Section 2.2: Creating Equivalent Text Alternatives, Part 3
Basic things to consider when writing long descriptions
Additional text alternatives may become necessary when alt text can't convey all the information shown by an image, or when the image is rich in detail-as in a work of art. These additional text alternatives are usually called "long descriptions." Here are some things to consider when describing works of art: [ 1 
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- Be Objective
- Be Brief
- Be Descriptive
- Be Logical
- Be Accurate
- Miscellaneous:
- Do not refer to other pieces of art within the visual description
- Do not assign gender to animals, such as "the dog stands on his hind legs".
- Have several people (including people with visual disabilities) review the visual descriptions and provide suggestions for improvement.
- As a final check, compare the descriptions to the actual works of art they describe.
Activity 3: Creating Long Descriptions
Question 1
This photo from Open Photo.com in some circumstances could need more description. The photo was taken by Derek Keats in South Africa.
Answer: The long description possibilities are endless based on your knowledge of the photograph and your decisions about what are the important points to convey. A very basic long description might be: "This photograph of an elephant was taken in South Africa by Derek Keats. There is a blue, cloudless sky overhead as the elephant walks through the green grass, stirring up a cloud of dust around its feet."
