Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/12/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At the risk of sounding simplistic, I learned the importance of captions as a photojournalist in the Marines. Sometimes we simply identified who's who in the shot (pretty obvious reason). Sometimes the location was key in defining the event. Palm trees? Mountains? A lake? A cliff? Where is that? Why is that man/woman/child hiding their face. Are they laughing or crying? Sometimes the telling visual data had to be pointed out to the viewer because that was the only possible shot due to circumstances of the moment and the reader could use a little help (i.e., "...oh, now I can see it!). When I caption a landscape shot, I like to include a comment about history, topography, the weather that day, or something I didn't see in the viewfinder but the R 70-180 revealed clearly in the enlarged print. Leica teles continue to amaze me after the fact. I totally agree that sometimes a print speaks for itself, but not always. The image may attract immediate interest, but the viewer may want to know more, not speak your native language, or just need time to contemplate the image and may need a little jump start to see a little deeper. Just one shooter's thoughts on captions. Bob Bob Shaw rsphotoimages at comcast.net On Dec 28, 2009, at 11:53 AM, Mark Rabiner wrote: >> Errr, what is the point of that last sentence / statement in the >> context of this discussion? >> >> >> ==On Mon, Dec 28, 2009 at 1:19 PM, Douglas Barry <imra at iol.ie> wrote: >>> >>> "Steve Barbour" <steve.barbour at gmail.com> wrote in response to MR's >>>>> >>>>> Cute captions are death to a serious image. >>>>> You want them as bland as possible. >>>>> Simply descriptive. Or none. >>>> >>>> good point Mark...seems if the image works, nothing more need be said... >>>> >>>> if it needs to be said, it's cus the image has failed, >>>> >>> >>> Strongly disagree. A caption can add to a picture as well as giving the >>> who, >>> what, where.... How the blazes can one "Untitled" picture be remembered >>> against the visual sea of other "Untitled" pictures. >>> >>> I like captions, but doctors differ and patients die :-) >>> >>> Douglas >>> _________ >>> Douglas Barry >>> Bray, Co. Wicklow >>> Republic of Ireland >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > I really don't know but I'd call the idea that you remember an image not > for > the image but for its cute caption is a major misdiagnosis which could lead > to malpractice. Or is a the very minimum really bad advice. > > > Mark William Rabiner > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information