I do..I dont think my photos here are "steal" worthy but I had a uncomfortable experience of a site/forum called "baby gaga" where a girl took my photos of my son and said that it was her son,lol. Weird ppl....
I do...for the simple reason that I hope it would make someone think twice about claiming it as their own! (Although I'm not sure why they would - they aren't that great ha ha ha!) Especially as quite a few of my pictures tend to have my son in them...you never know who's out there looking, do you? I tend to try and put it across a part of the photo that would be quite hard to edit out, as well...more of a deterrent than something that could just be cropped out.
I do think that uploading small image sizes helps too....
Everything that goes on my photo site, yes. Some of them get a transparent one embedded across it along with another watermark (usually anything I am selling, or really prefer for people not to take). When it comes to this site it really depends, I'm kind of spastic with watermarking of my daily photos.
The thing about watermarking is you can really "stick it" to people who take a watermarked photo and then removes the watermark, because they are purposely trying to remove identifying information of the true owner. At least in the U.S., the removal of identifying information makes it a worse crime if you really had to go after someone. I've had a few instances of stolen/edited photos, and people are quick to stop using them when you tell them how the law reads and how they purposely/maliciously removed the owner's info.
I generally do not use a watermark. The only time I do is when I give a client electronic copies of their photos to upload to the web. That way people can see that I did the work, and contact me if they are interested in booking a session!
But for posting to my website, Flickr, here, or client print copies, I don't use the watermark. Perhaps I should start, though...
I water mark everything, on the web I keep the quality low, so not that easy to do anything with But on my website I usually digimarc them keeps anyone from doing anything with them, Labs will always catch that and no publisher would ever touch them.
@purdy I've been interested in digimarking, but figured no one would notice. But you say labs check that?
Also, last I looked, all the digimarking stuff was pretty expensive. Not worth it unless you can actually make money on your photos - which I don't. What digimark software do you use?
@Jaqie a picture of ME was takin from baby gaga :-/ needless to say all of my pictures on that site are down, i have contemplated putting a watermark on my daily photos
I've had photos stolen so yes always have used a watermark.. have refined it over the past few weeks.. if you look back on the first photo I posted it has a HUGE watermark on it.. Now not so much subtle but there
I've had a photo or two taken without permission "oh thought you wouldn't mind" hmmmm
anyway, I've been trying to, been a little out of it the past few days and just realized some went up without. It's not that I think someone will take them, or that they're worthy of taking but you never know when someone will and either claim them as their own or just not credit the source.
@scooper I actually purchased a package from digimarc yea kinda pricey but only use it for the ones I worry about someone using, as every person knows seems you always end up with pics that just wont sell or be used . I probably only mark somewhere around 300 pics a year. The other big thing I do is send everything to have copyrighted twice a year. it is only $35 each time sent in. If you catch one being used is a federal offense, and changes the whole game getting paid.
I don't like using a watermark since it detracts the viewer's attention from the photo. Besides, I doubt my pictures are anything steal-worthy, though if someone did steal a photo, I don't think I'd mind that much.
I feel like someone starts this conversation daily lol. I do when I remember. I am more about watermarking pics on FB because they are of my son, family etc and I just dont want people taking those and claiming they are their family, I have seen that happen and it freaks me out.
I haven't figured out how to put on a watermark. I think I need to use another photoshop to do so. I do type on my initials and the date. I want to load my other photoshop software and see if it will do watermarks.
I don't think my photos are worthy of being stolen. I don't know why someone else would want to claim them, but I do watermark them. Especially if they are of my children. I'm also a photographer and watermark the web images for all clients.
A really easy way to do a watermark is just open a text box in whatever program you use, and just type what you want. That's what I do for my photos on here... I rarely use my actual watermarks anymore because it's more work than opening up a text box and typing "Heidi Gurov Photography" in there.
