Don't Forget Photo Captions!

Connie Parsons, Director of Marketing

They say a photo is worth a thousand words, and whether the photo is on your website, in your newsletter, or on an educational or marketing brochure, photos are a very important part of your communication. People's eyes are drawn to photos before text, and people generally respond positively to pictures of other people.

However, even in photos, there is a place for words. Rather than have your readers wonder what your photo is about or come up with their own "thousand words" to describe your picture, you should usually include a caption with your photograph. Unless the photo is merely decorative (a wreath with your holiday dinner invitation, a stack of A-B-C blocks in an article about intergenerational programs), the caption serves as an important "invitation" into the article.

When you submit your photographs to us, please be sure to include the caption you would like to use for that photo. Your caption may be descriptive, or this could also be a good place to use a testimonial depending on the photo and the objective of the piece in which it is used.

For tips on how to take and deliver good photos for your newsletter, please visit our website at http://www.caresource.com/newsletter_phototips.htm.