mastodon - Link to source
Sometimes I favourite posts with photos that have excellent alt text, and are probably also great photos. I always wonder whether the favourite would count as 3 favourites to the poster if they knew I was blind. Liking photos in any form is a very new hobby for us, a child of Mastodon as far as I'm concerned. It's restful for me to read alt text about nature or ice formations or an interesting animal or a cute cat, so I'm grateful.
in reply to Deborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦

mastodon - Link to source

derptron

@deborahh I have a friend I haven't seen in a long time who is one of those 100% blind, never in his life seen people. I am genuinely curious how your brain adapts to that situation. So I wondered if he "sees" in his dreams or when he thinks. Was an interesting conversation. Not sure I got a real answer because how he talked about seeing was so different, but could still be reflected in the brain as there being a "visual" representation of a wall in front of you, except ears.
@Deborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦
in reply to derptron

mastodon - Link to source

Deborah Preuss, pcc 🇨🇦

@crazyeddie I remember being rendered speechless when a friend asked if I dream in images. He said some people do not dream with pictures (he was sighted, and I presume he included sighted people in that statement). Whaaat? 😯

So apparently there are many ways the brain makes sense of the world, LOL - ways that I cannot imagine. Amazing. And we'll probably never know how it's really happening in someone else's head!

We just have to believe people, I guess.
😁👍😎

@derptron
in reply to From Robin with Love

mastodon - Link to source

M Mayo-Moyle

@firefly I’ve had similar worries - am I describing too much? Not enough? But regarding your question, I know I’ve seen posts from people who were sighted but have lost (or significantly reduced vision) and details about color can be helpful for them, so I think (for me) I just aim to describe whatever it is that best captures the essence and purpose of the image. (Not trying to speak for anyone who relies on alt text, and I’m always happy to try and do better.)
@From Robin with Love
in reply to From Robin with Love

mastodon - Link to source

Christine Malec

@firefly @m3 They're kind of like concepts I memorize: red is eye-catching, firey, orange is eye-catching and maybe too flashy, yellow is vivid, blue is calming, green evokes nature, ideas that I pin to words. Maybe it's like someone with no sense of taste, they can sense texture, sweet, sour, bitter, but no subtlety of flavour?
@M Mayo-Moyle @From Robin with Love
in reply to Christine Malec

mastodon - Link to source

From Robin with Love

@m3
That is very interesting.

I would love to hear examples of alt text descriptions you come across that are meaningful to you.

I do fumble through when I write them. But I also find it a good exercise for my brain. I try to put myself into your ‘eyes’ to figure out how to explain a visual picture in a way that paints it and is not terribly boring!

@M Mayo-Moyle
in reply to From Robin with Love

mastodon - Link to source

Christine Malec

@firefly @m3 Apart from literal description, also consider why the image was worth your time to post, what about it makes it striking enough to share, that will definitely keep it from being boring, and boring is subjective anyway. One way to start is by imagining your on the phone describing it to a friend.
@M Mayo-Moyle @From Robin with Love
in reply to Christine Malec

glitchsoc - Link to source

JustMe

@firefly @m3

Helpful cheat sheet accessibility.huit.harvard.edu…

Write helpful Alt Text to describe images | Digital Accessibility​

Alternative (Alt) Text is an essential part of making content accessible. When adding images, charts, icons or other graphic elements, alt text should be added to ensure your content will be accessible to all users.
accessibility.huit.harvard.edu
@M Mayo-Moyle @From Robin with Love
in reply to Christine Malec

mastodon - Link to source

Dr. Young-Leslie 🇨🇦

I would really appreciate your feedback on what makes a good alt-text? My formula is to describe the image almost as if it.was a script for a play. For example:
"Photograph, daytime, outdoors, winter, urban setting. A woman wearing a silver helmet & red jacket rides a bicycle on a snowy street. In the background is a bookshop."
Or:
"Screenshot of a headline from the Globe & Mail. It reads: ..." etc.

Is that helpful? What co would make it better?

⇧