Protecting My Photos

Jen Puleo · Jul 3, 2008

I'm starting a portfolio. I have a shoot this weekend w/a mom & her 2 kids. However once I send her the photos for viewing I need to keep her from just printing them. How to I put something across the photos so she can't get a good print. I don't mean a copyright-I'm not there. Just my name or a 'do not print' sign-anything works for me.

I don't have photo shop yet

Overread · Jul 3, 2008

Eh?
Once you take a shot you have the copywrite from that point - least that is the way in the UK and in most places - you don't need to sign anything or be of any standard, the shot is yours and you have all rights to it.
If you are sending shots to her send websized ones - 800 pixels on the longest side or smaller (600 works well) this is perfectly fine to view on screen on a computer, but won't be making in any large high quality pics from. After that you could add a watermark to cover the greater part of the photo - make it say something like SAMPLE so as they know its only a sample and not a dispay of the final product (the final not having the watermark of course).

Mav · Jul 3, 2008

If you're doing paid professional work then Photoshop or even Photoshop Elements is going to be essential. If you want something for FREE, try the GIMP. It works great. Adobe gives you a 30-day trial on most of their stuff too. If you have Windows, Paint Shop Pro is one of my favorite programs of all time and it's cheap too.

In the meantime, just send her small web-sized photos like Overread suggested. Only 800 pixels max. At least on Nikons it'll let you make a small web-sized photo, but it changes the file name around so it might get tough to identify. Best to just downsize all of them by hand, (batch tools in even Photoshop Elements will handle this I think) save as a NEW file with an "sm" suffix (for small) is what I usually do. You can get an OK 4x6" print out of a file like that, but it definitely won't work well for enlargements.

Rachelsne · Jul 3, 2008

Yeah when emailing you want to avoid sending huge files anyway, they take to long to upload/download sending a smaller file size is better for that reason and it will stop her printing the pictures too.

Robin · Jul 3, 2008

Overread said:
Eh?
Once you take a shot you have the copywrite from that point - least that is the way in the UK and in most places - you don't need to sign anything or be of any standard, the shot is yours and you have all rights to it.

Having the copyright doesn't stop people from trying to print the photos themselves though. Most consumer printers (like walmart or someplace) will turn them away if they are obviously professional pics but again, it doesn't stop people from trying. And these days, with a lot of people having their own photo printers at home, even if they're not professional printers, it's even more likely someone will attempt it. The attitude is usually "who is going to know?" or "what the photographer doesn't know won't hurt him/her".

You would hope sizing the image down to web viewing would be enough to prevent someone from printing it. But I've emailed photos to my mom and even told her "these aren't print quality so let me know if you want a bigger file for printing" but she still prints out the web quality picture, jagged edges and all! So annoying!

bigalbest · Jul 3, 2008

I have a lot of experience with selling the finished product and will not e-mail samples of any size. The customers who ask for this service never ever call back. Ever.

rasheemo · Jul 3, 2008

bigalbest what do you mean? you were a little unclear. do you mean the customers that you deny email samples never call back for another photo shoot? or... ?

Overread · Jul 3, 2008

I think he means that those who ask for e-mailed copies of the photos never call back again to get the printed version - they just take the e-mailed copy - which is why a sample watermark over the greater part can deter them a little

rasheemo · Jul 3, 2008

ooh good to know!

so as long as i put a huge watermark on there they will probably call back, but small sample pictures are at risk of being stolen.

bigalbest · Jul 3, 2008

Exactly. And I would stress that this is the type of customer who is a tough sell. Every time someone asks me to email samples alarm bells go off in my head.

rasheemo · Jul 3, 2008

so how do you deal with it? do you just refuse or do you watermark?

thanks for your advice =]

*Mike* · Jul 3, 2008

Rasheemo, why not proof them in person and use it as an ordering session? Cuts down on the pilfering problem, and generally results in better orders.

Otherwise, you can use something like pictology. They'll let you have up to (2) events online at any given time with no monthly charge. The customer places their order online, you fill the order (or let the service do it), and then you get a check in the mail, minus processing fees. Oh, this also lets you control how long the file are available for... Lot less pressure to order when you have low res files that you can refer back to, and share, whenever you want.

If you are sending low-res files, I'd keep them to 600px or less on the longest side. 800 is high. I believe that MPIX (a great lab, consumer division of Millers) only requires 100DPI.

Jen Puleo · Jul 3, 2008

Thanks folks. So how do I do a watermark of some sort? I'm not charging right now but I also don't want people just printing my work after I've given them a free photo session. I only plan to charge for the photos & will charge slightly more than what I pay for putting them together for them. I have a program from Nikon (can't remember the name off hand). Maybe I can do it through there. Even w/the photos being small I'd bet people will try to print them.

bigalbest · Jul 3, 2008

I recommend a proofing session in person, the only way to improve sales consistently. Watermarks will slow them down but will not prevent unauthorized printing. If your customers won't agree to this my bet is they won't buy anyways.

kellylindseyphotography · Jul 3, 2008

My opinion is that if you don't have photo editing software, then you are not producing quality pictures. Every picture that comes straight out of the camera needs to be edited. If you don't know how to do that, or don't have the knowledge, then you shouldn't be selling pictures anyway. I'd do it for free for the experience you will gain. There will be plenty of paid photo shoots down the line if you keep at it and learn.