How To Deal With Clients Cropping Photos and Watermarks??

[celticwhim]

I am finally starting to get my name out in my town and am having a pretty good response to my ads on Facebook. So far I have had people I don't know personally as clients as well as friends, but with both groups I have have instances where they re-post one of my images of their child on FB that has been heavily cropped and the watermark is missing. I've even had a few people change my color photos to black & white!! I take heavy offense to this! I know it is likely that they don't understand how much photographers rely on that mark for future business, but the fact that I have stated on my FB page and in my polices to please NOT do this is what is bothering me. I know people don't really read anymore. How do I broach this subject without upsetting past and hopefully future clients without them taking it personally as so many people do?

 

[sm4him]

Spell it out. Literally--spell it out in your contract. Then reiterate it by telling them in person before you ever hand over any photos. Don't rely on a "blanket" message on FB to get the idea across. Be clear about it up front.

I don't do a lot of portrait work, but I have (so far) had zero problems with this because I make it very clear up front what they can, and can't, do with the photos I give them.

Eventually, it WILL happen to me. Any time you put photos on the internets, you open yourself up to that. But I believe the problem is minimized by maximizing your communication about it beforehand.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Get it in a contract. Refer clients back to that as needed.

Read the Terms & Conditions on Facebook - and on any social media sites or photo sharing sites you use. Photographers I know that use FB, link to their own site and just post select photos to display. I watermark thru the significant part(s) of the image if I post online, if nothing else it's a PITA for anyone to remove it.

Try here for info. on contracts, etc. American Society of Media Photographers or try looking up PPA for info.

 

[imagemaker46]

To be blunt, you're posting and working off face book, you have very little control of your images. People don't care if there are watermarks, it means nothing to them, unless they are large enough, that removing them takes too long, and if they have the skills to remove them and still have a decent image to use. Face book is the amateurs free method of running a business. It does have benefits without a doubt, but losing control will always be the downside.

 

[Tailgunner]

Is it typical for portrait photographers to sell their prints with their name and watermarks? We hire a photographer every so often to take our family photos, usually on vacation some place. Anyhow, non of them includes names or watermarks on the prints we order?

 

[Overread]

A few thoughts'

1) How big are these photos on Facebook? Because most of the time facebook photos are really quite small. If you're providing your clients with a resized version for facebook chances are the watermark is going to be small anyway (since its not an advertising setup you can't have your watermark be huge because your clients won't be happy with that).
That said I'd still consider it a valuable addition, just keep it small and don't rely upon it.

2) Consider using tags and links as part of your campaign - eg give the client a discount of future sessions if when they post your photos to their facebook with tags and linkback (better advertising for you and discount for them on a future session - so more profit from the same client).

3) Spell it out in the contract - and when you give them the contract go through it and spell that part out. Most people have no idea what so ever about copyright laws - if they do its mostly as far as "It's some law that means I can't copy my DVD that I bought and give it to my mate" kind of understanding. So outline it to them in an honest and simple manner.

 

[Overread]

A few thoughts'

1) How big are these photos on Facebook? Because most of the time facebook photos are really quite small. If you're providing your clients with a resized version for facebook chances are the watermark is going to be small anyway (since its not an advertising setup you can't have your watermark be huge because your clients won't be happy with that).
That said I'd still consider it a valuable addition, just keep it small and don't rely upon it.

2) Consider using tags and links as part of your campaign - eg give the client a discount of future sessions if when they post your photos to their facebook with tags and linkback (better advertising for you and discount for them on a future session - so more profit from the same client).

3) Spell it out in the contract - and when you give them the contract go through it and spell that part out. Most people have no idea what so ever about copyright laws - if they do its mostly as far as "It's some law that means I can't copy my DVD that I bought and give it to my mate" kind of understanding. So outline it to them in an honest and simple manner.

 

[snowbear]

Have your lawyer send them some fan mail.

 

[ilscuro]

Put a huge watermark in the centre of the image.

 

[KmH]

The average person has no clue what copyright is, or how it relates to having someone else make photos of them for them.
The general belief is that the customer owns the photos, and that any photo online is free for the taking.

The bottom line is - it's up to you to educate your customers regarding your copyrights and the model release. The best time and way to do that is to do it face-to-face at the time your contract is presented and signed by the customer.

 

[mcap1972]

I am finally starting to get my name out in my town and am having a pretty good response to my ads on Facebook. So far I have had people I don't know personally as clients as well as friends, but with both groups I have have instances where they re-post one of my images of their child on FB that has been heavily cropped and the watermark is missing. I've even had a few people change my color photos to black & white!! I take heavy offense to this! I know it is likely that they don't understand how much photographers rely on that mark for future business, but the fact that I have stated on my FB page and in my polices to please NOT do this is what is bothering me. I know people don't really read anymore. How do I broach this subject without upsetting past and hopefully future clients without them taking it personally as so many people do?

You can always go with bigger watermark with 50% opacity and put it more in center so they won't be able remove it.

 

[xFireSoul]

I never had this problem before, but I will face it in future for sure.
Anyway, It's nice to ask them not to crop the photo and keep it with the watermark. Most of the time they are fine with it.

 

[KmH]

I just realized the OP may not be in the USA. There is no location in their profile.

Copyright law where the OP is may be different than it is here in the US.
As an example, until fairly recently Canadian copyright law granted copyright to whoever commissioned having photos made, unless a contract said otherwise.
(Canada revamped their copyright laws so the more closely mirror US copyright law which in most cases grants copyright to the photographer.)
If the client owns the copyright the client can do whatever they want with a photo.

 

[photoguy99]

If they're cropping your pictures heavily, and converting to b&w, then you're clearly not giving them the pictures they want. This may or may not be an issue for you, but it's something to consider.

 

[waday]

If they're cropping your pictures heavily, and converting to b&w, then you're clearly not giving them the pictures they want. This may or may not be an issue for you, but it's something to consider.

I don't know if you can make a clear deduction of that in this case.

Sounds like they may be cropping to remove the watermark. And, well, with so many filters provided in Instagram and whatnot, they may not know what they want. They may honestly think that 'filters' in Instagram make a 'better' photo.