{"id":120,"date":"2019-12-02T09:29:51","date_gmt":"2019-12-02T14:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2019-12-02T09:29:51","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T14:29:51","slug":"handout-on-captions-and-cutlines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/handout-on-captions-and-cutlines\/","title":{"rendered":"Handout on Captions and Cutlines"},"content":{"rendered":"

RH104 Summer 2019 Team F<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prof.\u00a0Byttebier<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Handout on Captions and\u00a0Cutlines<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

D<\/span><\/b>id you know?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

P<\/span>hoto captions and\u00a0cutlines\u00a0are the most read body type in a publication. Of all the news content, only the titles of stories or headlines have higher readership than captions. It follows that standards of accuracy, clarity, completeness and good writing ar<\/span>e as high for captions and\u00a0cutlines\u00a0than for other type. As with headlines, captions and\u00a0cutlines\u00a0must be crisp. As with stories, they must be readable and informative.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

N<\/span><\/b>ote:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Captions and\u00a0cutlines\u00a0are terms that are often used interchangeably, particular<\/span>ly at magazines. However, they are technically not the same. Their technical distinction is as follows:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Captions:<\/span>\u00a0Captions are the short (usually one-line) \u201cheadlines\u201d \/ titles \/ explanations for the photo appearing over\/above the \u201ccutlines.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cutline<\/span>s:\u00a0<\/span>Cutlines\u00a0(at newspapers and some magazines) are the words (under the caption, if\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 there is one) describing the photograph or illustration.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example from a straightforward news story covering a concert:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

P<\/span><\/b>hoto essay captions:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Photographs that do not accompany stories,\u00a0<\/span>but are the story themselves<\/span><\/i>, often are termed \u201cwild art.\u201d\u00a0 The\u00a0cutlines\u00a0for wild art should provide the same basic information that a story does. Such things as the \u201cfive W’s\u201d (who, what, when, where and why) are<\/span>\u00a0good to remember when writing such\u00a0cutlines. Many\u00a0cutlines\u00a0for wild art also have a caption line (overline), but this is not a must. You have considerable freedom in deciding how to structure the information you provide and how much information you provid<\/span>e (see below for templates and links to sites with more examples). The trick is not to over-explain, but neither to under-explain. Since you are creating a story, you want the reader to have the necessary information to understand what is shown, but you al<\/span>so don\u2019t want your captions to tell the story independently of your pictures.\u00a0<\/span>Your pictures themselves should do the heavy lifting in terms of leading the reader along<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span><\/b>ips:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Think of a caption as\u00a0<\/span>adding value to your picture\u00a0<\/span><\/i>in helping a viewer understand the context of a picture<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>In other words, the caption can help to understand the circumstances under which the photograph has been created, and can describe some of the things not visible in the photograph. Therefore, the cap<\/span>tion shouldn\u2019t just repeat what is already shown but give some background.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. The cutline writer should avoid characterizing a picture as beautiful, dramatic, grisly or other such descriptive and evaluative terms that should be evident in the photograph. If i<\/span>t’s not evident in the photograph,\u00a0your\u00a0telling the reader won’t make it happen.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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      1. On a similar note: Do not editorialize or make assumptions about what someone in a picture is thinking: \u201can unhappy voter\u2026\u201d or \u201cA fortunate survivor\u2026\u201d The reader should be gi<\/span>ven the facts and allowed to decide for herself or himself what the feelings or emotions are.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. Contrary what points a. and b. might make you think, present only relevant information, and\u00a0<\/span>leave out extraneous words.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Concision is a rule for caption writing as<\/span>\u00a0much as regular prose writing. Only include text that enhances your message. If the caption is as deep as the photo, it\u2019s too long. Keep captions to a couple of lines, and avoid using empty phrases, expletives and other convoluted phrases.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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          1. Choose the abso<\/span>lutely right words. Of course, this is always important, but it\u2019s especially important when you don\u2019t want to use a lot of words. Use strong nouns and verbs and go easy on the adjectives and adverbs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. Avoid trite language. Do not use verbs or verb phrases s<\/span>uch as \u201clooks on\u201d or \u201cposes\u201d \u201cor \u201cis pictured above\u201d in writing captions. They are obvious and boring.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              T<\/span><\/b>emplates:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              *<\/span><\/b>Note: you may use any of these below \u201cformulas.\u201d Consistency is a good rule, but feel free to change to another model in the middle of your essay if the content requires it (e.g. a picture that doesn\u2019t need much in terms of description might use model 4, w<\/span><\/i><\/b>hile another one might rely on model 3, since it\u2019s not self-explanatory).\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Location and date. Description\/cutline.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                  \n
                1. Description\/cutline only, with reference to location.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                    \n
                  1. Caption. Description\/cutline with reference to location. Date mentioned after.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                      \n
                    1. Caption<\/span>\u00a0only. Location and date.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                        \n
                      1. Description\/cutline. Date and location after.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                        W<\/span><\/b>ebsites for examples:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        Magnumphotos\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Instagram<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Website<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        \ufffc<\/span>Lensculture\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Instagram<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Website<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        NOOR |<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Instagram<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Website<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        \ufffc<\/span>The World Press Photo Foundation \u2758\u00a0<\/span>Website<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        RH104 Summer 2019 Team F\u00a0 Prof.\u00a0Byttebier\u00a0 \u00a0 Handout on Captions and\u00a0Cutlines\u00a0 \u00a0 Did you know?\u00a0\u00a0 Photo captions and\u00a0cutlines\u00a0are the most read body type in a publication. Of all the news content, only the titles of stories or headlines have higher readership than captions. It follows that standards of accuracy, clarity, completeness and good writing are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16760,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16760"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":122,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions\/122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/dme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}