Do not point out the obvious by using such phrases as “looks on,” “is shown” and “pictured above.”ĭon't editorialize. News picture cutlines should be straightforward and clear. Unlike headlines (and caption lines), they should contain all articles and conjunctions, just as do sentences in news stories. Tips and terms: Be concise be precise don't be trite Cutlines should be as concise as possible, but they should not sound like telegrams or machine guns. The cutline should give that information.

For example, a picture can show a football player leaping to catch a pass, but it likely does not show that the result was the winning touchdown. It should supply vital information that the picture cannot. They need not - and should not - tell what the picture has made obvious. Simply stated, cutlines should explain the picture so that readers are satisfied with their understanding of the picture. Who is that? (And, in most cases, identify people from left to right unless the action in the photograph demands otherwise.).But for most pictures a reader wants to know such information as: Required information The specific information required can vary from one photo to the next. Then, typically, the reader, after digesting the information, goes back to the photo (so be sure you enhance the experience and explain anything that needs explaining).That's when captions and cutlines must perform. When that look at the photo sparks any interest, the reader typically looks just below the photo for information that helps explain the photo.Often this reader look is merely a glance, so subtle aspects of the picture may not register with many readers. First, the reader looks at the photo, mentally capturing all or most of the most obvious visual information available.Reader behavior When writing a cutline with or without a caption, it is useful to have clearly in mind the typical reader behavior when “using” a photograph and accompanying text: Note: Not all photographs carry a caption line. See example.Ĭutlines: Cutlines (at newspapers and some magazines) are the words (under the caption, if there is one) describing the photograph or illustration. For our purposes, we will make the following distinctions.Ĭaptions: Captions are the little “headlines” over the “cutlines” (the words describing the photograph). Note: Captions and cutlines are terms that are often used interchangeably, particularly at magazines. As with stories, they must be readable and informative. As with headlines, captions and cutlines must be crisp. It follows that standards of accuracy, clarity, completeness and good writing are as high for captions and cutlines than for other type. Of all the news content, only the titles of stories or headlines have higher readership than captions. Photo captions and cutlines are the most read body type in a publication. (but only if it's got a really good cutline, too!)

Examples of cutlines under photos