Accessibility & Inclusive Design

Even though this is a personal portfolio site with relatively low traffic, accessibility remains a top priority. I believe that all digital content—regardless of its audience size—should be as inclusive as possible. Too often, accessibility is treated as an optional consideration rather than a fundamental design principle. But digital spaces, like physical spaces, shape who can participate in them.

A common misconception in both physical and digital spaces is that a lack of visible demand for accessibility features means they are unnecessary. However, inaccessibility itself often creates this false perception. If a building lacks ramps or elevators, it may appear that wheelchair users simply don’t visit—when in reality, they were excluded from the start. The same applies to digital spaces: when websites fail to meet accessibility standards, those who rely on them are often left out entirely, reinforcing the flawed assumption that they are not part of the audience. I reject that cycle of exclusion and design this site with the belief that accessibility should never be an afterthought.

Images & Alt Text

Almost every image on this site includes alt text, ensuring accessibility for screen reader users. However, project thumbnails are unable to have alt text due to technical limitations. On all other images, our descriptions aim to balance brevity with meaningful context, helping users understand the purpose and content of visual elements without excessive verbosity. Note that the photos included in the project thumbnails do have image descriptions in their respective galleries.

Text Size & Readability

Large text is used widely throughout the site to enhance readability. However, because all text is selectable and not embedded in images, users can always adjust the text size to their personal preference using their device’s built-in accessibility settings. For guidance on increasing text size across different operating systems, visit this guide. Additionally, all text is designed with a high contrast ratio—exceeding 10:1—far surpassing the WCAG Level AAA requirements, which recommend a minimum of 7:1 for body text and 4.5:1 for large text.

Animations & Motion Sensitivity

To accommodate users sensitive to motion, all animations and flashing lights have been disabled. This helps reduce the risk of motion sickness, migraines, and seizure triggers, ensuring a more comfortable browsing experience for everyone.

Video Accessibility

Video content presents one of the most complex accessibility challenges. While providing frame-by-frame visual descriptions isn’t always feasible, all videos on this site are accompanied by a detailed summary, describing key visuals, important movements, and any essential on-screen information. This approach helps ensure that users with visual impairments can still understand the video's context and message.

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, and I welcome feedback to continue improving this site. If you encounter any barriers or have suggestions, please reach out!