That's tough to do you say? Doesn't have to be.
Titling your images is very important for a PPA or similar image competition. A title is more than just fulfilling a requirement for a competition. It sets the mood for a competition judge or a viewer. Titles help tell the story of your image. They set the tone and the mood if not to send a message to the viewer.
"Final Resting Place" - Jeff Johnson
A good title for any image tells a short story or connects us with a story we may already know from our childhood, other life experiences, books or even movies we have seen. Telling stories is what photography is all about. Unique titles tell a more compelling story to the viewer or a competition judge.
Don't make 'em think too hard, though! An obscure title can be risky because the viewer or judge may have not heard of the story you are referring to. Foreign languages also run the risk of the viewer not being familiar with the language so the intended story will fall short.
Another common issue in titling is to name the image simply with the name of the mountain or river and its location. While this approach may be accurate, it leaves a lot to be desired. It's not a very colorful or descriptive way to tell a story.
"Old Truck in the Woods" may be an accurate description of the image above but it doesn't evoke any emotion, interest or excitement for the the story behind this image. "Final Resting Place" conjures up a fond memory of Grandpa and his old truck that has finally reached its end of life. This title makes you think of all the times he picked you up and took you to the junkyard, baseball field or the ice cream stand. Now that's a great story generated by a simple but deep title! And in just a few words, too.
Keep a List
Song lyrics, poems, books, TV shows and especially movies are great sources for image titles. I always have a small notebook close by to record possible image titles. When I don't have that notebook with me, I can guarantee you I will run across many title ideas! Would that fall under Murphy's Law or maybe I'll call it JJ's Law
We Can Help
Rick and I love helping folks out with their competition images. If you are needing help on your composition, titles, adding borders or whatever is stopping you in your tracks, we gotcha', man! Maybe you would like to reach out to Rick & Jeff at theguys@theimagecritiqueshow.com
How about a full portfolio review? We would love to help you with your portfolio RIGHT HERE.
Until we chat again,
Jeff & Rick
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