Jul 30
Give the photo a second before the sentence explains it
A caption that sits too close to the image can feel efficient, but it often collapses two jobs into one cramped block.
The photo is visual evidence. The sentence is interpretation. A deliberate gap lets those two roles stay separate.
Use the gap as a reading delay
Move the sentence down until the photo can be understood for one quiet beat. The caption should feel like a response, not a label glued to the image.
The gap is a buffer between evidence and interpretation.
This is especially useful for one-photo journal pages where the sentence is thoughtful, emotional, or explanatory. More space can make the same words feel calmer and more intentional.