Studio Image Sources and Alt Text: A First-Edit Workflow

Images on a design studio website convey the character of its work, but choosing an attractive file is not the end of editing. First confirm that you have permission to use the image on the site, then decide whether the information it conveys also needs to appear in text. The workflow below helps a first-time site operator prepare image sources and alt text together when publishing portfolio pieces or case studies.

1. List the images and where they will appear

Create a list of the images you plan to use and note the project and section for each one. Add a brief description if the file name does not make its content clear. At this stage, decide whether an image will appear in several places and whether you need separate thumbnail and detail images.

• Record the page and section, then match each one to an image file.
• Distinguish decorative images from images that explain the work or its outcome.
• If you plan to reuse the same scene, check whether every repeated placement is necessary.

**Hypothetical example:** A hypothetical studio’s branding case study includes a photo showing the logo in use, a packaging mockup, and a photo that conveys the atmosphere of the studio. The logo photo explains the result, while the studio photo adds atmosphere. Because their roles differ, do not repeat the same alt-text wording for both.

2. Check the source and usage rights before publishing

If you took or created an image yourself, record who made it and where the original file is stored. For files supplied by a client or collaborator, confirm that permission includes publishing them on your website. Do not assume an image is free to use just because it appears in search results. If its terms are unclear, pause publication and either check permission or replace it with an authorized image.

TalkTalkMySite supports searches for licensed stock images and videos. Even so, check the relevant asset’s license terms and permitted uses yourself, and keep any source records you need. The platform’s stock search does not verify the rights to images you obtained elsewhere.

• Keep an internal record of the creator or provider, file name, and date checked.
• Check whether the terms permit web and portfolio use.
• Do not publish files with unclear rights; request confirmation or replace them.

3. Decide whether the image needs alt text

Alt text is a short description that communicates an image’s key information or function when someone cannot see it. It is not a sentence listing every visible detail. If an image repeats information already provided in nearby text, avoid duplicating that description. If the image acts as a link or button, describe its purpose or action rather than only its appearance.

For an image that is purely decorative, check whether your editing tool permits empty alt text and do not force an unnecessary description into the field. The way to enter alt text can vary by editor and placement, so review the image together with its surrounding context in the preview.

• Ask whether the information conveyed by the image is also available in text.
• Do not repeat details already explained in the surrounding copy.
• If the image performs an action, describe that purpose.

4. Write one specific, useful sentence

Alt text should explain why the image matters in context, not merely identify its format. Avoid vague phrases such as “photo” or “design image,” as well as strings of keywords. Include only the details that matter to the context. If an image contains text, include its necessary content only when that text conveys key information. Do not guess at intentions or results that the image cannot show.

**Hypothetical example:** Instead of “photo,” write “The hypothetical brand’s new logo applied to a cream-colored packaging box.” If a studio photo only adds atmosphere, consider empty alt text rather than a long description of the scene. If a project image functions as a button, describe where it leads, for example: “View the hypothetical brand redesign case study.”

5. Edit, then check the published page

Once your source record and alt-text draft are ready, upload the image and apply the details in the editor. TalkTalkMySite supports AI chat and visual editing, but the accuracy of AI-generated descriptions and edits is not guaranteed. Compare any draft with the image and review its facts and wording yourself. Before publishing, check on desktop and mobile that images are not cut off and that their descriptions fit the surrounding content.

• Confirm that each file and page placement match your plan.
• Check that no image remains whose source or terms you cannot verify.
• Read each alt description to ensure it matches the image’s role and does not repeat information unnecessarily.
• Open the published page, check how the images appear in context, and record any changes to make.

For the next edit, keep the file name, placement, source-check notes, and alt text together in your image list so you can apply the same criteria consistently. A practical first step is to choose one image scheduled for publication, fill in those four items, and check the result in the preview.