When I look at images of flowers, I see a swirl of colors and have to zoom in on different areas to figure out what I am looking at or what kind of flower it is. Because I have low vision and double vision, these images can sometimes look distorted, or there may not be enough contrast between the flowers and what is behind them, making it even more difficult to focus on different details. That said, the Veronica flower (also known as speedwell) will always be my favorite flower of all!
Something that really helps me get context or clarification about what I am looking at is alt text and image descriptions for flowers, as I use these as a guide to figure out what I am looking at or what details are important. Here are my tips for how to write alt text and image descriptions for flowers for various contexts, including for education and leisure/fun.
What is alt text? What is an image description?
Alternative text (alt text) and image descriptions are text-based descriptions of visual details in an image written primarily for people who are visually impaired (inclusive of blind, low vision, and neurological visual impairment). If an image fails to load on a website, alt text will be displayed in its place, and alt text is also used for search engine optimization and image search tools.
Image descriptions are similar to alt text descriptions that are used by screen readers to recognize images, though there are a few key differences between alt text and image descriptions:
LOCATION
Alt text is typically attached to an image metadata or added in the “alt text” field when posting on social media or uploading content to a website. Image descriptions may be in the image caption, in a text post, or shared via a text link for extended descriptions.
VISIBILITY
Alt text is usually only visible to screen readers, which read the alt text out loud or display it on a braille display. Image descriptions are “exposed” and can be read by anyone. Saving an image does not save its alt text, and neither does copy/pasting an image into a document.
BlueSky, X, and Mastodon are examples of social media platforms that allow users to read alt text whether they have a screen reader or not by selecting the ALT button on an image or gif that has alt text included.
LENGTH OF TEXT
A picture is worth a thousand words, but there may only be room for a thousand characters! Alt text is typically limited to 100-250 characters, though most best practice guides recommend keeping alt text to around 125 characters. Image descriptions can be the same length or even longer, since they are included in the photo caption, in a text post, or text link.
For social media platforms that have larger character limits for alt text, many users will write longer image descriptions in the alt text field, and reprint the same descriptions in the caption of the post. However, this is not completely necessary for platforms that offer exposed alt text that can be viewed without a screen reader.
LEVEL OF DETAIL
Image descriptions tend to go more in-depth about visual details than alt text due to the larger character limit. For example, alt text might tell a user there is a puddle on the floor, but an image description might go into further detail and say there is a puddle of orange juice on a white tiled kitchen floor, providing additional context and clarification about what is in an image.
It’s worth noting that some people will use the same text for both alt text and image descriptions, which is an accepted practice. However, I prefer to include more detailed descriptions as exposed image descriptions so everyone can read them whether they have a screen reader enabled or not.
SHOULD I USE BOTH ALT TEXT AND IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS?
I recommend using both alt text and image descriptions when possible, since image descriptions can also be read in large print or by people who aren’t using screen readers. Some people use the same text for both, while others prefer to write more detail in exposed image descriptions and treat them like image captions. Another strategy to share lengthy image descriptions on social media is to write a basic description of the image as alt text and then link an extended image description to read on another page.
When sharing exposed descriptions, I recommend using the label “ID:” or “Image Description:” in front of the text so that it is easier to locate. Some creators choose to enclose the description in parenthesis or brackets, which is also helpful for separating the description from the rest of the caption. Using the label “Alt text:” in a caption is also acceptable and conveys the same message, but the term image description is more appropriate.
Related links
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions for the Visually Impaired
- Options For Writing Extended Image Descriptions On Social Media
- How To Write Video Descriptions For TikTok
- How To Add Alt Text On Social Media
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
How to describe flowers in alt text/image descriptions
I recommend describing these elements in the order that they appear in this list:
Background or shape of the bouquet
Set the stage for the description of the flowers by sharing where they are or how they are arranged. Are the flowers in a field, or in a pot? Is the arrangement large and sitting on the table, or is it a smaller bouquet that is being held in someone’s hand? Are they in a circular shape, or are they arranged in a different way?
If the flower arrangement is something that can be ordered online or in a store, mention the name of the arrangement and the store/florist it is from at the beginning of the description, such as “spiked speedwell bouquet from Veronica With Four Eyes.”
