Copyrights and Watermarks

dade_f

dade_f

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1,071
Name
Dade
Edit My Images
Yes
Hey folks,
I was given the idea the other day that I should be marking my images in some way to stop people taking them.

Good idea I thought - then set about designing a copyright style tag to add to images.
Now I know Photoshop, and these can easily be removed, so is it worth the effort to mark them in the first place?

Also what is a good approach, I designed a simple blah blah © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Which sits in the bottom right of images, but looks VERY formal. And then I did a more artistic version using my logo image and name, which can be applied anywhere on the image.

I am aware however that these can detract from the photo some what, so again is it worth it?

What approach do you find works best - yes, I know its a personal choice, BUT if you were to look at or purchase an image how would you prefer the © / watermark to be?
 
I dont use a watermark on mine - mainly as the pictures on my website have been resized too small to really be able to do anything with so are a bit pointless to steal. Looking at the watermarks I prefer to see them down the bottom in the corner - ones that are completely across the photo just tend to ruin it imo (although I suppose it depends how its done) A few of my event ones I have been tempted to put All rights reserved or similar on just to remind people but not got round to it yet so whether I will or not I dont know
 
A good guide to a watermark is one which is subtle enough to not degrade the image too much but intrusive enough not to be cloned or cropped out. (large with a lower opacity is good)
 
I apply drop shadow, opacity 65% and fill 25% all in white lower case.
 
I just stick 'Richard Peters Photography' on mine in the same style as the font used on my website so it all matches. I just adjust the opacity a little so it blends in a bit on the images. I only do it so if the images get linked elsewhere people can maybe stumble their way to my site - as apposed to 'stopping' image theft.
 
put a wedsite to attract attention to your work but make sure it does not interfer with the image.


dade_f said:
Hey folks,
I was given the idea the other day that I should be marking my images in some way to stop people taking them.

Good idea I thought - then set about designing a copyright style tag to add to images.
Now I know Photoshop, and these can easily be removed, so is it worth the effort to mark them in the first place?

Also what is a good approach, I designed a simple blah blah © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Which sits in the bottom right of images, but looks VERY formal. And then I did a more artistic version using my logo image and name, which can be applied anywhere on the image.

I am aware however that these can detract from the photo some what, so again is it worth it?

What approach do you find works best - yes, I know its a personal choice, BUT if you were to look at or purchase an image how would you prefer the © / watermark to be?
Click to expand...
 
Personally I use iWatermark,

http://www.plumamazing.com/mac/iwatermark

for around $20 this is brilliant software that allows you to create multiple watermarks, resize, rename (or add on say 'wm' to file names for watermarked versions) and best of all, add in IPTC data to try and make the photographs a little more secure.

It can handle batches fantastically and I use it for all of my shoots now for the Proofs CD, simply drag in the folder of images, hit resize (for speed of loading on the CD and website), select the right watermark, hit go and go and have a coffee :)
 
If you use photoshop then my Script Writer scripts will allow you to add watermarks, images, borders, text etc to images and has a batch mode too. There is a link in my sig if you are interested. Just have a play, it is free to try it.
 
andrewc said:
If you're worried about people pinching your photos, then the only effective
Click to expand...

...way is not to put them on the internet!

To the OP, watermark or no watermark people will download them if they want them! Ask any Motocross photographer on here! I've even got the riders be-friending me on Facebook and they've already got my photos as their profile photo - with watermark!

If you're only protecting them from being used commercially, then slap a large one over the middle!

Good Luck!
Carl.
 
I put a large watermark across the middle on fairly low opacity. Then I also put a very small one on the bottom right at about 80-90% opacity, incase the one in the middle isn't particularly legible (I batch process them as I upload whole galleries of events).

My photos are actually under the Creative Commons Attributation license, but I watermark the stuff in public and tell people to contact me for the clean versions - that way I'm sure they understand the terms of the license. Bands and audience members I've shot at events have generally used the photos for Facebook stuff, and decided to use the watermarked versions to give me the promotion (much to my surprise!)
 
Agree with most of what's said above. If your shots are any good, then you're fighting a losing battle the moment you put them online. If I bother to watermark, I just the built in basic text thing in Lightroom and stick my URL in the bottom corner on the off chance someone might see it and go to my website.

dade_f said:
... BUT if you were to look at or purchase an image how would you prefer the © / watermark to be?
Click to expand...

If I were to purchase an image, I'd expect the watermark to not be there. ;)
 
Richard Peters said:
I just stick 'Richard Peters Photography' on mine in the same style as the font used on my website so it all matches. I just adjust the opacity a little so it blends in a bit on the images. I only do it so if the images get linked elsewhere people can maybe stumble their way to my site - as apposed to 'stopping' image theft.
Click to expand...

Richard, congratulations! You have some beautiful photos on your site :)

One question, how did you get that owl to look at you as it flew past?
 
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