Like headlines, photo captions – or “cutlines” – should satisfy skimmers who don’t read the entire story. They also should help connect a photograph to the story, intrigue readers, dramatize the story or pull the reader into the story.

Every photograph should have a cutline, including specific information about the photo, describing action when necessary. When possible, cutlines should provide the reader information not contained in the story.

Make sure photographs match cutlines and everyone is identified.

Tips

• Always look carefully at the photo before writing the cutline.
• Don’t editorialize or include your opinion. Smiling students fishing from a dock may appear to be having a good time, but don’t imply that in your cutline.
• Be specific. “A 50-foot sailboat” is better than “a big boat.”
• Write “from left” rather than “from left to right.”
• Write complete sentences.
• Present tense is preferred, but past is acceptable. Never mix verb tenses in the same sentence.

Photo credits/copyright information
Be sure to provide photo credits or copyright information when appropriate. Typically, the photo credit or copyright information appears in small type beneath the lower right-hand corner of a photograph.