How many flowers there are
It’s common to have a dozen roses in a bouquet, but in most cases there’s no need to count exactly how many of each flower there is in a bouquet, unless it is an instructional image. It can be helpful to share an approximate count of how many flowers there are total to make it easier to visualize the size or shape of the plant, such as six wild orchids, three dozen wildflowers, or thousands of flowers planted in a garden.
Predominant type of flower or color palette
Some bouquets or flower images feature one dominant type of flower, such as sunflowers or roses, with other flowers serving as an accent. Other bouquets may have a stronger emphasis on color over specific types of flowers, such as a pink and white bouquet.
When describing colors, use shade names such as cobalt blue, lime green, dark red, or bright orange. No need to worry about describing what the color red looks like— shade names work great for alt text and image descriptions!
Types of other flowers or accent colors
What other flowers are in the image? If there is a predominant flower, mention the other types of flowers that are included by name, and mention their colors when possible as well- since flowers can come in many different colors, I prefer to include color names when possible. For example, my friend received a bouquet of red and yellow roses with green leaves tucked between each flower.
For bouquets that feature flowers that are all the same color or that only come in one color, I would just mention the name of each of the flowers. For example, a monochromatic bouquet of pink peonies and roses was highlighted in a magazine I was reading.
Flower height or other unique elements
Some flower arrangements use height or other dimensions to make the bouquet more interesting, and these should be mentioned in image descriptions as well. For example, a bouquet with sunflowers might be arranged so that the sunflowers tower over the roses or other smaller flowers, or some flowers might spill out over the edge to create a waterfall effect. Other unique details such as ribbons, decorative elements, or other items of visual interest can be included as well- for example, one of the flower bouquets my friend used in their wedding contained a mix of dried and live flowers.
When describing a bouquet of flowers, I recommend describing elements from left to right and top to bottom, which mimics how someone would visually scan an image.
Should I describe what each type of flower looks like?
I recommend including the name/type of flower over a visual description, because it saves character space and the viewer can look up additional descriptive information on their own. However, if there is something especially unique or unexpected about a flower in the image, such as an uncommon color or pattern, this can be included.
If the describer is unsure about what type of flower is in an image, I recommend using a visual search tool such as Google Lens or reverse image searches.
Related links
- Creating Flower Arrangements With Low Vision
- How To Create High Resolution Images For Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text For Color Palettes
- How To Create Image Descriptions For Red Carpet Looks
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- How To Write Alt Text and Image Descriptions For Online Products
- How To Describe Science Experiments For Visually Impaired Students
Creating alt text and image descriptions for educational content
Some alt text and image descriptions are written from an educational perspective and will contain more in-depth descriptions, especially for posts with a singular flower or plant or where the audience is expected to observe specific qualities about the image. In these cases, it makes sense to write an extended description that talks about identifying qualities of a plant. This can include elements such as the color, texture, and size of leaves, flowers, stems, and other elements of the plant.
While I do not like using automatic alt text for images, something that has helped me with writing image descriptions of plants is to ask Bing AI or ChatGPT “how to describe what (plant name) looks like to someone who is blind.” This can be a great starting point for describing individual characteristics of plants, especially since a lot of visual assistance applications cannot identify individual types of plants.
Related links
- How To Write Alt Text For Educational Content
- How To Access Images Without Alt Text
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- How To Write Video Descriptions For Animal Videos
- How To Write Alt Text For Amateur Art
- How To Write Image Descriptions For Buildings and Architecture
More tips for how to describe flowers for alt text and image descriptions
- Want to learn more about arranging flowers with low vision? Read Creating Flower Arrangements With Low Vision
- When posting images of flowers on social media, I recommend including image descriptions in the caption of an image- most creators will place this either as a pinned comment or in the second half of their caption. Learn more about accessible social media in How To Make Your Instagram Feed Accessible For Visual Impairment
- Some alt text or image descriptions will indicate whether the flowers in an image are real or artificial, or if they are a painting, digital mockup, or other type of content. When I look at a picture of flowers, I assume they are live/natural, so it can be helpful for describers to tell me if this isn’t the case.
Published June 7, 2019. Updated November 2024