How to write a

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How to write a Photo Caption
By Andi Mulshine Garden State Scholastic Press
Association For the Spring Advisers
Conference May 7, 2010
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On the job, the reporter and photographer
discuss how best to get the shot, based on the
reporters 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.
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• Captions serve to
• Grab the readers attention.
• Provide information for the busy reader who may
  not read the related story.

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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.
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Captions should be Active Complete Interesting
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1. Write one sentence, usually the first, to
   explaining whats happening in the photo. The 5
   Ws.
2. Write a second sentence giving additional
   information about the event.

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Dos 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.
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• 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.

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What is a Second ID Instead of using a
subjects 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.
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Dos 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.
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Donts for writing captions Dont begin with a
name unless it is the most important
element. Dont begin with a persons title. Dont
state the obvious. Dont use pictured above or
shown here or similar phrases. The reader knows.
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Dont use seems to or tries to. Just the
facts. Dont pad with worthless
information. Dont use gag, joke or cutesy
comments. But puns are sometimes good. Dont
comment, question or talk to the picture. Watch
out for that truck!
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Identifying the People in your Photos
If its a male and a female no need to tell us
whos on the left or right. Their names will tell
us. If its 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 its a group of people ID up
to five people in a photo, left to right.
Sometimes its best to ID clockwise. Participants
included, clockwise from bottom right, Jane Doe,
Barb Jones, Melanie Righteous, etc.
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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.
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Who Iraqi Shia father and son What Shia 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
Sadaams fall that such a display was allowed.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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