writing cutlines

I n t e g r i t y - S e r v i c e - E x c e l l e n c e

Air Combat Command Public Affairs

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Presented by:

MSgt Mark Haviland

Manager, Operations

Writing Photo Cutlines

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Overview

A thousand words? A cutline … Elements of a basic cutline

Who What Where When

Elements of an extended cutline Why or How Background information

Summary

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A thousand words?

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A thousand words?

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A thousand words?

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A thousand words?

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A thousand words?

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A thousand words?

This photograph by Alan Diaz of the Associated Press, taken on April 22, 2000, shows Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez and Donato Dalrymple, one of the two men who rescued the boy from the sea, in a bedroom closet as federal agents enter the Little Havana home of Elian's relatives.

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A thousand words?

After three weeks and 300-plus miles of speed-and-maneuver warfare, Master Gunnery Sgt. Frank Cordero savors the first letters from his wife, Melissa. "I held that first one for about five minutes...Just to smell it and hold it." (Photo by Cheryl Diaz Meyer)

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A thousand words?

Dallas, TX -- Tracey Nolan lost track of her seven-month-old son, A'Mahd MaGee, when she was forced to leave for Dallas. A'Mahd had been visiting with a family friend when the storm hit New Orleans, and floodwaters prevented Ms. Nolan from reaching her child before she had to be evacuated by helicopter on August 30th. (Photo by Melanie Burford)

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A thousand words?

Jay Robbins sobs as he salutes his colleague, emergency medical technician Yarnel Merino, 25, who died in the attack on the World Trade Center. (Photo by George Gutierrez)

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A thousand words?

Refers to the idea that complex stories can be told with

just a single still image, or that an image may be more

influential than a substantial amount of text.

However …

Photo cutlines are often the first and most read element of newspapers, magazines and “new media”

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Tell the story behind the photograph Be short and clear Influence picture meaning

Point out subtleties not apparent to casual viewer

Prevent reader misunderstanding Complement the text by relating to

nonvisual senses Explain technical information/special

effects Reinforce the message effect Start with the photographer

A cutline should …

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State the obvious Raise more questions than answers Change the original message Speculate about subject

feelings/thoughts Include fiction Overlook the mood of the photo Be an afterthought

A cutline should not …

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Elements of a basic cutline

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Critique

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who What When & Where Why Photo credit

Critique

Jumping through hoopsJoseph Simmons, son of Staff Sgt. TemekaSimmons, a mission capability technician for theCombat Air Force Logistics Support Center,jumps through hoops at the Russ ChildDevelopment Center during the Hop-a-thon May4. The center provided several activities forchildren, including potato sack races , hopscotch,leapfrog and alphabet hopping. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Amy L. Robinson)

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Who Branch of service Rank Full name (first, MI, Last, suffix) Specialty and/or duty title Unit of assignment Home station unit (if deployed)

Doesn’t have to be first element Children’s ID should include parent’s

information and age (if released by parent)

Should include all recognizable people in photo (left to right unless compelling reason to deviate)

Elements of a basic cutline

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What Unless obvious, describe action Can be first element of cutline

Elements of a basic cutline

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Where & When Lead element only if significant Use date (July 4) Location Only lead if time/place is significant

Elements of a basic cutline

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Senior Airman Andrzej Wojcickigreets an Afghan child afterconvoying July 27 to an InternalDisplaced Persons camp outsideof Kabul, Afghanistan, to deliverdonations sent from the UnitedStates. Airman Wojcicki is amember of the CombinedSecurity Transition CommandAfghanistan. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi)

Critique

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Senior Airman Andrzej Wojcickigreets an Afghan child afterconvoying July 27 to an InternalDisplaced Persons camp outsideof Kabul, Afghanistan, to deliverdonations sent from the UnitedStates. Airman Wojcicki is amember of the CombinedSecurity Transition CommandAfghanistan. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi)

Critique

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Senior Airman Andrzej Wojcickigreets an Afghan child afterconvoying July 27 to an InternalDisplaced Persons camp outsideof Kabul, Afghanistan, to deliverdonations sent from the UnitedStates. Airman Wojcicki is amember of the CombinedSecurity Transition CommandAfghanistan. (U.S. Air Forcephoto/Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi)

Exercise

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NEW ORLEANS -- Tech. Sgt. Lem Torres surveys houses Sept. 2 looking forvictims of Hurricane Katrina. Sergeant Torres is a pararescueman in the 38thRescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo by StaffSgt. Manuel J. Martinez)

Elements of extended cutline

Why How Background

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Elements of extended cutline

Why is the AF looking for victims?

How many has AF rescued?

What happens to them?

When did AF arrive on scene?

How many people deployed?

What happened on this mission?

How many people are missing?

When did storm hit?

Extended cuts provide an opportunity to reinforce key messages

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Elements of extended cutline

Yeoman Seamen Whitney Utter and Jessica Gardner salute as USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) passes the final resting place of USS Lexington (CV 2) July 26, 2007. Kitty Hawk was passing the spot where Lexington sunk during the Battle of the Coral Sea May 8, 1942, losing 216 members from its crew. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph R Schmitt)

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Before and after Quotations with impact Small details Double check facts Basic=Photog Extended=Photog+Editor What works?

Parting shots

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Jonathan Skordos, right, restrains his military working dog, Barasco, as Cpl. Dustin Pruett presents a threat during training at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., July 23, 2007. Pruett and Skordos are with the Provost Marshal's Office aboard the base. DoD photo by Cpl. Alison L. Martinez, U.S. Marine Corps.

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Questions?

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