So dear blogger friends I have been thinking a lot about photos I post and share on the internet mainly through blogging and other social media sites and would like your opinion of watermarking photos? In today's internet world some of us have had content taken from blogs and no doubt our photos. So what do you think? Is it worth it to watermark? Or is it just a waste of time? Every once in awhile I snap a great photo and don't want anyone else taking cred for my pic and the moment I captured. Thoughts?
12 comments:
Dar, as with most things, there is a range of options. The most obvious answers may not be the ones that actually help with the challenge.
I know a few things about authenticating digital objects. Text is easier than images.
Check out this link. There are some interesting choices provided, some which definitely work legally.
Copyright protection is automatic. The challenge is proving authorship. The proof sheet approach mentioned is excellent evidence.
There is another reference to a solution that seems compelling, assuming it really does what it claims.
Protecting authors' and artists' rights online is a huge challenge.
I like the idea of watermarking but on my Mac with iPhoto there is no easy way to batch them. so I have to post them then go into my Google Picassa album and do each one individually. I have done some but not a lot.
Maybe just do the good ones you've found on other sites.
Google has a search feature where you can search similar images. Maybe take one of your photos and search it to see if you find it on another site.
Dar:
I have thought about this a lot too. I even created a LOGO. I can even batch watermark a whole directory at a time as it resizes all the photos in one swoop.
If you are going to watermark then put it somewhere it can't be cropped out, like right in the centre. Perhaps a hollow font with thin outlines and colour matched to the image. Of course this detracts from your image.
I like the idea of a small logo strategically placed on each photo where it isn't immediately noticed or as in your kayak image your name could be where the kayak name is, sort of personalize each photo for the correct placement.
a lot of the wedding photographers change the opacity of the text to a small setting like 15%
I will do this on my next image so you can see. For now I have not watermarked but my images are very low quality as posted on the web
bob
A weekend photographer or Riding the Wet Coast
Trobairitz:
The MAC version of that Elements Package that I know you have will batch watermark and batch resize. You can also change the opacity of your text and also change the text colour(s). You can save your watermark as a "brush". You could also design your personal Logo.
bob
A weekend photographer
you should put a watermark on all your photos.... because it not only appreciates your work but also prevent spamming... also you will not be get disappointed by people who simply copy and paste the photos of you elsewhere on the net....
South Coast Tours
When I post photos on Facebook or my blog, I watermark the images that I may want to sell later. My watermark is subtle and perhaps not as effective as if I plastered it across the image, but I want the image to be seen. However, I also include copyright information embedded in the photo. (In Photoshop, this is done in File Info, under the File menu.) This puts a copyright symbol in the title of the image and transfers your copyright whenever the file is uploaded to image sharing programs.
I haven't a clue as to how to watermark a photo....:-(. sorry.
I've played around with water marking but I don't do it very consistently. On photos taken with the DSLR, I do put a copyright notice in the EXIF data.
I'm not too concerned that anyone would want to steal any of my photos but it would probably be a good idea.
I've only just started doing it to some of my pics. I use Irfan View for Windows. It allows batch processing of images - I resize and watermark at the same time.
Not a bad idea having something in the EXIF data but no idea how to do that...
i think you must provide watermarks to each and every photo as it will protects the rights of your photos. Also it will not allow copycats to simply copy and paste on their site or blog posts etc.
fire damage maine
Thank you for the reminder. I set up an export preset in Aperture (Apple product) to automatically watermark photos when I resize them to post on the blog.
I had done it manually before and figured that there had to be an automated way...
I simply ask that anyone using a picture give my blog credit. I ask politely and get polite responses. Far more pleasant than loosing the dogs of war in this litigious society. And I'm not even a Christian, bound to turn the other cheek
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