MODULE 12: CAPTIONS

A caption’s CAPTIONS SHOULD DO MORE

THAN STATE THE OBVIOUS.
CONTENT
CAPTIONS ANSWER READERS’
combines QUESTIONS ABOUT A PHOTO.
with a
CAPTION WRITING
photograph REQUIRES REPORTING.

to tell a story. QUOTES FROM INDIVIDUALS

IN THE PHOTO ADD DEPTH.

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 STEP ONE
• who: Junior Travis Wilson,
competitive wakeboarder
• what: spent a week practicing for
competitions while on a family
vacation
• when: vacation, last week of
June, competition in July
• why: for fun and to improve on
last year’s second place
• how: practice paid off with a first
place medal at the Junior X Series
Wakeboarding Championship.
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Gather INFORMATION about the photograph, answering the 5 W’s and H.
 STEP TWO
During an annual family
vacation in June at Lake Powell,
junior Travis Wilson practices
for the upcoming Junior X
Series Wakeboarding
Championship.

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To write a SUMMARY CAPTION, write a sentence in present tense explaining the photo.
 STEP TWO
During an annual family vacation
in June at Lake Powell, junior
Travis Wilson practices for the
upcoming Junior X Series
Wakeboarding Championship.
His efforts were rewarded with
a first place medal. “I live for
wakeboarding. It’s an
awesome way to push yourself
to the limit. My favorite trick is
called a tantrum, which is a
true back flip.”

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For an EXPANDED CAPTION write additional sentences providing relevant information and a quote.
 STEP THREE
• determination • flying on water
• airborne • on the fly
• in the air • board walk
• “boardum” • flip
• water and air • big air
• concentration • wakeboarder
• up and away • air male
• concentration • splash
• surf the wake

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Brainstorm a list of attention-getting impact words; select the best option for the caption LEAD-IN.
 The CAPTION FORMATS RANGE
FROM IDENTIFICATIONS
FORMAT TO MINI-STORIES.

of a caption SPORTS CAPTIONS REQUIRE

SPECIFIC DETAILS
varies with AND UNDERSTANDING.
its function.
ONE TYPE OF CAPTION
SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

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 A caption’s A LEAD-IN SERVES AS
A MINI-HEADLINE FOR A CAPTION.
DESIGN
THE FIRST SENTENCE
works with INDENTIFIES INDIVIDUALS AND
EXPLAINS WHAT IS HAPPENING.
its content
to draw A SECOND SENTENCE ADDS
INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS.
readers.
WRITING A CAPTION
IS LIKE WRITING A POEM;
EACH WORD COUNTS.

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1 2 3 Captions
Use TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES to emphasize the caption lead-in.