Photo caption checklist

AIM THIS PAGE

Photo captions (cutlines) require information, taste, judgment and imagination.

The best cutlines do more than explain a photo. They pull readers into the story. Apply the same standards of accuracy to cutlines as you apply to stories and headlines. Avoid simply repeating the headline. Never write a cutline without first seeing the photo, and always be aware of the crop.

Photo cutlines accomplish four important things:

1. Explain the action.
2. Name the principals.
3. Tell why we’re running the photo.
4. Note the important or telling details in the photo.

In writing or editing cutlines, you should answer yes to these questions:

Have you gone beyond the obvious? (It is the job of the cutline to supply information that is not obvious from the image.)

(Example) Poor: A smiling Gorbachev waves to the crowd. Better: Gorbachev greets party-goers in Red Square. The festive atmosphere demonstrated a new mood inside the Kremlin.)