adding a watermark

[andy_b]

I'm just doing my new site.

I really dont want to add a watermark, but my images have appeared elsewhere a number of times, sometimes as part of a rumour of say Gavin Smith joining the BTCC in a FujiFilm MG ( a drg I did about four years ago!)

So, I think I'll have to add a watermark.

Does anyone think that actually makes a difference? Do your images still get used?

I'm going to have my website name at the top of each page anyway, so I think it will look messy with it repeated on the images.

Alternatively, I could add a logo in the bottom corner, but thats easily cropped.

What are your thoughts, experiences? Thanks

[Neil Adams]

i watermark all my images, to my knowledge only one image has been used on another website without consent, so i guess it is a deterrent

re watermark placement i dont like having the watermark dead centre as it feels like a barrier and defeats the object mine are bottom left, which could be cropped off but i think it still prevents usage. Weird analogy this but a car thief would prefer to try and steal a car without a stoplock / immobiliser as its easier, images without watermarks are an easier option for them.

Its difficult as you need to prevent the images being stolen but at the same time you dont want to ruin the image for people viewing your pics.

You could have e.g. '© andyb' instead of your website url repeated, the good thing about the url is tho if pics are used somewhere else or emailed to another person it advertises your site

[Happy Snapper]

Unless you go for the Getty or Suttons approach of a watermark as big as the image it makes little difference, if they want the image they'll take it. I have seen my work on allsorts of web sites complete with copyright!

[James North]

The view I take these days is that there a few ways to stop leeching. So may as well put on a watermarked copyright, webaddress or logo... if someone is going to use your pic without asking, may as well provide aid to advertise your site.

[andy_b]

thanks all probably go for the subtle look

[vs346]

Not sure what the laws are in the UK but in the US, just because you put a copyright on your image, doesn't mean it's protected. It has to be registered with the Copyright Bureau in the US for you to take any legal action. As it is, if someone takes your image (with a subtle copyright notice) and places it on a website for viewing, no harm done (relatively). However, if that image is taken and placed on say Sutton's site to be sold, and Sutton does sell say 100 copies, unless your image is legally registered, there is no easy legal recourse to be taken.

FWIW

[Piglet]

In the UK you don't have to register your copyright, it is yours because you have created the digital image. Clearly there are issues around proving that the image is yours if someone really wanted to try it on.

[James North]

I wouldn't have thought Sutton would take a web image through a 3rd/4th party like that though.

A company as professional as Sutton already has it's own staff photographers and trusted regular freelancers. In the unlikely event of taking a single image from elsewhere they would require a hi - resolution preferbly straight from the camera example. Which ofcourse a 3r'd party is highly unlikely to be in pocession off.

[Snapperjack]

Originally Posted by James North

I wouldn't have thought Sutton would take a web image through a 3rd/4th party like that though.

A company as professional as Sutton already has it's own staff photographers and trusted regular freelancers. In the unlikely event of taking a single image from elsewhere they would require a hi - resolution preferbly straight from the camera example. Which ofcourse a 3r'd party is highly unlikely to be in pocession off.

Dont panic James. No need to jump to the defence of a possible future employer. It was just used as an example. We know Sutton's would not do anything like that.

[Guidoh]

I use Photoshop to place a subtle translucent watermark across the whole image diagonally.

As has been stated, watermarks in the corners can be cropped out by the less scrupulous individuals.

My watermarks are transparent but still clearly show who's work they are without detracting too much from the image quality/subject matter.

With Photoshop, you can adjust the level of 'opacity' quite easily if you think its not strong enough.

[Snapper Baz]

By using Photoshop-how do you produce the "watermark" logo in the 1st place and how do you then transpose it on to a picture as in your super shot Guidoh?

[forzaf1]

Originally Posted by James North

I wouldn't have thought Sutton would take a web image through a 3rd/4th party like that though.

A company as professional as Sutton already has it's own staff photographers and trusted regular freelancers. In the unlikely event of taking a single image from elsewhere they would require a hi - resolution preferbly straight from the camera example. Which ofcourse a 3r'd party is highly unlikely to be in pocession off.

You would be surprised. Sutton list alot of images where the image copyright belongs to the team. For example today's images are shown of Rubens in his new Honda overalls. The actual copyright belongs to Honda. HOWEVER...you can still purchase a print...so who would the money go to??? Erm...a quick buck for Sutton I think.

