Training > Writing

CAPTIONS
 Compelling Captions
• Reporting includes people directly
and indirectly involved
• Clever caption headline (lead-in)
makes a verbal-visual connection
with photo
• Caption details tell untold stories
not obvious in the content of the
photo
 Conversational Reporting
Try this sequence for writing your
questions before an interview.
• List…
• Describe…
• Explain…
• Tell…
• Tell Me More…
 Consider Mobile Reporting

•Cellphones, specifically smart phones, have everything a

reporter might need:
•A Camera
•A Notebook
• Voice Recorder/Dictation
• If you are audio or video recording an interviewee, you
are required to get their permission first (as per code of
ethics) 
• Even if you are recording an interview, it is suggested that
you also write down the answers … just in case 
 Types of Captions

•Ident Captions
•Summary Captions
•Expanded Captions
•Group Captions
 Ident Caption

• Simple identification of subject’s first

and last name and sometimes a short
description
Ident Caption
Seniors Maria Gonzales
and Jennifer Williams
or
ROYAL CLICKS
Seniors Maria Gonzales
and Jennifer Williams
or
‘MAID’ PERFECT
Seniors Maria Gonzales
and Jennifer Williams
Best friends and homecoming maids
 Summary Caption

• Answers most important of the 5Ws

and H and is written in present tense
Summary Caption
TICKLED PINK
After having just been
named senior
homecoming maids, Maria
Gonzales and Jennifer
Williams pose for the
camera at the pep rally
before sending the picture
to family and friends.
 Expanded Caption

• Expanded captions provide basic

details as well as additional
information, plus a quote that captures
the moment and tells a story. 
Expanded Caption
PICTURE PERFECT
After having just been named senior
homecoming maids, Maria Gonzales and
Jennifer Williams, best friends since
kindergarten, pose for the camera at the
pep rally before sending the picture to
family and friends. “I was thrilled when
Maria was named one of the maids, but I
never even heard them announce my
name,” Williams said. “Then Maria
screamed and pointed at me. We took
our pic together to send to our
grandparents and post on Facebook.”
 Expanded Caption – think A,B,C

ACTION BASIC COMPLIMENTARY

LEAD-IN INFORMATION INFORMATION
• Mini-headline • First sentence • All subsequent
makes a of a caption secondary
verbal-visual answers the sentences of a
connection most important caption feature
with the photo of the 5Ws and aspects of the
H activity not
obvious in
• Present tense
photo
• Past tense
 A, B, C + D

Detailed Quote
Provides additional insight into what was happening and
provides another student voice.

“This caption show is amazing. I never knew there was so

much to learn about captions. Our book is going to be
better than ever,” John Smith, editor, said.
 Remember, A, B, C, D
Focuses on the before, during and after of the photo
Action Lead-In creates a visual/verbal connection
Basic Information sentence written in present tense
Complimentary sentence written in past tense
Detailed Quote adds insight
Action Lead In

PUSH N’ SHOVE.
 Basic Information
PRESNT TENSE SENTENCE DESCRIBING ACTION IN PHOTO

During the playoff game

against Mountain Pointe High
School, team captain Brittany
Major (#17) attempts to steal
the ball from forward Jackie
Pain (#14). 
 Complementary Info
PAST TENSE, PROVIDES UNEXPECTED DETAILS

With only four seconds left in

the game, Major scored the
winning goal, giving the team
its ninth consecutive win.
 Detailed Quote
BRINGS THE CAPTION TO LIFE

“Soccer has been my life

since I was 7 years old. I
could not have imagined a
better ending. When the ball
crossed the goal, I cried,”
Brittany Major, captain, said.
Put it Together – A, B, C, D
PUT IT TOGETHER

PUSH N’ SHOVE // During the playoff

game against Mountain Pointe High
School, team captain Brittany Major (#17)
attempts to steal the ball from forward
Jackie Pain (#14). With only four seconds
left in the game, Major scored the winning
goal, giving the team its ninth consecutive
win. “Soccer has been my life since I was
7 years old. I could not have imagined a
better ending. When the ball crossed the
goal, I cried,” Brittany Major, captain,
said. 
 Group Caption

• A label lead-in identifies the group.

• Identify members from left to right,
front to back.
• Label rows as Front Row, Second
Row, Back Row.
 Group Caption

ATHLETIC TRAINERS. Front Row: Dana Weiss,

Lauren Nicholson, Sara Sausker Second Row:
Mike Wolf, John Dalke, Jason Kaiser, Chuck Mooty
Back Row: Amanda Lillemoe, Melissa Rieck, Linda
Sue Amundson, Tammy Whitaker, Megan Philipp
 Guess the Caption Type

Seniors John Smith & Betty Carls

 Guess the Caption Type

After months of planning, Junior Allan Tody and

Senior Sonja Jones, co-founders of the student
group Kids Against Hunger, kick off the first
annual Hunger Bash. The Bash included a dance
and the opportunity to donate canned goods to
the WeCAN food shelf. “It was something we
have always wanted,” Jones said. “We’re glad to
finally make our dream a reality.”
 Guess the Caption Type

Best friends since third grade, Sophomores

Phoebe Weber and Adrian Summers welcome
new students at Orientation Night and share how
they first met at Blake High School.
 Guess the Caption Type

After having a great final season, Senior John

Smith plans to continue teaching tennis at the
area Boy’s and Girl’s Club in order to not only
keep up with the sport, but to also share his
passion with others.
 Guess the Caption Type

ATHLETIC TRAINERS. Front Row: Dana Weiss,

Lauren Nicholson, Sara Sausker Second Row:
Mike Wolf, John Dalke, Jason Kaiser, Chuck
Mooty Back Row: Amanda Lillemoe, Melissa
Reick, LindaSue Amundson, Tammy Whitaker,
Megan Philipp
 Guess the Caption Type

Winning his third consecutive National

Association of Teachers of Singing contest,
senior Brian Andrews performs live for students
in his music class. Andrew has been taking
private voice lessons since he was six years old.
“Music has always been something I’ve enjoyed,”
Andrews said, “and I can see myself continuing
to utilize this gift for the rest of my life.”
 Guess the Caption Type

Eighth graders Carl Lundburg, Chase Foreseth

and Samantha Prince.
 PRACTICE
• Students will play the Storytelling Question
Activity to understand how long lines of
questioning can lead to great interviews,
and subsequently better captions.
 Rules
Storytelling Question Activity:

• One person will pretend to be a subject in the photos on the following

slides, answering open-ended questions asked by the class.

• The remaining people will be question askers. The first person asks
the subject an open-ended question to discover more about what is
happening in the photo.

• The subject answers, giving details and descriptive information.

• The next person asks a follow-up question of the subject.

• Each question/answer must be logical and related to the photo.

• The object is to see how long the line of questions and answers can
continue.
 Editing and Proofreading
• Visual Nouns
• Image-evoking
• NO boring nouns like students, players and
members

• Active Verbs
• Subjects take action, avoid all forms of “to be”

• Verb Tense
• Caption first sentence in present tense
• Caption second sentence in past tense
 Editing and Proofreading

• Consistent Style
• Capitalization, punctuation, spelling,
abbreviations, numbers

• Common Mistakes
• Label/name story and caption starts
• Long paragraphs (more than two sentences)
• Editorializing: writer injecting own opinion
• Obvious and redundant information
• Word overuse (school name/initials, mascot)