Pictures and Words

Explore the dynamic interplay between copy and image! This frequently overlooked yet critical element of modern photojournalism is the subject of Pictures & Words. This title leads readers on an extraordinary investigation into the use of photos and accompanying captions in seven distinct areas: news, features, illustrations, art, advertising, fashion, and technology/science. The book begins by offering a window into the origin of modern photojournalism from its beginnings in Europe in the 1930s, complete with examples from historical archives that showcase how changes in meaning can result from the way words and photos are combined. Equipped with these lessons, readers delve into the roles of today's photographers, photo editors, copy editors, and reporters by tracing the path of a photograph and its accompanying caption from initial assignment to final appearance in a newspaper. Further insights are gleaned as readers go inside National Geographic, examining the importance of the feature photographs that accompany articles and documentary-style looks at subjects such as poverty, pollution, politics, and more. Here, emphasis is on understanding the interaction of photographer, writer and editor as they decide on captions and/or copy blocks. The final chapter of the book distinguishes between photos and illustrations, with guidelines for using stock photos and solutions for handling copyright problems and permissions. The result is a photojournalism handbook that speaks to both photographer and writer, empowering each with a richer appreciation of how their photographs and words are successfully linked.