I was a Ferrari launch a couple of years back and they had the problem where Sutton has Ferrari press images but were selling them on as prints.

Alex

[DWA]

Originally Posted by Snapper Baz

By using Photoshop-how do you produce the "watermark" logo in the 1st place and how do you then transpose it on to a picture as in your super shot Guidoh?

Using Photoshop 7 go to "File" then "Automate" then "Web Photo Gallery". Go to "Options" and play around with the security settings until you get the effect you require.

[Guidoh]

An easy way to do watermarks in PS 7 or most other versions is using the 'opacity' tool in conjunction with a text layer.

I just type the text I want in the font and size required, move it to the locaiton and angle I want and then use the opacity slider bar (see highlighted area on the attachment - I had to rotate it to landscape to meet the board size reqs) to set the level of transparency/opacity I require.

Save the file in whatever format you want and presto.

The main advantage of this method are you can use whatever text font you like (I think the File, Automate command only lets you use Arial).

You can batch process the watermarking if you have it in the same place/style on each pic by using 'Actions' in photoshop

Hope this helps.

Regards, Guy

[Snapper Baz]

Cheers for that chaps-must check it out...Happy, pm sent!

[Alan Raine]

If you want to jazz it up a bit. Go into Layer then Layer Style. You can then show your watermark in different effects - shadows, embossing etc. Can look really classy if you get it right.

Another way to protect your pictures is to save your hi res images as PDF files and add Security Settings to them which means they can't be changed or printed without a password

[Andrew W]

Originally Posted by vs346

Not sure what the laws are in the UK but in the US, just because you put a copyright on your image, doesn't mean it's protected. It has to be registered with the Copyright Bureau in the US for you to take any legal action.

Hey there mate!

That's not "entirely true".

Actually as soon as you take the picture the copyright is yours, and even placing the "©joe blogs images 2005" on the image makes any person taking the image unable to say they didn't realise who owned the image redundant.

However, by registering the image (or images) with the LOC you have the weight of the govt. behind you and the fines are substantially higher. But in either case (if you don't register the image or if you do) you can take legal action, it's just the registering gives you somewhat more clout.

That said, with even registering an image, you still got to pony up the fees to sue, and there's still a chance if the end user has a "better lawyer" that you could be out of pocket...

Andrew

[Erki]

What if I take a photo from another site and put it on my site and put "(C)Erki" on that photo?

[Andrew W]

Originally Posted by Erki

What if I take a photo from another site and put it on my site and put "(C)Erki" on that photo?

Then you'd be stealing.

Depending on how ethical you are is something you'd have to live with....

Also, depending on what rules exist and where would depend on how much time it would be worth the person who's image it was going after you to have it removed or the site closed down.

It if were me I'd start with the webhost, and then work my way down.

Andrew

[alfacors]

I use a program called Picture Shark which is very easy to use if you're not too au fait with Photoshop. I generally put my watermarks in the middle right of the image. Offset enough to allow good view of the image, but overlapping the subject enough so that it couldn't possibly cropped out

[pistonenvy]

If you are worried about copyright issues with your work here is a website you may find interesting.

http://creativecommons.org/

Personally, to safeguard my work I never put the full resolution copy on the web and crop it so I can show I have the original uncropped version if ever it came to it.

[aerog]

I've always been against the watermarking idea because it seems to take so much away from the image sometimes. On the other hand I've gone through some theft problems so I resorted to creating a photoshop "pattern" then apply an overlayed "fill" at 50-100% opacity to the final image. I also add copyright notices to the corner, and embed them in the original image exif data (done in the camera at time of exposure), and also set the copyright tags with photoshop when I save the final image before posting. Some of that can easily be defeated by the thief, but the watermark takes a lot effort - at least I'll make them work for it!

Here's an example - this one is probably the most visible I'll do. This one is shrunk down to 500px for the forum so the lettering is a little on the small side (but effective). The full size version is available here .


...and another one track-side:

[kmsport]

the MG was a bad choice!

[aerog]

Originally Posted by kmsport

the MG was a bad choice!

Nah, it's never let me down and wins 1st or 2nd at every show I've ever gone to.

This, on the other hand, might have been a bad choice :

[Clive]

Originally Posted by kmsport

the MG was a bad choice!

I'm not a photographer but I know a good car when i see one, and as a 22yr+ MG owner, I think it's a brilliant choice, so there!