Protect

Computer_Generated · Jul 20, 2008

Hey just out of curiosity does anyone use watermarks or other ways of protecting their photos online? I've just started to share my stuff online and they have a transparent text layer on them but that's easily photoshoped out. I haven't shared ful res images either... what do most people do in these situations?

Fiendish Astronaut · Jul 20, 2008

I put a watermark on them. My main site is flash and you can't right click to save the images - someone determined enough could lift them of course but the photos are only 500px on their largest size so I don't think they'd be very useable for most purposes. On my Flickr site, my photos are marked as copyright and I do put a signature on. Also, only my contacts can click to see a bigger size.

So if someone REALLY wanted to they could steal my images but they'd have to jump through enough hoops to know that they're doing something wrong and might not get the quality they wanted. For me it's a fine line between marketing myself and protecting my images. A few fans of a particular band have used my images on the band's official forum. They've cut the picture to a banner shape (to more naturally fit in the sig space) but because that crop has taken out my watermark they've re-written it onto the new cropped version. I find it impossible to actually take offence at this!

Others I'm sure will employ a different tactic. Ultimately I guess it also depends on what your images are. If they are portraits of a member of the public, then other people are unlikely to want to lift them, but then you might want to consider how the subject of your photo might feel if, say, a picture of them semi-naked which you think is artistic is found on an internet porn site!!!

Computer_Generated · Jul 20, 2008

Thanks for the shared opinion Fiendish. I checked out your site - LOVE IT! I might think about the flash thing too. BTW I love your intro page photo - your place?

Fiendish Astronaut · Jul 20, 2008

Thanks CG! The photo is from the set of a music video. So all lit up nicely for me...

Bifurcator · Jul 20, 2008

I add none. I can defeat almost any watermark so I figure other people can too. I think the only reason to use a watermark is for advertisement purposes.

reg · Jul 20, 2008

Anything on a computer screen can be stolen like THAT.

Pushing the "Prnt Scrn" button on an un-watermarked isn't exactly "jumping through hoops", and almost any watermark can be defeated. If any particular image of yours good enough to be worrisome FOR YOU, don't put it on the internet in a size that worries you (whether that's, not enough to print an 8x10, or only a 400x400 preview).

salahaiyiu · Jul 28, 2008

I use Batch Watermark Creator for protecting my images by visible watermarks: http://www.easy-tools.net....
watermark your pictures step by step:
http://www.easy-tools.net/batch-watermark/on-line-help.html...

justshootingconcerts · Jul 28, 2008

I just add a simple text copyright sig in the bottom right corner of my photos. The photos on my website are fairly low resolution and they can't be 'right clicked' either. But like someone else said, if someone wants a photo bad enough, they can get it.

Chad

JerryPH · Jul 28, 2008

If you are concerned about someone taking our pics on the net... don't put them there. Watermarks deter honest people, but rarely deters someone that wants to abuse your rights.

Thats my 2 cents on that topic.

table1349 · Jul 28, 2008

Computer_Generated said:
Hey just out of curiosity does anyone use watermarks or other ways of protecting their photos online? I've just started to share my stuff online and they have a transparent text layer on them but that's easily photoshoped out. I haven't shared ful res images either... what do most people do in these situations?

Is this for business or family/friends? For business small, lo-rez, watermarked photos. Not worth the effort to steal and clean up.

For family/friends, change permissions so only the invited family/friends can see them. Then invite only those you want to have access to them. Problem solved.

Computer_Generated · Jul 28, 2008

thx everyone for the suggestions. I'll just keep putting crappy watermarks on them to deture a little bit of people, I'll probably keep offering low rez versions too. Thx again.

tron · Jul 29, 2008

nobody would steal my cruddy pics so i dont worry about it

salahaiyiu · Aug 6, 2008

How about using transparent type in 72 point with you name across the picture makes it impossible to crop or edit out...........oh

Gary Molen · Sep 6, 2008

watermark and resize your pics online,
http://www.resizepictures.net/resize-watermark-pictures-online.html

manaheim · Sep 7, 2008

I also embed copyright info into the file. People are alarmingly stupid sometimes, so I can totally see a situation where an image gets stolen and they don't realize that info is in there... it goes to court... SO BUSTED!

:lol: