For any 1A designer, it's an ideal situation. You've got a powerful lead photo that is a story in itself -- along with multiple related stories -- for your centerpiece package. The question is how best to present the photo, and the story behind the photo, in a way that is clear and organized, and delivers maximum impact?
That was the challenge facing designers around the country when hundreds of emotionally charged
photos of U.S. soliders' bodies in flag wrapped coffins were "accidentally" released last week by the Air Force. A few days before that, a government contract employee in Kuwait, Tami Silico, was fired from her job for snapping a picture with her digital camera of the coffins being prepared to return to the U.S. That photo was first published in
The Seattle Times.
Your initial instinct might be to run the photo big, really big. It's so powerful, why not? But don't be seduced. Step back and ask yourself "What is the most effective way to bring this story to the reader?" Here are some things to consider.
Good headlines/decks
It's no mystery that headlines are important. We know from EyeTRAC research conducted in the early 90s that readers enter a newspaper page first through the photo and then via the dominant headline. Because this image is so striking, the reader would look at the photo and immediately want more information.
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Unrelated headlines could confuse the reader.
Click to download pdf. |
Readers will scan the headline and deck. If it doesn't fit, they may get confused and irritated, but will hopefully keep scanning until they find the info in the caption. The coffin image is so powerful that an unrelated headline could puzzle the reader.
• Tips for writing headlines
By John Schlander, St. Petersburg Times
• Rhymes and Reason
By Jim Heinrich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Readers Consume What They See
By Monica Moses
Descriptive captions
Good captions give essential information that can draw the reader into the story, and hopefully, keep them interested enough to actually read it. In this case there are two very interesting stories, the bodies returning home and the story behind the photo. Keep the caption informative and rich. This may be the only entry point into the story as seen in the Boston Globe page above.
Tips for writing effective captions:
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Creating Captions They'll Love
By Jack Mulkey,
Daily Breeze, Torrance, Calif.
•
Hot Tips for Writing Photo Captions
By Kenny Irby, The Poynter Institute
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Stand-alone photos with descriptive cutlines are always a winner. Click image to download pdf. |
Stand-alone photo
The Washington Post used a coffin picture from the DOD photo release with an expanded cutline and good headline boxed at the top of the page. A nice, tight treatment that is readable and refers to the story inside. Also a good option for scanners.
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The Sun Times keeps it simple. Click image to download pdf. |
Tabloid style
The Chicago Sun Times front page serves it straight up and to the point. I like that. It grabs the reader quickly much like the stand-alone photo packaged with a headline and cutline that add value to the content of the image.
Related items
Make it easy for the reader. Organize refers and promos to related items in one scannable box or column. Sometimes it's tempting to use refers and promos as decorative type elements, but resist the urge. It adds no value to the package and isn't reader friendly.
Other Resources:
• Tips and comments on editing and headline writing on copydesk.org
• 10 Things to Know & Love About Copy Editors
One day later, TheMemoryHole.org website published over 300 similar photos from the Air Force obtained under an Freedom of Information Act request. The images were then picked up by media outlets and the story became much bigger. The DOD said it was a mistake and would not release such photos in the future.
