Are photograph titles important?

[Nate Battles]

Do you always title your work? Or sometimes title it or never title it?

If you always title your work, do you feel the title is as much a part of the photograph itself or merely another way for people to remember it? Or maybe it's the part of the photographic process when the photograph is "complete".

For those of you who sell your work, do your clients appreciate the titles? Do they express more interest in a work that is titled v. a work that is untitled? Do galleries/magazines express more interest in works that are titled v. ones that aren't?

Does anyone really care?

I guess I seem to never title anything I do. It may seem stupid, but I don't want a title to affect the way a photograph feels. Not that I am against using titles.

After asking this, I realize that I have a knack for asking these crazy open-ended questions on this forum--sorry. Hmmmmm, I should've been a philosophy major

What is Art? Just kidding, don't answer that!!!

~Nate

[Michael Graves]

No, but I like captions a lot.

http://www.mwgraves.com/Lamoille_Lam...O_Album_1.html

[Walter Calahan]

Titles are not important for gallery display.

Titles are helpful on web sites so search engines find the information. This will increase your hits.

Ultimately it is up to you, no one can tell you to do anything.

[paulr]

I think they're important.

In the sense that if words are there, they make a difference in how people look at the work, and if they're not, their absense also makes a difference.

I personally keep text to a minimum. I've given titles to bodies of work, but not the individual pictures. And I don't put things like statements of purpose on the wall right next to the work, or on the same page of a website. I don't want it to look like the statement is PART of the work; it's subordinate ... just some stuff i've said about it.

Like Walter said, it's up to you. But be aware of the effect words or lack of words can have.

[Sylvester Graham]

Yes people absolutely care. A title can fundamentally alter a photograph. Example... a picture of a sailboat with billowing white sails and a dark sky might seem at first a lovely scene to hang in the study, and then with a glance at the title "The Zong, slave ship." one might want to reconsider. A title introduces context, and a lack of title gets rid of it.

Whatever you do make sure to have a reason for it.

[Steven Barall]

Anything that helps sales is probably a good idea regardless of how it might make your stomach churn. I love practical answers. They just make things fall into place sometimes. Thank you Walter. Cheers.

[Richard M. Coda]

I give a caption... subject, location, date, on my website and any printed materials. I think that's all that is needed. However, on my prints, I just sign and date.

A photographer friend, though, thought I need to put some cutesy titles, as she does. I personally feel that cheapens my art, and makes it more like a poster. However, I do give a title to ONE of my photos "And Our Flag Was Still There" as it has significance after 9-11.

[paulr]

[QUOTE=amilne;313950A title introduces context, and a lack of title gets rid of it. [/QUOTE]

And different types of title or caption give different types of context.

For example, if you caption a photo with the name of the place and the date, regardless of the specifics, you're telling people to look at the picture as they would a journalistic or documentary image. Maybe this is your intent, but maybe you'd rather have them looking at form, or at a certain archetype of place, or at the changes of mood from one picture in the series to another. In these cases a factual caption might be pointing the viewers in the wrong direction.

[Merg Ross]

Nate, it depends on your audience. Some folks need to know what they are viewing, and some need to be told the significance of what they are viewing. It is really your call.

[Eric Woodbury]

I don't title, but I do write something: a description, place, or 'title' on the back, altho these can vary for the same print. Not much of a system.