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Purpose of a caption Should provide information about a photo Should entice the viewer to learn more about the subject and read the story Should NOT leave any questions in the reader’s mind A caption is like a mini news story.
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CAPTIONSJOURNALISM 1
BLANTON
PURPOSE OF A CAPTION
• SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT A PHOTO• SHOULD ENTICE THE VIEWER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND
READ THE STORY• SHOULD NOT LEAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE READER’S MIND• A CAPTION IS LIKE A MINI NEWS STORY.
WHERE CAN I FIND CAPTIONS?• NEWSPAPERS• MAGAZINES• INTERNET• BOOKS• TV• MOST PRINT MATERIAL THAT HAS PICTURES
IMPORTANCE OF CAPTIONS
• ACCORDING TO KEN KOBRE, A CAPTION IS THE MOST READ BUT LEAST CAREFULLY WRITTEN TEXT IN MOST PUBLICATIONS.• READERS OFTEN DECIDE IF THEY WILL READ AN ARTICLE BASED ON WHAT
THEY LEARN FROM A PICTURE AND CAPTION.
INFORMATION IN A CAPTION• WHO?• WHAT?• WHEN?• WHERE?• WHY?• HOW?
A ONE SENTENCE CAPTION
• A CAPTION IS GENERALLY A SINGLE SENTENCE BUT A SECOND SENTENCE CAN BE ADDED IF ADDITIONAL CONTEXT OR EXPLANATION IS NEEDED.• A SECOND SENTENCE COULD ALSO INCLUDE AN INTERESTING FACT OR
QUOTE.
AP CAPTION FORMULA
• THE FIRST SENTENCE DESCRIBES WHO IS DOING WHAT IN THE PHOTO AND STATES WHERE AND WHEN THE PHOTO WAS MADE (IN THAT ORDER). IT MUST ALWAYS INCLUDE THE DAY AND DATE THE PHOTO WAS MADE.• USE PRESENT TENSE.
SECOND SENTENCE
• GIVES THE BACKGROUND OF THE NEWS EVENT AND DESCRIBES WHY THE PHOTO IS SIGNIFICANT (NEWS VALUE)
WHO?• WHO IS IN THE PICTURE?• NAME, AGE, OCCUPATION• ORGANIZATION NAME AND TITLE• CONNECTION WITH THE INCIDENT BEING REPORTED• IDENTIFY PEOPLE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT (L TO R)
EXAMPLES• JIMMIE SUTTON, 101, A RESIDENT AT MORNINGSTAR ASSISTED LIVING • WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY JUNIOR CARLEE JENKINSON• ARTIST GAYLE WOODY• SOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPEECH PROFESSOR JENNIFER
ROSENBERG• PRE-SCHOOLER BRAYDEN BECK, AGE 5,
• CALIFORNIA GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, RIGHT, LAUGHS WITH MS. INTERNATIONAL WINNER YAXENI ORIQUEN, OF BRAZIL, AFTER PRESENTING HER WITH THE TROPHY FRIDAY, FEB. 29, 2008, IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. ORIQUEN WON HER FOURTH MS. INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. (AP PHOTO/JAY LAPRETE)
• THE SECOND SENTENCE EXPLAINS WHY OR HOW THIS IMAGE IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF NEWS.
• ORIQUEN WON HER FOURTH MS. INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.
TO PUBLISH OR NOT TO PUBLISH?
• MANY EDITORS WILL NOT RUN A PHOTOGRAPH IF THE CAPTION DOESN’T INCLUDE THE FULL NAMES OF THE IDENTIFIABLE PEOPLE IN THE IMAGE.
6 IS A CROWD• FOR CLOSE-UP SHOTS WITH 5 PEOPLE OR FEWER, YOU NEED TO GET
EVERYONE’S NAME.• FOR A CROWD, IT IS NOT NECESSARY – OR EVEN POSSIBLE – TO IDENTIFY
EVERYONE.• FOR A CROWD, IDENTIFY THE GROUPINGS, SUCH AS FOOTBALL FANS,
STRIKING TEACHERS, OCCUPY PROTESTORS, ETC.
