Alt text is one of the most consistently ignored SEO tasks in photography websites — and also one of the easiest wins available to you.
Most photographers either skip it entirely, write something like “image1.jpg,” or use the same generic phrase on every photo. All three are missed opportunities.
Here’s exactly how to write SEO alt text for photos in a way that helps you rank, without taking more than a few seconds per image.
What Is Alt Text, and Why Does It Matter?
Alt text (short for “alternative text”) is a written description attached to an image that you add in your website’s backend. It was originally designed for accessibility — screen readers use it to describe images to visually impaired visitors.
But alt text also tells Google what your image shows. Since Google can’t “see” photos the way humans can, it reads your alt text to understand the content — and uses that to decide whether your image should appear in Google Image Search.
For photographers, this matters for two reasons:
1. Google Image Search drives real traffic. Couples, clients, and art directors use Google Images constantly. If your photos show up when someone searches “golden hour elopement photos Colorado,” that’s a direct path to your website.
2. Alt text reinforces your page’s keyword relevance. When your alt text matches the keywords on the rest of the page, it signals to Google that your page is genuinely about that topic — which can help your entire page rank higher.
The Anatomy of Good Alt Text
Good alt text for photographers does three things:
- Describes what’s literally in the image (subject, setting, action)
- Includes a relevant keyword naturally, without forcing it
- Is specific enough to be useful — not so long it becomes a keyword dump
The sweet spot is usually one to two sentences, or roughly 10–20 words.
Before and After: Alt Text Examples for Photographers
Here’s what the difference looks like in practice.
Wedding Photography
❌ Bad: photo or DSC_4829.jpg or wedding
⚠️ Generic: bride and groom at wedding
✅ Good: Bride and groom sharing first dance at The Treasury on the Plaza, St. Augustine FL
✅ Also good: Outdoor wedding ceremony in the Colorado mountains at sunset, bride in lace gown
Portrait Photography
❌ Bad: portrait
⚠️ Generic: woman smiling outdoors
✅ Good: Natural light senior portrait session in Forsyth Park, Savannah Georgia
✅ Also good: Mother and daughter family portrait at golden hour, Portland Oregon
Elopement Photography
❌ Bad: elopement
⚠️ Generic: couple in mountains
✅ Good: Intimate elopement ceremony at Glacier National Park, couple exchanging vows at sunrise
How to Write Alt Text for Every Type of Photo
Gallery Images
For portfolio galleries, focus on the setting, style, and location.
Formula: [What's happening] + [Setting/Venue] + [Location]
Example: Candid reception moment at Terrain at Styer's, Glen Mills Pennsylvania
Blog Post Images
For photos inside blog posts, your alt text should relate to the post’s keyword. If you’re writing a post about a specific venue, every image in that post should include the venue name.
Formula: [Descriptive action] at [Venue name], [City]
Example: Bride walking down aisle at The Barn at Woodlands Farm, Maryland
Hero/Banner Images
For the large photo at the top of your homepage or service pages, write alt text that matches the page’s main keyword.
Homepage example: Nashville wedding photographer capturing first kiss at Noelle Hotel
Portrait page example: Natural light family portrait session in Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Behind-the-Scenes or Non-Portrait Photos
Not every photo has a couple in it. Detail shots, venue spaces, and flat lays need alt text too.
Example: Wedding bouquet of white ranunculus and eucalyptus, styled by Stems & Vines, Austin TX
Example: Reception table decor at a rustic barn wedding in the Hudson Valley
What to Avoid in Alt Text
Keyword stuffing. This is the most common mistake once photographers realize alt text matters. Resist the urge to write: Austin wedding photographer wedding photos Austin Texas best wedding photographer. Google reads this as spam.
Starting with “image of” or “photo of.” Google already knows it’s an image. Skip the preamble and go straight to the description.
Leaving it blank. Blank alt text is invisible to Google and inaccessible to screen readers. Even a basic description is better than nothing.
Repeating the same alt text. If every image on your site says “wedding photographer,” none of them helps your SEO. Vary the descriptions.
Being too vague. “Happy couple” tells Google nothing. “Couple laughing during first dance at The Hay-Adams in Washington DC” tells Google a lot.
How to Add Alt Text in Popular Platforms
Squarespace: Click any image in the editor → Image Settings → Caption/Alt Text field
Showit: Click the image → Content panel → Alt text field
WordPress: Media Library → select image → Alternative Text field (or set it when inserting into a post)
Pic-Time / Pixieset galleries: Check your platform’s image settings — some gallery platforms support alt text in metadata
If you upload images through Lightroom before publishing, you can add alt text in the metadata panel before export, and many platforms will pull it in automatically.
A Realistic Workflow for Staying on Top of Alt Text
You don’t need to go back and fix every image on your site overnight. Instead:
- Going forward: Spend 10–15 extra seconds writing alt text for every image you publish. Make it a non-negotiable part of your upload process.
- One audit per quarter: Pick one important page — your homepage, your most popular gallery, or your most recent blog post — and update the alt text on every image.
- Prioritize location pages: If you have individual location pages for cities you serve, make sure every image on those pages has location-specific alt text. Those pages have the highest commercial intent, so the payoff is biggest.
The Short Version
Good alt text for photographers: describes what’s in the image, names the location when relevant, and includes a keyword naturally. Bad alt text: blank, generic, or stuffed with keywords.
It takes less than 30 seconds per image. Over the course of a year of consistent publishing, it compounds into hundreds of image search rankings you’d otherwise never have. Start with your next blog post.