I have noticed that many of the photos have signatures added to them.
Initially I wondered why you would do that but I am thinking it is to maintain ownership & rights to the photos.
I recently sent a photo to a friend & she posted it on Facebook. (And no acknowledgement of where the photo came from.)
I'd like to know the best way to go about adding a signature.
Do I need an App?
I have tried finding something on my iPhone but with no success.
Lightroom is both a mobile application (app) and a desktop application (program). I don't think the mobile version can do this though. The term for the "signature" on a photo is a "Watermark" so if you search for apps on your phone that allow you to add a Watermark to the image, you should be able to find something. (I'm a PC/Android user, so I don't have any suggestions. Sorry.
FastStone is a free editing prog which has the facility to add watermarks. It must have been annoying for a friend to publish your shot but I have to say that I am not keen on watermarks especially those which seem to detract from the photo.
@quietpurplehaze thanks Hazel for your advice. Yes, I have read varying opinions about the watermark. So I'll have a look & decide whether to add or not, or only to certain ones.
I have made a photoshop brush, and I add my watermark in one click. I understand where you're coming from.
I had my photo's 'redistributed' on facebook too, without mentioning me whatsoever and I hated it! So now I watermark all the 'good' photo's I post on here and on facebook. Now my friends can save and post as much as they want (why can't they just 'share'?). Although once I saw that a friend of a friend reposted it with the watermark now invisible because of the severe loss of resolution and the slight cropping. The photo was visible only to my friends and friends of the tagged person. I asked her to take it off if she wouldn't acknowledge me. She took it off.
While understanding the aim of such watermark let me post a dissenting opinion here. I do not watermark my images for several reasons, some of these could be considered by others who think about using (or losing) watermarks.
- I am not a professional photographer in any sense. I.e. I do not make a living of my photos and the commercial value of my shots, well, can be questioned to put it mildly. I could rarely charge for my shots and I am happy if someone finds a shot of mine interesting enough to use. Here we arrive to the second reason.
- If and when I find someone using an image I check for credit / acknowledgement / mention. Usually it is there. If it is not, I just ask them nicely to either mention the source or stop using the photo. I have not met a user who chose the second option.
- I have seen way too many self proclaimed photographer taking pictures of varying quality and using their fancy and harsh "XY Photography" sign as a branding iron. It makes me think. What is more important, the photograph or the photographer's self esteem? And to what extent does the latter reflect reality?
- Finally my biggest reason: watermarks distract viewer attention. Signatures do even more so. I create and post my shots for my own good and/or to tell something, to convey a feeling. I usually want my viewer immerse in the image and having something else on it like a signature or even a frame would just move them one step backwards, looking at the photo rather than living it.
This is only one side of the coin, I know. People are proud of their shots and rightfully so. We want something in return if they are used, be it a mention or a greasy cheque. I just do not think branding a photo is always the best way to achieve this.
@laetitiapetrussa thanks Laetitia for your helpful advice. Now I am very naive : how do I make a Photoshop brush. I am unable to use the pic monkey on the iPhone as it isn't supported. So other than transferring the photos to the PC (time poor) it is limiting what I can do.
@gazdi Thankyou so much Gazdi for your in depth reply. As I replied to @quietpurplehaze I have read varying opinions about the watermark/ signature. I fully appreciate your comments as I too am not a professional photographer and it was only when I saw my photo being displayed without acknowledging where it came from that let me to ask the question.
Thank you for your depth of reply. I too love the emotions that are evoked from so many of the wonderful photos on 365.
I also try and give an immediate response when I comment, so that I am not influenced by other opinions.
@gazdi I agree with you 100%. I also understand that what can be digitally added can be digitally removed. I once had a fellow 365r ask if she could use my picture on her blog and I told her I would be honored. Never checked to see if she gave me credit. My family reposts my pictures on their pages all the time. I just don't post my best stuff on facebook.
I put a signature on my portrait photos for ones that are being used on social media - but that's also for marketing myself since I'm looking to do more of that work and get paid. If the client wants pictures for themselves to get printed, I will send them or get them printed without the signature on them. I like to get the photos printed myself and therefore I can put a sticker on the back with my information.
@not_left_handed yes, can appreciate how that would be beneficial. There are so many wonderful photos, who is to say that " one" might be the best one ever we take.
On your phone there are several apps that can add your name to the photo (though not necessarily as a signature). Look for apps that can do "watermarks". For iPhone I have used Image Stamper (by Gareth Vaughn, Photomarkr (from Imangi Studios) and Photogene 4 with good results.
I use Photoscape. It's a free download and I use it for nearly every photo that I have to straighten, alter, etc. You can also add text, signature etc. There's a slider that you can make the signature less bold and you can use black or white signature depending on how dark or light your photo is. It's a simple but brilliant programme and I've used it for years.
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I had my photo's 'redistributed' on facebook too, without mentioning me whatsoever and I hated it! So now I watermark all the 'good' photo's I post on here and on facebook. Now my friends can save and post as much as they want (why can't they just 'share'?). Although once I saw that a friend of a friend reposted it with the watermark now invisible because of the severe loss of resolution and the slight cropping. The photo was visible only to my friends and friends of the tagged person. I asked her to take it off if she wouldn't acknowledge me. She took it off.
- I am not a professional photographer in any sense. I.e. I do not make a living of my photos and the commercial value of my shots, well, can be questioned to put it mildly. I could rarely charge for my shots and I am happy if someone finds a shot of mine interesting enough to use. Here we arrive to the second reason.
- If and when I find someone using an image I check for credit / acknowledgement / mention. Usually it is there. If it is not, I just ask them nicely to either mention the source or stop using the photo. I have not met a user who chose the second option.
- I have seen way too many self proclaimed photographer taking pictures of varying quality and using their fancy and harsh "XY Photography" sign as a branding iron. It makes me think. What is more important, the photograph or the photographer's self esteem? And to what extent does the latter reflect reality?
- Finally my biggest reason: watermarks distract viewer attention. Signatures do even more so. I create and post my shots for my own good and/or to tell something, to convey a feeling. I usually want my viewer immerse in the image and having something else on it like a signature or even a frame would just move them one step backwards, looking at the photo rather than living it.
This is only one side of the coin, I know. People are proud of their shots and rightfully so. We want something in return if they are used, be it a mention or a greasy cheque. I just do not think branding a photo is always the best way to achieve this.
Thank you for your depth of reply. I too love the emotions that are evoked from so many of the wonderful photos on 365.
I also try and give an immediate response when I comment, so that I am not influenced by other opinions.
I agree with all that you say, absolutely! Wish I could have explained it so well.
I have set up my camera to add my name & email into the exif info so it is associated with the image but not part of it.