Page 140 - Jostens Yearbook_Adviser Guide

4 GOOD TO GREAT CAPTIONS

GOOD
4. QUOTES
A good caption will do its job: cover the basic information that should accompany the photo. It may lack style or
Quotes, when used as captions, specific voice, but will include a majority of the 5 W’s and H.
are a form of quick read. They Senior Edward Jackson catches the inbound pass from quarterback, junior Mike Nichols, at the homecoming
may be used in a page module, game against Lamar. It was an exciting play for both the team and the fans. “Eddie’s one of our best players
intended to tell a story from because he’s always where he needs to be,” Nichols said. This caption gives us the majority of the 5W’s and
the perspective of the student H. Some specifics are included. The word choice is general but the quote shows that students used reporting to
pictured. Students should be interview one of the subjects of the photo.
attributed with their full name
and grade level.
BETTER
A better caption will do everything that a good caption does, just better. Simply put, it will include the basic
information, but will also incorporate many of the suggested caption style guidelines.

Working together, senior Edward Jackson catches the inbound pass from quarterback, junior Mike Nichols in the
homecoming game against Lamar. Jackson promptly ran the pass into the end zone to score a touchdown that
helped the team toward a hard fought victory. “Eddie’s one of our best players because he’s always where he
needs to be. We’re lucky to have him,” Nichols said.
Champlin High School, MN
Passive voice and editorializing are avoided. Caption style recommendations are used. The outcome of the
play is given.
CAPTIONS ARE IMPORTANT GREAT
TYPES OF CAPTIONS
While some staffs may choose to forgo A great caption has it all: information,
traditional story writing, captions remain style, details, emotion and original
THERE ARE FOUR BASIC TYPES OF CAPTIONS:
instrumental in telling the story of the year language and voice. It will tell the
The standard caption, the group caption, identifications (or idents) and a quote only.
1 THE STANDARD CAPTION (PREFERRED) and maintaining a publication’s journalistic reader something they cannot see.
Though space can limit its use, it is ideal for each photograph to have a standard,
three-sentence caption. integrity. The key is to avoid redundancies
■ Sentence 1: (present tense) Identifies people (up to 5) in the picture using first and last names and grade levels. In synchrony, junior quarterback Mike
Give most important of 5 W’s and H. (who, what, where, when, why, and how) between photo and caption. Simply put, don’t
■ Sentence 2: (past tense) Gives background information that cannot be seen in the photo. Includes any remaining Nichols hurls the football to senior
W’s and H. state the obvious. If captioning a posed photo
■ Sentence 3: A direct quote from a person in the photo, attributed with the word, “said.” It can be more than one Edward Jackson, who catches it
sentence, if necessary.
of two students, it’s better to simply put their
2 A GROUP CAPTION name and grade level distinction, than to write, mid-air before racing into the end
A group caption functions to assist design. It is usually alongside a small grouping zone and scoring the game-tying
of photos so text is not trapped between photos. “student A and B smile at the camera.”
■ Captions in a group should be limited to no more than five photographs for readability purposes. touchdown. The play fueled the team
■ Group captions follow the same format as a standard caption, sometimes combining sentences 1 and 2. Quotes are
Additionally, not all photos need a standard closer toward their 38-33 victory in
not necessarily included for each photograph, but at least 50 percent of the images in the group, as space allows.
3 IDENTIFICATIONS OR “IDENTS” caption. It’s better for a spread to include two the homecoming game against the
Idents are simply a name and grade level designation, placed alongside a
photograph. Ideally these are only used on headshots and cutouts. well written standard captions, than a dozen Lamar Eagles. “We’ve never beaten
NOTE: An extended identification may be a single sentence with a few details added. For example,
Jessie Lucas (8) sings The Sound of Music. poorly written, redundant ones. Look to group Lamar, ever. And when Eddie made
4 QUOTES captions and quotes that will allow you to that touchdown, everyone realized all
Quotes, when used as captions, are a form of quick read.
They are often used in a module and intended to tell a story from the perspective of the student pictured. spotlight your quality reporting. at once, that the impossible might
Students should be attributed with their full name and grade level.
actually be possible,” Nichols said.
Quote is emotional and provides
© 2018 by Jostens, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
insight into what the team and players
were thinking. The language that’s
used is active and vivid. Clichés Rylee England: White County High School, GA
were avoided.

140 SECTION 6.3 CAPTIONS INTERVIEWING AND CAPTIONS 141