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   ChanceyFleet (chanceyfleet@mas.to)'s status on Monday, 05-Aug-2024 10:53:15 JST ChanceyFleet

   As a Blind person i never thought i would be on social media savoring photos. But the communal Mastodon alt text game is so strong that sweet, poetic or silly descriptions abound on my timeline. Thanks to legions of people who take time to write a meaningful description of the ephemera they post, i learn so much about insects, plants, buildings, memes — all dispatches from a dimension of the world that i otherwise wouldn't experience. If you're wondering whether anybody reads these things: YES.

   • Alexandre Oliva, clacke and anban and 2 others like this.
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     Crash Course (crash_course@todon.eu)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 04:48:24 JST Crash Course

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet
     I have to say that I sometimes spend more time on the image alt-text than on the post itself.

     Good to hear it is so well received 🙏

     clacke likes this.
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     ChookMother 🇦🇺🦘 (anne_twain@theblower.au)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:33:56 JST ChookMother 🇦🇺🦘

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet Thank you. It's worth it to read your sweet appreciation post. 💟

     clacke likes this.
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     Paula (pokypinkdog@syringa.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:03 JST Paula

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet I will remember to do alt text now thank you

     clacke likes this.
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     C-rich (crichardson@mstdn.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:08 JST C-rich

     in reply to

     • Vern McCandlish

     @ChanceyFleet
     I will do this more consistently. Thanks for the reminder.
     @malanalysis

     clacke likes this.
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     wookiearocket (wookiearocket@mastodon.world)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:16 JST wookiearocket

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet reading this helps me feel more motivated to be more diligent about alt text!

     clacke likes this.
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     Jupiter Rowland (jupiter_rowland@hub.netzgemeinde.eu)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:23 JST Jupiter Rowland

     in reply to
     @ChanceyFleet If you're wondering whether anybody reads these things: YES.
     I think there are even people who read the utter monstrosities that I write to describe my images, and that I have to write for people to understand my images. Maybe not you, but someone out there.
     
     And there may even actually be people for whom they're useful.
     
     #AltText #AltTextMeta #CWAltTextMeta #ImageDescription #ImageDescriptions #ImageDescriptionMeta #CWImageDescriptionMeta
     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Sir Farts Alot (horqua@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:29 JST Sir Farts Alot

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet Thanks for letting us know. I will be more diligent about captioning my photos going forward.

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     ChanceyFleet (chanceyfleet@mas.to)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:36 JST ChanceyFleet

     in reply to

     Hi everybody! I’m doing my best to read through all the comments. Some questions you may have about Blind people and images might be answered in this article I wrote last year: https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/06/15/1074036/ending-image-poverty/amp/

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Karen D 🇨🇦 (karendorman@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:39 JST Karen D 🇨🇦

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet I'm thrilled to know you/someone who needs the alt text gets it. Happy to brighten your day! (Smiley face)

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Laloofah (laloofah@mstdn.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:43 JST Laloofah

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet I *have* wondered, and really appreciate your sharing this! (And I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s now going to have you in mind when composing ALT image descriptions! 😊)

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Robert Kingett backup (weirdwriter@tweesecake.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:48 JST Robert Kingett backup

     in reply to

     You should check out #BloomScrolling when you have a minute! Really great hashtag containing plants and the majority of pictures have #AltText @ChanceyFleet

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     argv minus one (argv_minus_one@mstdn.party)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:53 JST argv minus one

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet

     On the rare occasion I post an image, I do try to write alt text that's both descriptive and a bit whimsical. I hope someone sees and likes it!

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Sally Mack (sallymack@sfba.social)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:54 JST Sally Mack

     in reply to

     • Stacey Cornelius

     @ChanceyFleet
     @StaceyCornelius

     Thank you, so glad to know alt text helps!
     Writing alt text also helps me as a photographer by making me think about an image in ways I wouldn't otherwise. What are the most important visual aspects of the photo? Subject, of course, but what would I like someone else to notice? Colors, shapes, composition, lighting? I, too, often read and appreciate alt text for the information not otherwise included in the post.

     clacke likes this.
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     Papa Maccus Primus (macberg@mastodon.online)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:34:58 JST Papa Maccus Primus

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet This toot should be a part of some sort of Mastodon starter pack, to share the culture and incentivize newcomers. Thank you for sharing your appreciation!

     clacke likes this.
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     Dr. Gilead (gilead@todon.eu)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:35:09 JST Dr. Gilead

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet Wow. I'll make sure to caption all my pictures from now on. I really thought nobody was paying attention to that.

     clacke likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Chupacabra 78704 (homoevolutis1@lonestar.chat)'s status on Tuesday, 06-Aug-2024 14:35:12 JST Chupacabra 78704

     in reply to

     @ChanceyFleet Damn, I better up my game. Thanks.

     clacke likes this.
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     Aral Balkan (aral@mastodon.ar.al)'s status on Tuesday, 05-Nov-2024 03:08:32 JST Aral Balkan

     in reply to

     • MardraS

     @ChanceyFleet @MardraS 💕