Using images in website content

Consider these tips before adding images to your web content.

Images can be added to your content if they:

meet the objectives of your page and are not just decorative (users ignore decorative images)
match the audience of your content
reflect the diversity of the Victorian community – across culture, gender, age, ability and faith
are resized and mobile-friendly (many users will be viewing pages on devices other than desktop computers, so a photo of a crowd won't be as visible on a mobile device).

Copyright and permissions

You’re responsible for making sure we have copyright permission to use the photo. Contact your digital or communications team if you need a release form.

Selecting images

Refer to your department's style guide. This helps keep a consistent look and feel across the page.
Choose images that have a foreground, middle and background (the subject will be in focus and the background out of focus).
Access high-quality images for zooming and cropping.
Photographs are clearer and more emotive if they focus as closely as possible on the key subject, such as a person's face or the plate of food.
Many users will be viewing pages on devices other than desktop computers, so a photo of a whole crowd won't be as visible on a smaller mobile device.
Users also respond better to images that include people. If you're taking or using photographs of people, you must ensure that you have their permission to publish them online.

Making images accessible

You should include an alternative text description for all images, except for the following:

Sensory image: if the image is intended to create a sensory experience. This could be an image of an artwork. You can't tell someone how the art may make them feel, but you could describe the type of materials used in the artwork. For example, oil painting on canvas.
Decorative image: if the image is purely decorative. This can be ignored by assistive technology.

Logos

For guidance on using Victorian Government logos check the apply brand Victoria - digital guide.

We follow the Australian Government Style Manual: Logos
Write the full name of the organisation in the logo alt text. You don’t need to include the word logo and you don’t need to describe the logo.
For logos that are functional links to home pages, use the name of the site in the link instead of the alt text. You don’t need to add the name to the link if it is already in the text on the page.

A logo can be included on a web page:

if it's your own logo – it should be uploaded in the Customised Header section in the CMS.
in the context of highlighting a sponsorship – it can be embedded in a basic text component.

Logos should never be used as the full header image or as the feature image for cards.

Examples of logo alternative text

Alternative text = Learn Local

Alternative text = Victoria State Government

Text images

The alt text should include all the text displayed within the image.

Complex images (graphs, flowcharts and maps)

If you’re planning to embed a graph, flowchart or map, you must accompany it with one of the following:

text description in content below the image
accessible data table
description on another webpage and state in the alt text ‘Visit [page url] for an accessible version of this graph’.

Victorian image libraries

Before engaging a photographer or using stock images, check out these recommended photo libraries. Most images are copyright free or released under creative commons licensing (it’s your responsibility to double check this before they're used):

SDP - Knowledge Base