BEFORE THE IMAGE GOES LIVE
Identify its purpose and the text already available nearby.
Check all essential words, numbers, labels and relationships against the image.
Remove unsupported identity, emotion, and marketing claims.
For image-only links/buttons, convey their destination/action.
For decorative/redundant HTML images, explicitly use alt="".
For charts/complex images, supply complete data/explanation in nearby real text.
Keep essential poster text available in a text alternative or nearby real text.
Enter reviewed alt in the destination's actual alt field; a caption or filename
does not populate it. Check destination-specific limits in its own interface.
On websites, inspect the rendered image and link names and test with assistive
technology as part of a broader accessibility review.
Recheck after cropping, editing, replacing the graphic, or changing its purpose.

These are editorial checks, not a conformance certification.