WRITING CAPTIONS giving more insight into the yearbook

WHY A CAPTION? ? ? � In the future, people will forget a ton of names, faces, events, etc. � Tells more information that is beyond the photo � Identifies people, things, songs, etc. � Goes beyond stating the obvious and gives perhaps a quote or stats

READER BEHAVIOR � Reader first looks at the picture; tries to capture all the information � Doesn’t get all the subtleties � Looks at the caption to get more info � Then looks back at the pic

ACCURACY IS NEEDED � Names must be spelled accurately! � Always identify people from left to right � Be concise � Know what happened at the event (win / loss; amount of money earned; assignment; etc.

READERS WANT TO KNOW � Who is it? � What’s going on? � How did it occur? � When and where was it? - this may be obvious, so it may not be needed…

DETAILED CAPTIONS � Use present tense � Never use “Mr. Lamont smiling by the computers. ” -ing verbs must be avoided. � When using a quote, make sure it reflects in some capacity what is going on in the picture � You can finish with added information about statistics (rebounds per game, team awards, etc. )

CAPTIONS SHOULD… � …not tell what is obvious “Todd Swinehart is smiling. ” “Brent Warner runs through trees. ” � Tell vital information that is not obvious from the picture � For example, a picture can show a volleyballer spiking the ball. It does not show that it was the winning point in the match against Armada to decide the league championship…

TIPS FOR CAPTION WRITING! � Avoid phrases like “looks on, ” “is shown, ” and “pictured above” � Don’t editorialize: Don’t make assumptions about what somebody is feeling. Only the facts matter. � Check spelling; identify people from left to right!

EXAMPLE � Gaslight Anthem lead singer Brian Fallon, performs on Day 1 of Lollapalooza. The band played during a persistent afternoon rain, but praised the crowd for its tenacity despite the wet conditions. “The thing about rain, ” he said, “it kind of tells you what a city’s made of. ”

EXAMPLE � Friendly Fires lead singer Ed Mac. Farlane performs during Day 3 of Lollapalooza. The English dance act played in the blazing early afternoon sun but powered through their highly energetic set.

EXAMPLE � Snoop Dogg performs to one of the biggest crowds of the festival during Day 3 at Lollapalooza. Snoop led the crowd through a hits-packed set that spanned his career, from “Gin and Juice” to “Drop it Like it’s Hot. "

EXAMPLE Ms. Hootman's son, Austin Sexton, 6, center, plays behind a sheet used by his grandfather as a makeshift boundary in the overcrowded house.

EXAMPLE � Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) volunteers work on a house in the Time Check neighborhood of Cedar Rapids. The organization plans to continue reconstruction work for another two years.

EXAMPLE � East Grand Rapids HS's QB Ryan Elble gets away from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s James Ross, right, and gets the pass off in the 2 nd half of Grand Rapids 21 -7 win in East Grand Rapids.

EXAMPLE � East Grand Rapids HS's AJ Mc. Ewen pulls in a pass interception that he returned to inside the 5 yard line to set up their 3 rd TD against Orchard Lake St. Marys in the 1 st half of Grand Rapids 21 -7.

EXAMPLE � From left, volunteer crew member Jim Jalsovsky, pilot Eric Horton, and passengers Chris and Katie Nall of Seneca, S. C. , prepare for takeoff at Balloon Quest in Fenton, Mich. . It was the first balloon ride for the Nalls.

EXAMPLE � Harrison Bailey, of Easton, Pa. , balances a caber during the Caber Toss at the Heavy Athletics field.

EXAMPLE Paul Burton of Trenton holds his redtail Colombian boa while walking during the festival. Burton hadn't named his pet yet, as he just got it the day before. �

EXAMPLE � "I love Michael Jackson. He started me off when I was little, taught me how to dance, " and his death was "a great loss, " said Dedrick Weathersby of Texas, left, in Detroit for a Baptist convention. He faces off with Tyuawn Brown of Detroit, who has been impersonating Jackson since he was 5 years old.

� President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden applaud as his Supreme Court choice Sonia Sotomayor prepares to deliver her remarks. Sotomayor recalled a childhood spent in a housing project in the Bronx as well as her upper-echelon legal career: "I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government. "

EXAMPLE � Rick Erickson, left, of Shelby Township, climbs out of his 1970 Mustang with the 428 Super Cobra Jet engine that overheated an ignition coil causing him to stop in the turn lane of northbound Woodward. At right are his fiends Kim Lutz and Gary Titus, far right. They planned on letting the car rest a bit and see if it would start again.

� Sen. Edward M. Kennedy responds to the applause at the presidential Democratic National Convention in New York City in 1980. After being defeated in his bid for the party's presidential nomination, Kennedy calls for party unity in the upcoming presidential election.

EXAMPLE � Noah Johns, 2, of St. Clair Shores, plays with a toy helicopter at one of the souvenir tents. These tents are staffed by the Parent Committee of the Civil Air Patrol Selfridge Cadet Squadron. A percentage of the proceeds from the toy sales goes to the Cadet Squadron.

NOW YOU TRY…IMAGINE WHAT’S GOING ON AND ADD TO THE IMAGE… � Information: Saxophone � Recording artist name is Yancyy � At the Rosa Parks Scholarship Banquet �

YOUR TURN! � � � 18 th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Comerica Park, Saturday May 30. Raises money for breast cancer research and awareness.

YOUR TURN Celia West � G Love & Special Sauce playing � Rothbury Music Fest �

YOUR TURN � � Port Huron Boat Night Bumper boats

YOUR TURN � � Detroit Red Wings Gustav Nyquist (14) Forward Ottawa Senators Mike Hoffman (68) Wings won 5 -1 Joe Louis Arena’s last home opener

WORKS REFERENCED � http: //web. ku. edu/~edit/captions. html � http: //alittlenewsphoto. com/? p=2491 � www. nytimes. com � www. freep. com � www. detnews. com