#text in alt text if ur screenreader works on tumblr

[spookystew]

📝 <3

<3

[chiptrillino]

Idk if u knew but tumblr has an inbuilt feature to let u add ID directly to images when u post them that will automatically get read by screen readers so u don't need to write a huge paragraph under ur art, just paste it there!

Yeha so... I am not the expert here but one or two years ago ALT text didn't seem to always work for screen readers.

At least I guess that is the case because people who use them asked me to keep the ID underneath the image separately.

Something must have changed because at the beginning of this month I saw a post going around asking people to stop doing that, othervise screenreaders double read the same thing, and they cant skip things, so that's understandably annoying.

I haven't posted anything new recently, and I can edit my own post but reblogged post will keep the double ID here on tumblr probably. So sorry for the inconvenience

[studiofelix]

ok this is a genuine question bc idk how screenreaders work... so like i think on tumblr u can add alt text to images when u go to post so why do people type out an image id in the body text instead? like i get it if ur adding an id to someone elses post bc u cant edit their original. but is there an advantage to typing out an image id instead of using the alt text function when its ur own post??

[fiddleheadfinn]

your description post is really lovely! however, as someone who needs descriptions and doesnt use a screenreader, tumblr alt text still isnt accessible enough for alt-only descriptions to be the most accessible option. the alt text box that pops up is eye straining on many themes, even default, and isnt viewable on all devices. there are also several bugs with alt on tumblr, like one where screenreaders stop reading the rest of it after a certain point or even not at all, so personally i still elect to put my description in the body of the post if i can help it since it guarantees access to as many who need it as possible. ultimately any description on there is better than none, but even if u move to alt only, people will likely still copy and paste ur descriptions into a reblog for reasons like these

This is actually a great example of the importance of context when choosing what type of descriptions to use!

I personally have similar issues with reading long text, but on my art blog I choose to use short alt-text instead of body-text descriptions because I am a visual artist and the most important information in most of my works is the visual stuff. I follow folks who post photos of book pages. In those cases, it's important to get a full transcription because the information is either text-based, or a graphical representation of a concept that can be put into words. As you point out, paragraphs of writing in the alt-text are hard on the eyes and not best practice. (But WTF at Tumblr cutting off descriptions and not supporting all devices?)

In the case of visual art, though, the most important information often cannot be translated directly into text. When I draw a picture of a pansy, it's not just a "drawing of a pansy," but the feelings created by the way I chose to draw it. I want the viewer to look & experience the colors, shapes, textures, etc before looking to me for a spoon-fed explanation of what it is or what it means. It's like how art teachers will bring you on a museum field trip and tell you to look at the painting before reading the caption next to it. Sometimes people talk about "prioritizing aesthetics over accessibility," but I think we also need to take seriously that sometimes the imagery is what needs to be spotlighted.

Personally, I balance these competing needs by using alt-text instead of body-text descriptions, but it's not the One Right Answer.

[unofficial-spongebob]

i know ur like in the middle of evil egg apocalypse right now but im sick and bored so i was scrolling through ur blog and so i decided to draw u from memory. i only colored the eyes, i got too tired to continue, here u go

also i added alt text for people who use screenreaders, i think that will work with submissions??? (it'd be nice if tumblr could remove the word limit on those things 😐)

enjoy, spongebob