• THE CREW OF THE U.S. NAVY'S NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE USS GEORGIA BOW THEIR HEADS IN PRAYER ABOARD THE SUB DURING A RETURN TO SERVICE CEREMONY, FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2008 IN KINGS BAY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, GA. THE GEORGIA IS THE LAST OF FOUR SUBMARINES IN THE OHIO CLASS TO UNDERGO THE $1 BILLION CONVERSION. THE OTHERS ARE FLORIDA, OHIO AND MICHIGAN. THE SUBS ARE CONVERTED TO CARRY CRUISE MISSILES INSTEAD OF INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES. (AP PHOTO/STEPHEN MORTON)
WHAT?
• WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PICTURE? BE SPECIFIC. DON’T ASSUME THE READER CAN TELL. USE AN ACTION VERB.• REMEMBER TO WRITE IN PRESENT TENSE TO MAKE IT MORE IMMEDIATE.
WHEN?
• WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?• USE THE MONTH, DAY, AND YEAR• TIME IS ONLY NECESSARY IF IT IS RELEVANT TO THE STORY.• STRICT AP STYLE INCLUDES THE DAY
• DAVID WENTZ, 16, HOLDS A FOSSILIZED SHARK TOOTH, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2008, INSIDE HIS HOME IN PORT HURON, MICH. WENTZ FOUND THE TOOTH WHILE SNORKELING WITH HIS BROTHER SHAUN, 21, OFF A MARYSVILLE (MICHIGAN) BEACH AT THE END OF SUMMER LAST YEAR. (AP PHOTO/TIMES HERALD, MELISSA WAWZYSKO)
AP STYLE NOTE FOR DATES
• ABBREVIATE JAN., FEB., AUG., SEPT., OCT., NOV., AND DEC.• WRITE OUT MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY
WHERE
• WHERE DID IT HAPPEN?• INCLUDE CITY AND STATE• IF RELEVANT, INCLUDE A SPECIFIC LOCATION SUCH AS A BUILDING OR
CLASSROOM OR CAMPUS.
AP STYLE NOTE• USE THE ABBREVIATIONS, NOT THE POSTAL SERVICE DESIGNATIONS. FOR
EXAMPLE, CALIFORNIA IS CALIF. NOT CA• DO NOT ABBREVIATE ALASKA, HAWAII, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, OHIO, TEXAS,
AND UTAH
• CAN LOOK UP CORRECT ABBREVIATIONS ONLINE OR IN AP STYLE BOOK
WHY?
• EXPLAIN WHY SOMETHING IS HAPPENING• THE WHY PART OF THE CAPTION PROVIDES A DEPTH OF NEWS VALUE TO
YOUR PHOTOGRAPH AND PUTS THE IMAGE IN CONTEXT• THIS IS WHERE THE REAL REPORTING BEGINS• LOOK FOR A NEWS PEG.
• 14-02-2005 BEIRUT, LEBANON • A MAN SHOUTS FOR HELP AT THE SCENE OF THE TRUCK-BOMB EXPLOSION
THAT KILLED FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER RAFIK HARIRI. TWENTY OTHER PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE BLAST, WHICH APPEARED AIMED AT THE POLITICIAN'S MOTORCADE. HARIRI HAD RESIGNED AS PREMIER TO JOIN THE OPPOSITION FOUR MONTHS EARLIER, AND WAS AIMING AT MAKING A COMEBACK IN MAY ELECTIONS. OPPOSITION LEADERS BLAMED THE LEBANESE AND SYRIAN GOVERNMENTS FOR THE KILLING, CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S RESIGNATION AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF SYRIAN TROOPS FROM LEBANON. (PHOTO: MOHAMAD AZAKIR /REUTERS )
HOW?
