OF PRESS PHOTOS AND SUSPECT CAPTIONS

A picture, it is said, can convey the same information as a thousand words. In the Kenyan press, however, one can be made to suspect that words can ruin a picture. What one directly sees from a picture can be so different from what the captions says. In this case, seeing is closer to believing, than reading what accompanies photos.

In the picture above, a medical procedure is being administered.

And for those who have had the same procedure done to them, it should not be difficult to conclude that wax is being removed by flushing the ear with water.

The picture vividly captures the discomfort of the young patient, and the process involved is also quite evident.

What the caption is supposed to do, is to provide context to assist the reader to make sense of what's being depicted in the picture, beyond the obvious details.

But it states in part:

"A nurse at Kenyatta National Hospital's ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinic, Ms Patricia Nzuki examines 13-year-old Maureen Muthoni's ear..."

It's pretty clear the nurse is doing more than just an examination of the patient, right?

For the local press though, things can get really ugly, when it comes to the captioning of pictures.

I am yet to recover from this editorial monstrosity!