Examples: Text and Images: Medium Level and Long Descriptions

On this page you will find some examples of Images of Text.

These are examples only. Context is key! It will always influence how you describe an image. For full instructions on how to write see Text and Images and General Guidelines.

Some images with text will need only a Medium level description. Others will need a long description. Follow the same rules as for other long descriptions.

If the image requires a long description:

If you have any questions, post your question on the Alt-Text Q&A

The first tis from the MMIW Report

Alt-text: A large yellow road sign. Text says: "Girls don't hitchhike the Highway of Tears". It shows three photos of victims on the bottom-right corner.


This example from Knowing and Knots this image is at the beginning of chapter 4. The author explains the creation and meaning of each of these collage pieces at the beginning of the chapter. They also explain that the written text is an annotation of the collage images. The meaning of the image is directly connected to the meaning of the surrounding text.

[Alt-text] Collage made up of overlapping handwritten sticky notes, typed transcription notes and related images. See the link below the image for an extended description and transcription of text.

[Long Description] Collage of overlapping handwritten sticky notes, typed transcribed notes, and photos. The photos and notes block out some of the text and images throughout the collage.

Along the right side of the image is a long rectangular photo of two shoe prints walking forward in the snow. Beside this image is a photo of three long knotted ropes. These images are partially covered but the notes.

At the top is a handwritten sticky note that is partially blocked by an egg-shaped photo of a moose by a lake photoshopped into a top hat. The visible text says: "Naughts to Knot. nautical knots> How fast are you going vs how much work you have."

Below this is another sticky note that is partially covered at the bottom by a typed transcribed note. The visible text of the sticky note text says: "2/ murder is to draw the line between creation on research—I cannot tell you to divide beings - knowings - processes + products - journey - destination you tie me up - I am bout in the double two-face knotting dividing and again — my stomach is …"

The overlapping typed transcribed note text says: "Naughts to knot. Nautical knots > how fast are you going vs. how much work you have? If I had not become an artist, I would have been a murderer — murder is a fine are but is this more about forces of destruction turning/churning to creation?"

Below this is a small square photo of a pair of scissors cutting into something that is obscured by the next sticky note below. This sticky note is partially covered at the bottom by the last typed transcribed note.

The visible sticky note text says: "each shattered fragment rejects the historical linear consciousness of the text for places & surfaces of imaginative consciousness Flusser tells us surfaces …"

The visible typed transcribed note text says: "Murder is to draw the line between creation and research — I cannot tell you to divide beings-knowings — processes and products — journeys — destitiantions. You tie me up. I am bound in this double two-face knotting of dividing again and again — my stomach is tight — twisted in the Not ability — sell out by the academy new pirates of the …"


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