Type of Captions
Identifies individuals or group and offers only a brief explanation of the content
What is an ID (or IDENT) Caption?
Identifies the group as well as the individual members by first and last names, beginning with front or bottom row and continuing to back or top row.
What is "Group Identification?"
Before you can ever write a caption for a picture you should probably do this.
What is TAKE a picture?
Consists of two parts. One caption serves as an overview of all the photos in the grouping, giving information and insights relevant to all. The second identifies or breifly describes each individual photo in the grouping.
What is a "Collective" Caption?
Tell us something we don't know.
What is "information?"
Highlights the most important 5W's&H
What is a "Summary" Capption?
A short, catchy mini-headline or introduction to a caption. It makes the photo-caption connection without having to use direction-giving words like above, left and so on.
What is a "lead-in?"
To gather information required to answer the 5W&H
What is "reporting?"
Sort of like the 'Voice' newspaper has the "Vox Box," we might include a photo of a team captain, coach, or Senior with something they say about the season.
What is a "pulled quote?"
Old information. It isn't "news," but it gives the news context and meaning, it helps contrast the new news with the "frame" of what's happened before (old news).
What is "background?"
Provides insights and information through the words of the subject in the photo
What is a "Quote-Caption?"
Answers the 5W's&H and provides additional details, it may or may not include a quote- but it definitely provides more context, maybe background information, or results of what happened in the image.
What is an "extended" caption?
Write a detailed sentence in present tense explaining the photo
What is a "Summary" Caption?
Take a poll, or ask several people their opinion, looking for quotes; then just include it in a content module without a long, traditional style story. This could include a graph, photo or clipart to illustrate the data.
What is an "info-graphic?"
If you know some of the background, you may compare or contrast it with the new information. You may even be able to make an educated guess (infer) what the consequences and impact of the news is. In other words, breaking it down to understand it better.
What is "analysis?"
Use typographical techniques to emphasize the first word or words used to begin captions (sort of like headline would for a story).
What is a "Lead-In"?
Not quite the full "Summary," 5W&H, but a bit more than just IDENT. This is another name for a sports caption what just tells who's in the picture AND what they're doing.
What is a "Cutline?"
Write a second sentence providing additional information emphasizing the how and why, or including a quote
What is an "extended" caption?
Random facts, information, quotes, or sayings that serve as reporting or journaling, but are NOT in paragraph form like a story; if anything, they're more visual, even though they're words.
What are "Quick-Reads?"
Once you have some background and have done some analysis, you're finally ready to form an opinion about new information. You can react or respond to it based on how it will effect you and others. Captions can help readers do this with photos, but it's not our job do do it for them.
What is "interpretation?"
A block of text, which contains several captions for a number of different pictures- for instance in a collage, montage or content-module, rather than one caption adjacent to just one picture. This may require you to use direction-giving words like "above, left" and so on.
What is a "Collective Caption?"
Two of the 5W&H aren't always included in a Summary Caption, but are the most important to writing an Extended Caption, which offers more background- almost like a mini-story.
What are "why & how?"
Brainstorm a list of attention-getting impact words that come to mind when looking at the photo, select the best option for a caption mini-headline
What is a "lead-inn?"
The idea is to draw readers into the page (or spread) even without a full blown story. But, it should still be a statement and not just a label. If possible, it should reflect or report something of the group or activity on that page.
What is a "headline?"
These are each worth a thousand words.
What are pictures?