For my "real" watermarks I create it photoshop, and then drag that layer onto the photo I want it on, and then change size/opacity from there. I don't have anything set up to do it auto because I place it on the photo where it's least obstructive, and that changes between every photo usually.
i used to, because i put my photos on facebook theres no way to be certain no ones going to use it.... but i've gotten lazy (mostly because i take so long in editing) that i just dropped it. now i just risk it.
I never have because, like a lot of people are saying, I figured they weren't good enough for anyone to bother stealing--and I'm a trusting soul. But these stories some of you have are making me consider making one up and putting it on.
I do. Much the same as Heidi has said. I had a photo of mine show up in the Sydney newspaper and at that point I was convinced it was in my interests to watermark my work. Sometimes I get lazy, but 95% of my work has at least one watermark (most have two).
I always place watermarks on photos I creatively thought of and post online. You never know who might claim your shots (even if they're not gallery0worthy). The only shots I don't put watermarks on are the candid, everyday fun shots I take with my friends and shots I put in CD's for my clients' personal use (portraits). So yeah, I suggest you use watermarks. Hope that helps. :)
I was wondering about this myself and searched & found this topic. I, too, am very curious as to why people watermark. I've heard of photos being stolen, but how do these people find out? Do they stumble upon or a friend of a friend gets word to them? That's what I'm curious about. If my stuff has been stolen, I'd like to know who and what they're doing with it before I get my rage on.
I haven't watermarked yet, but I'm considering it cause I do have a couple I consider really damn stealworthy. But on the other hand it's frustrating to have this watermark in the middle of an otherwise gorgeous shot, it really detracts for me. I suppose if someone were making money off my work I would be enraged, but otherwise, I couldn't really say what I'd do till it happens.
@Sheralhttp://www.tineye.com/ is a great image search tool. It won't always find your images (because image data takes so long to search) but it is quite extensive in its scope.
In relation to my own work, I've been notified by others in the industry who have recognised my work, or by friends and family.
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I do think that uploading small image sizes helps too....
The thing about watermarking is you can really "stick it" to people who take a watermarked photo and then removes the watermark, because they are purposely trying to remove identifying information of the true owner. At least in the U.S., the removal of identifying information makes it a worse crime if you really had to go after someone. I've had a few instances of stolen/edited photos, and people are quick to stop using them when you tell them how the law reads and how they purposely/maliciously removed the owner's info.
But for posting to my website, Flickr, here, or client print copies, I don't use the watermark. Perhaps I should start, though...
Sometimes I feel the picture gets ruined with a massive one it; but then a smaller one would be cropped out
Dilemmas!
That is my main concern is the photos of my children i may not WM every photo but at least the ones of my kids ...
Also, last I looked, all the digimarking stuff was pretty expensive. Not worth it unless you can actually make money on your photos - which I don't. What digimark software do you use?
My photos are pretty bad - if people want to steal credit for them, they're welcome!
anyway, I've been trying to, been a little out of it the past few days and just realized some went up without. It's not that I think someone will take them, or that they're worthy of taking but you never know when someone will and either claim them as their own or just not credit the source.
For my "real" watermarks I create it photoshop, and then drag that layer onto the photo I want it on, and then change size/opacity from there. I don't have anything set up to do it auto because I place it on the photo where it's least obstructive, and that changes between every photo usually.
My professional photos yes
:]
@bugandbearmama If you have Photoshop (any version), this tutorial will help you set yourself up to do it very easily: http://365project.org/discuss/tips-n-tricks/2798/create-a-custom-brush-for-watermarks
I haven't watermarked yet, but I'm considering it cause I do have a couple I consider really damn stealworthy. But on the other hand it's frustrating to have this watermark in the middle of an otherwise gorgeous shot, it really detracts for me. I suppose if someone were making money off my work I would be enraged, but otherwise, I couldn't really say what I'd do till it happens.
In relation to my own work, I've been notified by others in the industry who have recognised my work, or by friends and family.