Flash Gallery

[creative_one]

Hi everyone,
I have done alot of research on how to protect my photographs on my photography website from NOT being stolen. I went on alot of photography websites / portfolios / professional photographer's websites & the majority had flash galleries.
Now the only thing that i can come up with is to put some of my best of the best photographs that i took in a flash album or gallery & that way they won't get stolen but im still not 100% sure about that.
Do u think if i get a flash album or gallery would protect my photographs from being stolen or used without my permission? What is your thoughs on this? any advice?
Thanks in advance!
Creative One

 

[loopy]

No, there is NO way to protect your images from being stolen on the web.

 

[creative_one]

Loopy,
So what do the majority of professtional photographers that have websites do about it? ( that have galleries on their website?)

 

[Big Mike]

I'd say that the majority of photographers don't worry too much about it. There are billions or even trillions of images on the internet...image theft does happen but the odds are astronomical that it will be you.

What I do, is to limit my uploaded images to a smaller size/lower resolution. If someone downloads it or does a screen capture...the image won't be big enough to do anything but display on the web.

 

[creative_one]

I'd say that the majority of photographers don't worry too much about it. There are billions or even trillions of images on the internet...image theft does happen but the odds are astronomical that it will be you.

What I do, is to limit my uploaded images to a smaller size/lower resolution. If someone downloads it or does a screen capture...the image won't be big enough to do anything but display on the web.

Thanks for the comforting reassuring information/advice .
Can u give me a guess - estimate percentage like 100 out of 1 or something like that.
Thankz

 

[PhotoXopher]

 

[creative_one]

See i was real stressed out about people stealing my images on my new website thats going to be built soon.
Big Mike asurred me by saying this : There are billions or even trillions of images on the internet...image theft does happen but the odds are astronomical that it will be you.
I asked him just to give me a guess percentage like 100 out of 1 that the image theft would happen to them.

 

[PhotoXopher]

It's the 100 out of 1 thing that has me stumped

 

[creative_one]

It's the 100 out of 1 thing that has me stumped

That was just an Example .
Ok like 1 out of 1000 would be killed by a fallen tree.
I guess i worded it wrong long day ! LOL

 

[kalee]

the best way... i've found to protect your images is by watermarking them.
it doesn't have to be obnoxious, unless you want it to be, but even then if someone
does take the time to screen shot your flash gallery, your images will be branded.

just an idea.

 

[Garbz]

With watermarking you run the risk of distracting the viewer.

In reality though just look at flickr. If someone wanted to steal photos they'd do a flickr search. The odds that they'd rip off your private gallery are even more astronomical. Your odds go up hugely if you have large exposures. I'd be slightly worried about this if any of my flickr posted images ended up on "Explore" which gives insane exposure to them. That's happened twice to me and even then no stealers, no watermarks, nothing.

Your 1 in 1000 is more like 1 in 10000000, what with every body on the planet being an amateur photographer these days.

But ask yourself this. What are you really afraid of?
You won't lose customers - People won't hire people who can't take good photos.
You won't lose sales - If you follow mikes suggestion and keep the sizes small. A decent size for viewing on the screen does not make it decent for printing.