Q&A for How to Write Good Captions in Photojournalism

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you caption a photo?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    In photojournalism, you're really trying to be objective. So captions for those kinds of images have to be as objective and descriptive as possible, and you don't want to really put your own emotion or feeling into it. As a freelance photographer, when I work with people closely, I try as much as possible to have them involved and either write their own captions or tell me what it meant to them to be photographed or why they wanted this certain event photographed. I'm not here projecting or telling a story that's not true. I'm telling all factual stories, but I'm just a witness.
  • Question
    How do I add a caption to a photo in Word?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Select the photo, then open the References tab. Go to the Captions group and click “Insert Caption.” Enter any text you want in the text box, and change the label of the caption if you like (e.g., select “Figure” from the dropdown menu). When you’re done, click “OK.”
  • Question
    What’s the importance of a caption in photojournalism?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    The caption provides critical information that helps the viewer understand the picture and its context. Without a good caption, your readers will have a harder time understanding the story you are trying to tell.
  • Question
    How important is it to include time and date in the photo caption?
    Community Answer
    In photojournalism, it is important to include a reference to when the photo was taken. This can be a specific time, an event, or a year.
  • Question
    How do I mention an unknown photographer?
    Community Answer
    Cite the work as 'author/photographer unknown'. This is the correct form for anonymous pieces.
  • Question
    What questions should answer the caption in photojournalism?
    Community Answer
    Who, what, when, where, why and how. This would help the readers have more information or details on your work.
  • Question
    What is the rule of thirds?
    Community Answer
    You use the rule of thirds when you shoot with a grid. Whoever occupies the most space of the grid is your main subject.
  • Question
    What is the difference between photography and photojournalism?
    Community Answer
    Photojournalism is a subset (type) of photography. While photography just means taking pictures, photojournalism refers specifically to photos taken for the purpose of documenting a news story.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article