Watermark and Logo

[gigiphotography]

I desperately need help designing my watermark and logo. I'm about to post my photos on zenfolio and I want them to look professional. Any one know of a free program to make these two items?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Watermarks don't make photos look professional.

 

[Goontz]

Watermarks don't make photos look professional.

Beat me to it.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Any one know of a free program to make these two items?

I answered that in this thread, of your's.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/202600-photo-shop-ps4.html

Inkscape.
It makes scalable vector graphics *perfect* for logos and professional watermarks.

 

[tissa]

Online Watermark Tool - Protect your Photos free online watermark tool

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

Watermarks don't make photos look professional.

+1

There are other reasons people do it. Most of the time theyre pointless...some *just* Like 'em.

 

[gigiphotography]

Watermarks don't make photos look professional.

+1

There are other reasons people do it. Most of the time theyre pointless...some *just* Like 'em.

I for one didn't say that it made them look professional, but I do post my photo's that people pay sitting fee's for online. SOOO I'd really like to make money off of the picture rather than them just printing it themselves. When they order their picture I rarely put logos on them so that it doesn't take away from the picture. But having said that I've had wal mart and wal greens call me plenty of times bc they wouldn't develop my pictures for my customers!!!

 

[myfotoguy]

Watermarks don't make photos look professional.

+1

There are other reasons people do it. Most of the time theyre pointless...some *just* Like 'em.

I for one didn't say that it made them look professional, but I do post my photo's that people pay sitting fee's for online. SOOO I'd really like to make money off of the picture rather than them just printing it themselves. When they order their picture I rarely put logos on them so that it doesn't take away from the picture. But having said that I've had wal mart and wal greens call me plenty of times bc they wouldn't develop my pictures for my customers!!!

If you have the Zenfolio Pro account, you can upload a watermark file, and even further control the opacity using Zenfoio tools. That puts the watermark on the online display images, but the ordered prints from their site don't have the watermark. You can even set your print pricing online, so they can order their prints and you can program in the profit (or keep the pricing even). Just a thought. Obviously the pro account is more money, but it is VERY flexible for what you are after.

Something to work toward if money is an issue. The clients can view and order themselves, and just put a note on the page that says something about the watermark removed for ordered prints. you can even sell downloads, and they won't have the watermark.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I'm about to post my photos on zenfolio and I want them to look professional.

I for one didn't say that it made them look professional,...

No, you didn't.

 

[gigiphotography]

I'm about to post my photos on zenfolio and I want them to look professional.

I for one didn't say that it made them look professional,...

No, you didn't.

that is not what I meant! You are obnoxious! You must nevermind!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

You must learn to communicate, and ask questions in a specific manner to get the answers you are after.

Or, just keep on doin' what your doin'.

 

[Aayria]

A very simple method to create a watermark that works decently well is to use the free software, "Gimp." It's very much like photoshop, without some of the bells and whistles.

You create a new file, and tell it to make the background transparent. Then use the text took, type some simple text in whatever font you like. (GiGi would be yours I assume.) The go to "filters," "light and shadow" "xach effect." Add the xach effect to your text, which creates a highlight later and a drop shadow layer.
After you've added this, re-select your text layer and delete the text. You'll be left with a highlight, a drop shadow, and a transparency.

Merge all visible layers, and then use the select tool to copy/crop the area you want for your water mark, then past this selection as a new file. Save it as "mywatermark" or something of the sort (save it as a .png file if you're going to upload it to zenfolio).

Once you've created your .png watermark file, you should be able to use the options in zenfolio to upload it and set it to automatically lay over any images you upload to albums set to use that watermark. (The file name will now show up in the list of watermark options in each zenfolio album.)

As for making your images look more professional, I don't think that is what you meant, but it did originally sound that way to me =P A watermark, to me, is nice because it's like a way for me to add my signature to my art. It doesn't really add or detract from it (unless the watermark is too obnoxious...) but it lets the viewer know who created the picture they're enjoying. I like watermarks in most situations, but I wouldn't want to watermark anything unless I really was proud of it =P

Good luck.. If any of this was confusing there are lots of tutorials out there, as well as good youtube videos!

 

[KmH]

SOOO I'd really like to make money off of the picture rather than them just printing it themselves.

Quit putting the images online or on a disc. But since you do, lower the resolution so they can't make a decent print

Neither a watermark nor a logo prevents "them just printing it themselves."

A quick crop, or just print it with the home printer, and it's a done deal.

The more sophisticated just clone out the logo/watermark and no ones the wiser.

 

[Aayria]

SOOO I'd really like to make money off of the picture rather than them just printing it themselves.

Quit putting the images online or on a disc. But since you do, lower the resolution so they can't make a decent print

Neither a watermark nor a logo prevents "them just printing it themselves."

A quick crop, or just print it with the home printer, and it's a done deal.

The more sophisticated just clone out the logo/watermark and no ones the wiser.[/QUOTE]

Oops, I missed that part! I didn't see that she was asking to prevent people from stealing her pictures. I second what KmH said, in that case. I always ALWAYS make a separate set of pictures sized down to a much smaller resolution for internet sharing- watermark or not.