Introducing Characters In Photographs

[A Dying Clown]

Simple query:

If a character is shown on screen for the first time in a picture, should he/she be given a standard capitalised full-on introduction?

And what if there's a character who only appears in photographs?

Help would be...helpful

[pantalone]

If I were you, then I'd prolly just describe the photo, then when I introduced the character, I'd use the same language, hopefully making it obvious, in a subtle sort of way.

[JoanEasley]

There's not just one way to do this. Use your judgment about how much prominence you need to give it and how much detail.

If we're going to meet the character in the flesh later, in the description I'd mention a PHOTO of a SKINNY BOY.

Then later, when he's actually there, I'd introduce RUDY, 12, the skinny boy from the photo.


If we're never going to meet the person later, and the photo isn't a big clue, you might simply say:
Kara looks at a photo of her mother.

If the details matter to the plot, you might say, Kara looks at a PHOTO of a middle-aged woman with a scar across her cheek.

[dpaterso]

I'd maybe go for something like,

THE PHOTOGRAPH shows a grinning mustached young officer in Army uniform.

...and later, when this fellow finally appears,

MAJOR BEN STOKES, 50s, enters. An older version of the grinning mustached officer we saw in the photograph earlier. His hair's thinner and his mustache is flecked with gray.

...but that's just me, shrug.

-Derek
-----------------------One of the many reasons you should never listen to dpat ~PipeWriter

[OkeyDokey]

And what if there's a character who only appears in photographs?

If the character does not have any dialogue, than I would think that he/she should not be given a capped character introduction, just a description.

But there are multiple ways to do it, as you can see from the above responses.

[Deus Ex Machine]

Cap the name of the character when they are actually first on screen, not when their image or shadow or chalk outline appears or voice is heard, only when the character first appears in the story.

I think what confuses people is the word "appears". Think of appear to mean "physically present and active/contributing to the advancement of the story". Until then they can remain anonymous because they aren't important to the story and so not important to the reader.