[Question] What things do you HATE the most about TG captions?

A question about captions.


What things do you HATE the most about TG captions? Things that you see that make you absolutely cringe?

I guess the easiest thing I could say is a distinct lack of effort.  I am always willing to give new artists some leeway.  We all start with different skills.  But at the same time we've all seen captions that we like and captions that we don't.  So when you start, you should have some idea of what makes a good cap and what doesn't.

My "Paint Vs Paint" post is a good example of this.  For someones first try I expect the biggest barriers are internal.  Do you really want to put a cap out there for everyone else to see?  Do you really want to share that part of your fantasy life?  So I honestly don't expect to much story and design wise.  But after you get your feet wet a bit, you should feel a little more comfortable and be able to write at least a minimally intriguing story.  By minimally intriguing I mean more than 'I was turned into a woman and loved it' or 'I was turned into a woman and didn't like it'.  Now this isn't to be confused with length of story.  I think one of the best early caps I ever read was something along the lines of "Do you like Kevin?  He is my new slave?  Do you want to be next?"  But when it was tied to an image of two women, one bowed down and suckling lovingly at the other's breast, while the other stares directly into your eyes.....WOW.

I guess that would be the most cringe worthy offense. Putting no effort into it.  And don't confuse design ability or story writing ability with effort.  We all have our skill sets.  Some people write a wonderful story, but their layouts are very basic.  Some people have trouble writing, but their design is impeccable.  Those are extremes, but we all fit in between somewhere.

A personal pet peeve of mine is related to the images used in caps.  I have a background (and degree) in photography.  While I never made it professionally as a photographer myself, I have a keen eye for it.  I really prefer proper lit and posed photographs.  I don't like snapshots.  I say pet peeve because I know many people prefer snapshots.  To them it helps drive the viewer into believing the 'reality' of the cap.  So I don't necessarily 'cringe' at their use.  But I strongly prefer a professional photographer with a professional model.  I really don't care that a cross dresser would NEVER have that realistic of breasts on his first day cross dressing.

Another personal pet peeve would be a very generic image with a story that never really references the photo.  It just shows a pretty (or slutty, or beautiful, or sexy....) woman in some bland environment and the story never mentions it.  I believe that the two parts of the cap (story and photo) should go hand in hand.  If you can easily change the photo and not effect the story, then you are just not trying hard enough to incorporate the two forms. Again I call this a pet peeve as I have seen it used effectively before.  For example over at Jennifer's blog she is starting a new series.  The images don't really match the story, but it is done on purpose. It isn't lack of effort, it is an incredible effort.

And while you may have meant what makes me cringe when it comes to content, there are only three things I can think of that will make me cringe.... Piss, Shit, and Pain For Pain's sake.  Beyond that from the sweetest most endearing soft hearted story, to the horniest most erotic porn you've ever imagined... I like it all.