• THIS COULD BE HOW MUCH (DAMAGES, COST, PROFITS, ETC.)• HOW MANY (IN ATTENDANCE, INJURIES, ETC.)• HOW SOMETHING CAME ABOUT (THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT, THE REASON
FOR THE ARREST)
STAND ALONE
• WHEN YOU HAVE A STAND ALONE PHOTO (SOMETIMES CALLED WILD ART WHEN IT IS A FEATURE PHOTO), THE LONGER THE CAPTION AND THE MORE INFORMATION, THE BETTER. IT IS LIKE A MINI NEWS STORY.
• THE FINGERS OF MALNOURISHED ALASSA GALISOU (1) ARE PRESSED AGAINST THE LIPS OF HIS MOTHER FATOU OUSSEINI AT AN EMERGENCY FEEDING CENTER. ONE OF THE WORST DROUGHTS IN RECENT TIMES, TOGETHER WITH A PARTICULARLY HEAVY PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS THAT HAD DESTROYED THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S HARVEST, LEFT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SEVERELY SHORT OF FOOD. HEAVY RAINS PROMISED WELL FOR THE 2005 CROPS, BUT HINDERED AID WORKERS BRINGING SUPPLIES. RELIEF HAD BEEN SLOW TO COME. ACCUSATIONS WERE LEVELED VARIOUSLY BLAMING THE UNITED NATIONS, WESTERN GOVERNMENTS, THE INTERNATIONAL AID COMMUNITY AND OFFICIALS IN NIGER ITSELF FOR FAILING TO RESPOND EARLY ENOUGH TO AN IMMINENT CRISIS. (PHOTO: FINBARR O’REILLY)
BE CONCISE, BE PRECISE• ACCURACY IS IMPORTANT• ASK PEOPLE HOW TO SPELL THEIR NAMES• DON’T GET INFORMATION SECONDHAND• STICK TO WHAT THE PHOTOS SHOW AND WHAT YOU KNOW• EXPLAIN ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE WITNESSED• ALL OTHER INFO MUST BE SOURCED.
DON’T EDITORIALIZE
• STICK TO THE FACTS.• DON’T ASSUME WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING OR FEELING• REFRAIN FROM USING DESCRIPTIVE TERMS.
SOME OTHER INFO TO INCLUDE• A CAPTION CAN POINT OUT A SMALL DETAIL IN A PHOTO THAT A READER MAY
OVERLOOK• A CAPTION SHOULD CLEARLY EXPLAIN IF ANY UNUSUAL PHOTO TECHNIQUES
WERE USED TO MAKE THE IMAGE.
PHOTO CREDIT• PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOULD INCLUDE THEIR PHOTO CREDIT IN THE CAPTION.
STYLE VARIES BY PUBLICATION.• JILL CONNELLY FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES• JILL CONNELLY/AP• AP PHOTO/JILL CONNELLY• SMHS PHOTO BY BRADY POWELL
OTHER TYPES OF PHOTOS• A HANDOUT PHOTO IS PROVIDED BY SOMEONE ELSE TO THE PUBLICATION,
NOT TAKEN BY THE NEWSPAPER’S STAFF OR FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHERS. THE SOURCE SHOULD BE CREDITED.• PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SMITH FAMILY
• A PHOTO ILLUSTRATION CAN BE SET UP OR MADE IN PHOTOSHOP; IT SHOULD BE CLEARLY LABELED.• PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BRADY POWELL
• A FILE PHOTO IS NOT CURRENT, IT IS TAKEN FROM THE ARCHIVES AND SHOULD BE LABELED AS SUCH.• FILE PHOTO
SPORTS CAPTIONS
• A SPORTS PHOTO OFTEN SUMS UP THE GAME IN A SINGLE IMAGE.• SPORTS CAPTIONS SHOULD INCLUDE THE 5 WS AND H.• INCLUDE THE FINAL SCORE AS THE SECOND SENTENCE OF THE CAPTION.• EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PLAY.
