Adding images can make a webpage more engaging, but you need to make sure those who can't see them don't miss out on any information.
When choosing images to include on your webpage, it is important to make sure your images are accessible, and that you have the appropriate permissions.
You should also consider the size of the image. We offer guidance on how to resize existing images across your Queen Mary web pages.
You should avoid using any images containing text, as these cannot be interpreted by accessibility software. The T4 content layouts also mean the text in your image will often be too small to read.
If you do use an image containing text, make sure it is not more than a few words (eg the length of a slogan), and that you include these words in the alternative text when uploading the images to the T4 media library.
You need to make sure you have the appropriate permissions before publishing an image or video. This includes permission of the copyright holder and, in some cases, the permission of anybody in the image (eg a signed consent form).
You can use any image from Queen Mary's Canto library. This library consists of copyright- and consent-cleared images and videos, and are the recommended source for staff.
If you are producing new images for Queen Mary, it is important to ensure you have appropriate consent. If images are close-ups of individuals taken in a controlled environment (ie not a public setting) and the individuals will be identifiable (eg by name or course), they should complete a photo/video release consent form. Take a look at our Queen Mary image guidance.
In all other cases, a polite notice that the image will be used for Queen Mary information or publicity purposes suffices.
If you are using images produced externally, it is important that you have clear permission of the copyright holder to use the image. Get in touch with the Content and Brand team to find out more about how to source this imagery.
To add an image to your webpage, it needs to be added to the T4 media library. Below are the things you will need to do whenever you upload an image. You can remind yourself how to add an image to the T4 media library using the online T4 training.
The name you give an image on your computer before uploading it to T4 will remain the name of the file once it has been added to the website. For this reason, it is important to give the image an appropriate and accessible name before you upload it. Make sure your image name -
If your image file size is too large, it will make the webpage difficult to load. Large images (such as those used in webpage banners) should be no more than 1 MB. Most other smaller images (like those included in a card item or within an article) can be 300 KB or less.
Every image you upload should include alt text, which you add this in the ‘Description / Alt text’ field. Screen readers read aloud the ‘alt text’ or description of an image to the user. So, by adding a good description, you help partially sighted users know what content is on the page.
Alternative text describes the appearance or function of an image on a page, and should be a literal description of what is in the image, unlike a caption, which is intended to add context to an image in relation to the rest of the page.
Caption - 'Queen Mary is a short tube journey away from Central London'
Alt text - 'Aerial shot of the River Thames and Tower Bridge'
Queen Mary is a short tube journey away from Central London.
Different T4 content types will require different sized images, with some content types (like header banners) needing you to have multiple sizes of the same image. You can create these various sizes after uploading your image to the T4 media library using the variants function.
Creating these variants within the T4 media library, rather than before you upload them, will mean they are all saved in one place and easier to find.