Captions / AP Style

[Steven E. Frischling]

Y'all might just want to stick to the standard
AP Style photo captions. I find AP style works
the best, they are universal and easy to write
and understand (there are always exceptions to
the rules).

Following is the AP Caption style formula:

-The first sentense of the caption describes what
the photo shows, in the present tense, and states
where and when the photo was made.

-The second sentence of the caption gives backround
on the news event or describes why the photo is
significant.

-Whenever possible try and keep captions to no more
than two concise sentenses, while including the
relevant information. Try to anticipate what information
a newspaper editor or reader will need

An example of a standard AP caption:
The Mississippi River flows through a hole in the Sny
Island, Ill., levee, flooding farmland and homes 10
miles south of Quincy, Ill., Sunday July 25, 1993.
About 2,000 people were evacuated from the 44,000 acres
that flooded. (AP Photo/Bill Waugh)

(The Above Is From The AP Stylebook and Libel Manual)

If your paper is an AP Member you can order the AP
Stylebook and Libel Manual for $7.75 + $2.50 for
shipping and handling. Non-AP members pay $9.75 per
copy of the book. You can get the book by sending
away to

AP Stylebook
AP Newsfeatures
50 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020

make your check payable to AP Newsfeatures.

......no I am not an AP Stylebook salesperson, just
a believer in the book. One is almost always in my
briefcase.

Happy Hunting Y'all

Steven E. Frischling
Photojournalist
1(516)791-6114 - Voice
1(630)982-5179 - Fax
ste...@frischling.com
http://www.frischling.com/steven
-
Basic Elemental, Instinct To Survive,
Stirs The Higher Passions, Thrill To Be Alive
-

Sent by Discovery Mail

[T. Rob Brown]

There is an AP Photojournalism stylebook too.

It has more elaborate info on caption writing and AP style for that.

Plus, it has photo ethics and other related photojournalism stuff.

If someone's interested at all, I'll dig it up and get all the info. off it
for you (private E-mail reply, please)

T. Rob Brown
photo editor
The Branson (Mo.) Tri-Lakes Daily News