usually the person on the far left) and assume that readers will continue to match names and faces from that direction. Example: ASU students John Smith (left) Alicia Hernandez and Bella Jones won awards.
  

Jump to top

Cecil Schwalbe Shove over! I need more room.

TENSE

• A photograph captures a moment in time. Whenever possible, use present tense to create a sense of immediacy and impact. Yes: Earthquake survivors line up for a meal at a food distribution center in Bhuj, India. No: Earthquake survivors lined up for a meal at a food distribution center in Bhuj, India.
  
  
• Sometimes it’s necessary to use the past tense in a portion of the cutline, like this: Earthquake survivors line up for a meal at a food distribution center in Bhuj, India. Hundreds of thousands were left homeless after an earthquake struck the Gujarat state on Jan. 26.
  
  
• If the photograph is a historic or file photo, include the date that it was taken.

Jump to top

• Words and pictures should complement each other. Captions coud provide more insight to enhance the theme, offer additional information or point out interesting details in the photograph that the reader might otherwise overlook.
  
  
• Give readers enough information so that they will know what the story is about and why the photo is significant if they read only the cutlines.
  
  
• Be specific.
  
  
• Don’t state the obvious. Explain what is happening or point out something the reader might miss. Provide additional information, background and/or context.
  
  
• Match the caption with the mood or point of the photo. If a snowy scene is meant to depict the beauty of nature, then begin the caption with a statement evocative of winter beauty. But if that same scene is meant to show the worst storm in years, then start with a straightforward news account. Make a newsy caption crisp and fast=paced, an arty caption more poetic.
  
  
• Avoid repeating the headline, deck or summary. Don’t use information word for word from the story.
  
  
• Check the facts. Be accurate.

Jump to top

Cecil Schwalbe Ahoy, mate!

• Conversational language works best. Don’t use clichés. Write the caption as though you’re telling a family member a story.
  
  
• Look for more interesting, less obvious verb phrases than “is shown,” “is pictured,” “poses for the camera,” “pictured above” or “looks on.” Those are “duh” phrases.
  
  
• Match the tone of the cutline to the mood of the photograph.
  
  
• Don’t try to be humorous when the photo is not.
  
  
• Avoid editorializing in cutlines, just as you would in headlines.
  
  
• Don’t ascribe emotions to people pictured unless you’re sure you’re right. Avoid judgments like this: “An unhappy citizen watches the protest.” Can you be sure he is unhappy?
  
  
• Never ascribe emotions or thoughts to animals.