Quick Tips on Image Usage:

1. Always use "ALT" tags for images - it's required!
   It isn't valid HTML nor does it meet accessiblity guidelines if the ALT tag is missing.
    
   
2. Eye Candy
   If you use an image as a bullet or some other sort of non-meaning-bearing "eye-candy" use an empty ALT tag, like this:
    
   alt=""
    
   That way, speech-browsers and text-based browsers will ignore that image rather than say "Inline" or "Image" (terms which are meaningless and thus potentially irritating to the end user).
    
   
3. Accessible Content and the ALT Tag
   How do you decide if an image needs text content for an ALT tag or if it is instead "eye candy?" If the image is merely a visual cue to assist a sighted user in navigating the present page, text describing such an image would probably be distracting and not helpful to a blind person who is hearing rather than seeing your page. The same is true of an image which provides visual accent but is not integral in terms of presenting information.
    
   If, however, the image brings some meaning to your web page that might not otherwise be there, then it is important content. That content needs to be made available by some other means. This is what the ALT tag is for - a brief description of the content. (Look into the "longdesc" tag for presentation of content which is not brief.)
    
   By the way: Not only visually impaired people are surfing the web without benefit of conventional monitors. Other new means of retrieving web-based content may not display images, either.
    
   
4. Use height and width dimensions in your HTML code
   This will help the browser lay out the page in advance of downloading the image (otherwise, the page will load sporadically and seem to jump all over as it re-does the layout image by image).
    
   
5. Always use the correct dimensions for the image
   Since browsers are not image editors, it's necessary to always use the correct dimensions for the image. If the image isn't the correct size, or you use false dimensions to re-size the image, quality will be very poor. Therefore, use the right size image for the job.
    
   
6. Use border="0" to avoid borders around your images
   Borders are to be set to "0" for these approved images. Unless you have a particular reason for having a border, use border="0", especially if these images are being used as links.
    
   
7. Use an "images" directory
   Instead of placing all your html and image files in the same directory, use a subdirectory called "images." This will help to keep your site organized and make maintenance much easier. The images directory can hold other subdirectories if you have easily defined categories of images. This is an easily implemented tip which you will appreciate as your web project grows!