Photography

Alt Text

Alt text supports accessibility and improves SEO by helping screen readers describe images to visually impaired users and allowing search engines to interpret visual content. Write clear, concise, and contextually relevant alt text that describes the image’s content and purpose, using specific terms over vague ones like “image” or “photo,” and ensure accurate translations.

Rasterized Text

Avoid rasterizing important copy in images, as screen readers and other assistive technologies can’t interpret it, making the content inaccessible to users with visual impairments. Use live text instead to ensure better accessibility and enable search engines to index the content, improving usability and discoverability.

Safeguarding Confidential Information

Ensure that photographs do not contain any confidential information, such as sensitive data on screens, documents, or any other proprietary content. Always review images carefully to prevent the accidental disclosure of information that could compromise security or privacy.

Choosing Relevant Subjects and Themes

Choose images that feel appropriate to the intended audience and align with the geographic or cultural context of the message. Photos that feel mismatched or too generic detract from message clarity and erode trust in our content.

Ensuring Current and Relevant Imagery

Use only current and relevant images in your materials. Avoid outdated data visualizations, user interfaces, or obsolete electronic devices, and regularly update imagery to reflect the most recent and accurate information.

How AI can help with photography

• AI can generate new photographs.
• AI can help scale your photography libraries.
• AI can assist in editing photographs.
• AI can inspire new ideas for photography libraries.

What we need to be aware of

• Always explicitly state when AI is involved in content creation.
• Mention AI involvement with supporting text, such as in photo captions.
• If AI-generated images are used and are clearly visually AI-generated, additional supporting text may not be necessary.
• Ensure that AI usage is transparent and does not mislead or deceive viewers.
• Be aware of which image-generating services are permitted for use. Free services like ChatGPT should not be used if there is any nonpublic or sensitive data involved. Verify and adhere to the guidelines regarding service usage to maintain compliance and data security.

All employees must adhere to copyright and licensing regulations when using photographs, whether sourced internally or from external stock libraries. When sourcing from external libraries, only use images with appropriate licensing, such as royalty-free or rights-managed. Proper attribution must be given to the original photographers or creators as required by the license. When publishing online, include photo details, like image title and usage rights, in the metadata when possible.

If taking original photos or working with a photographer, be sure to secure any necessary personal or location release forms.

Avoid any content that may infringe on copyright, privacy, or trademark laws, including logos or other brand assets that could imply endorsement.