• SPAIN'S RAFAEL NADAL RETURNS THE BALL TO GERMANY'S PHILIPP KOHLSCHREIBER DURING THE SECOND DAY OF THE EMIRATES DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, TUESDAY, MARCH. 4, 2008.(AP PHOTO/NOUSHA SALIMI)
TIPS FOR GETTING GOOD SPORTS CAPTIONS
• GET A ROSTER FOR BOTH TEAMS• CONFIRM THE INFO ON THE ROSTER, INCLUDING SPELLING OF PLAYERS’
NAMES• KEEP SHOOTING AFTER THE PEAK ACTION SO YOU GET A CLEAR SHOT OF THE
NUMBERS TO IDENTIFY THE PLAYERS FOR CAPTIONS.• TAKE NOTES DURING THE GAME.
SPORTS CAPTIONS
• PHOTOGRAPH THE SCOREBOARD TO HELP YOU KEEP TRACK OF WHEN PLAYS OCCUR
CAPTION OR CUTLINE
• SOME USE THE TERMS INTERCHANGEABLY.• OTHERS SAY ONE IS A NEWSPAPER TERM, THE OTHER A MAGAZINE.
CONTEST CAPTION EXAMPLES
• DISTRAUGHT MOM AND TEENIMPACTDRIVERS.ORG ADVOCATE, MARTHA TESSMER STATES HOW DISTRACTED TEEN DRIVERS TOOK AWAY HER SON.PHOTO BY 555-1556 NO DATE OR PLACE, WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED WITH A WHY.
Martha Tessmer speaks about her son, Donovan Haley Tessmer, who died in a car accident, because his girlfriend got distracted at the wheel while driving. Donovan was a high school football player with great chances at getting a scholarship, and displayed next to her is his football signed by his high school football team. As family photos display behind her, she speaks about the fatal risks of being distracted while driving, at a press conference in the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. promoting safer driving for teens. 555-444Great caption but no date!
Martha Tessmer spoke at a press conference April 9, 2010 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif., regarding the dangers of distracted driving. Donovan, Tessmer's 17-year-old son, died in a auto accident caused be a distracted driver on July 8, 2007. According to the United Service Automobile Association, teen drivers have the highest crash involvemnet and fatalitly rates of any group. 555-3333Great image. This was a tough one. Judges were in the audience and recalled Tessmer saying they would celebrate his birthday in two weeks. So technically he was probably still 16 when he died. However, it was possible that he was 17 and they were having a party in two weeks. Photographer got a fact wrong. Photog should have asked the mother to clarify. There were also spelling errors.
• OFFICER RAN NARAYAN REFLECTS ON TRAAFFIC FLOW DO TO THE BIG BUILD PROJECT AT THE SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011. "NO PROBLEMS WITHTRAFFIC. JUST A LITTLE CONGESTED." SAID OFFICER NARAYAN. "PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THERE IS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON." PHOTO BY 555-1949
• GREAT TO GET QUOTES, NO CITY OR
STATE.
• 4/08/11 CONSTRUCTION NEARS END AT SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S NEW TERMINAL B BY:555-1969 THERE IS A LOT MISSING HERE: NO WHO, WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND WHY, CITY, STATE, DATE SHOULD BE PART OF SENTENCE AND WRITTEN OUT. (ALSO AS FAR AS COMPOSITION, PHOTO IS TAKEN FROM TOO FAR AWAY, HAS A LOT OF DEAD SPACE AND NO CENTER OF INTEREST.)
ASSIGNMENT
• YOU WILL NOW USE THE WORKSHEET (DON’T FORGET TO WRITE YOUR NAME ON YOUR PAPER!) TO WRITE YOUR OWN CAPTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE PICTURES IN THIS POWERPOINT. REMEMBER TO USE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED!
