Watermarks and People Stealing your pictures

[Newnan3]

This thread isnt directed at anyone in particular so dont get offended.

I often see people using watermarks as a means of preventing others from stealing their pictures and using them in ads, websites, whatever......But how often does this really happen??

I personally dont use watermarks because

a) I really dont think my pics are that good......yet:thumbup:

b) I dont know how to put them on my pics and Im too lazy to learn.

c) None of my favorite professional photogs seem to use them and they dont seem too concerned with it.

Honestly Ive only been shooting since March or so and I would be flattered if someone stole my pics.........My flickr if someone wants to steal my pics Flickr: NAmpaipast's Photostream

I'd like to hear from people who had their pics stolen and what they did about it.

 

[mwcfarms]

A girl I know told me after visiting my blog one day. You should really watermark your pictures I have to confess I right clicked a such and such picture and made it my desktop background.

Ahhh..... ok. :er:

 

[Big Mike]

When I upload images to the web, I resize them and compress them (lower quality when saving as JPEG). This means that they are really only good for viewing on screen or making small, low quality prints. So in other words, they wouldn't be all that much use for an image thief. Well, they could use them on a web site, but that's a risk you take.

Keep in mind the sheer number of photos on the internet...it must be trillions. Worrying about a few of your own photos seems silly.

 

[magkelly]

You might not think it was so silly if it happened to you. I used to think that is wasn't worth doing, but that all changed for me the day I found one of my photos on a very popular website tagged as someone else's work. It wasn't so much that they used it that really ticked me off, it was that they claimed it as their own.

That photo was one of the few that I was really proud of and someone just stripped the data off it, claimed it was theirs, and used it without even asking. I've had friends use photos of mine before, no watermark, and generally it was fine, but they gave me a freakin photo credit at least! They never claimed they took it.

I very seldom display any photo now in printable size or sans a watermark. People don't like it and I've had some nasty comments about it, but that lesson it just stung and I don't want a repeat of that.

 

[tropico]

Because of stories like this one, I watermark my photos.
Seem like a lot of people on this forum hate it.

I just don`t want this to happen to me! And if someone want to share my photos everyone can see that it is my work!

I have read tons of stories like this one! Not cool!

You might not think it was so silly if it happened to you. I used to think that is wasn't worth doing, but that all changed for me the day I found one of my photos on a very popular website tagged as someone else's work. It wasn't so much that they used it that really ticked me off, it was that they claimed it as their own.

That photo was one of the few that I was really proud of and someone just stripped the data off it, claimed it was theirs, and used it without even asking. I've had friends use photos of mine before, no watermark, and generally it was fine, but they gave me a freakin photo credit at least! They never claimed they took it.

I very seldom display any photo now in printable size or sans a watermark. People don't like it and I've had some nasty comments about it, but that lesson it just stung and I don't want a repeat of that.

 

[tropico]

Here is a Flickr group with stories about stolen photos:

Flickr: PHOTOS STOLEN

 

[Sam6644]

If you put it on the internet, it will be stolen.


If the movie studios and record companies aren't watermarking their products, I don't think it's going to make a difference for you.

I just make sure to only put screen resolution stuff online so, as said already, they're not good for print.

As someone who works for a newspaper, most of the stuff I shoot doesn't belong to me anyway, so if i watermark stuff, it's not even my personal info.

 

[JamesMason]

people stealing my images makes me feel like a great artist.

 

[Buckster]

Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.

Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.

 

[ghache]

To me, watermark is only advertisement.

 

[Big Mike]

Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.

Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.

You don't have to register your photos with the copyright office, for them to be protected. You automatically own the copyright anyway. But registering them can make it easier to prove & enforce ownership.

But is it going to be worth the trouble? You could probably make enough fuss to get the photo taken off of whatever web site it's on. I think that the usual course (after just asking them to take it down) is to threaten the ISP with a lawsuit, because they have the ability to shut the site down.

But it's not like you are going to get rich by suing someone who stole your image on the internet. You would likely have to prove damages, and besides a few hurt feelings, there is likely no damage or financial loss to you.

I agree, it sucks when someone uses your images without permission...but life is too short to spend time agonizing over it. Just get out there and shoot more, better images and move on.

 

[Buckster]

I agree with you Mike. I haven't registered any of my stuff, nor do I watermark it. On a few occasions, I've found something of mine being used by someone else and then I just have a friendly chat with them about it. Outcomes have been removal of the photo from their site or payment if it's a business, or credit to me with a link if they're not making money off it - which generally seems fair to me - a little friendly advertising on others' sites like that can't hurt me, I figure.

I was just intoning that for those who are really worried about it, there are ways to deal with it that don't include putting big, ugly watermarks over their images.

Que sera.

 

[Big Mike]

Also, if anyone is going to register their images with the US copyright office, you pay the same price for one image, as you do for a whole disc of images. So for (I think it's $20) you can fill a DVD with images and have them registered.

 

[magkelly]

ROTFLOL, I honestly don't know if this was meant seriously or not but it so made me laugh. I have this funny image in my head now of someone sitting there every day very carefully registering each and every one of all their photos just so they can potentially sue people, thanks!

Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.

Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.

 

[jbmaster]

I'm fairly new to this site.I've often wondered if someone posted a photo that they got from a magazine just to see what kind of criticism it would get.Nowing that it was good enough to print elsewhere.I haven't posted anything yet.My profile or whatever says that I'm no longer a noob,moving up.Believe me,I'm a noob!I think I've been taking too much in at once.I want to take macro shots.I want to get some night shots,mostly lightning.I want to try some portraits.I have twins,a boy and a girl that are seniors.I want to try and do there senior pictures.The truth is that all this is overwhelming.Anyway,when I do post something, and someone wants to claim it as there own,I will be one happy guy!