Watermarking Your Pictures?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Just a question for picture takers or even professional photographers on here. I used to put a logo on all the pictures I took because I didn't want people stealing them. However, I'm a big fan of photography and while my photographs aren't exactly works of art I want people who see them to appreciate them at their best. So I stopped watermarking them.

Now, I run a website that is humble, but gets a good amount of traffic and getting more all of the time. I like to feature some of my pictures on there. Some people embed my pictures and link to them which I am cool with. As long as they are out there for people to enjoy and the original source is easy to find. Lately, though I've seen my work on other websites, sometimes much larger websites, with zero attributions and no link to their original source. This creates some problems because aside from other people possibly getting credit for my work, with bigger sites doing it, it can appear to people who don't know any better that I'm stealing from them.

So I'm wondering should I just start watermarking? I know there are some programs that stop people from being able to save your images directly, but if someone is determined enough those are easy enough to get around. I'd hate to reduce the quality of my images by watermarking because then no one who looks at them online can see the best quality. However, at this point it might just be the best option.

[Orange]

I think, even if your site is just almost moderately successful, you should be watermarking your pictures. It doesn't have to be a huge eye-sore, but you owe it to yourself to have something there to protect yourself a little bit.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

No idea, but I notice fansites like to do it for pics they don't own copyright or publishing rights to. No sense letting people steal what you've stolen.

[Crappler El 0 M]

Aug 18, 2014 21:44:05 GMT -5 Cranjis McBasketball said:

No idea, but I notice fansites like to do it for pics they don't own copyright or publishing rights to. No sense letting people steal what you've stolen.

Yeah, it's so annoying to see a watermark with some random internet username on it when the pic was obviously not THEIR picture.

[Deleted]

I don't watermark my photos but that's because I'm just too lazy to do it.

[Deleted]

Do it, put your name and your website in the bottom right corner. That way there's no way for people to steal the image unless they remove a section of the image, and no way anyone could plausibly think you've stolen someone else's work in future.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Personally I feel a little silly that the only art thing I ever watermarked was the only thing that ever got over on a wider scale, that being the Alberto Del Rio Wheel Of Aggression. Mostly because at the time I thought I was going to do a lot more stuff on a regular basis... I didn't.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Aug 19, 2014 17:25:12 GMT -5 @pauledraperously said:

Do it, put your name and your website in the bottom right corner. That way there's no way for people to steal the image unless they remove a section of the image, and no way anyone could plausibly think you've stolen someone else's work in future.

Well, with corner marking I've noticed sometimes people do remove the watermark. It ofen makes the images look fugly though because then they are cropped all weird and not visually pleasing.

This thread is kind of motivating me to do it. So what program do people use to watermark their stuff? I used to use a Microsoft photo editing program (can't remember the name/version), but since I doubt I'll be able to find that again anyone got suggestions? Just something simple that easily can put the watermark right in the corner.

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2014 17:45:36 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

Aug 19, 2014 17:25:12 GMT -5 @pauledraperously said:

Do it, put your name and your website in the bottom right corner. That way there's no way for people to steal the image unless they remove a section of the image, and no way anyone could plausibly think you've stolen someone else's work in future.

Well, with corner marking I've noticed sometimes people do remove the watermark. It ofen makes the images look fugly though because then they are cropped all weird and not visually pleasing.

This thread is kind of motivating me to do it. So what program do people use to watermark their stuff? I used to use a Microsoft photo editing program (can't remember the name/version), but since I doubt I'll be able to find that again anyone got suggestions? Just something simple that easily can put the watermark right in the corner.

Yeah, that's both a curse and the reason for watermarking: anyone with an eye for quality photography whether they take pictures themselves or not will know someone's cut something off that way. A friend of mine has pretty much ranted for years over this stuff and has more than a few internet randoms truly hating her due to it, but given she makes a living (Ila's website) off photography in print & in digital realms I'd say it's best to always watermark.

And pretty much every photography program has some way to watermark, I'm not too familiar with MS software in that regard but after a quick google maybe THIS will help.

[Mattification]

I dunno how large the websites are that are using your pictures but I would suggest contacting them for a credit. As long as they aren't run by some Troll, I'm sure most people would be happy to stick your name under the picture. Just be cool about it and send a polite email requesting your credit.

I don't watermark my photos as I don't make money off them so I don't feel the need. But if people using your images is an issue I don't see why a discreet watermark in the corner would cause a problem. As Saline Solutions points out, if someone did crop it out, you would be able to show the full picture as proof of ownership.

However the most accurate advice I got about it all was; "If you don't want people using your photos, don't put them online".

[Mattification]

Aug 19, 2014 17:45:36 GMT -5 KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! said:

This thread is kind of motivating me to do it. So what program do people use to watermark their stuff? I used to use a Microsoft photo editing program (can't remember the name/version), but since I doubt I'll be able to find that again anyone got suggestions? Just something simple that easily can put the watermark right in the corner.

What program are you using now? Why can't you find the Microsoft one? Is it not on your comp?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Aug 19, 2014 18:18:42 GMT -5 Mattification said:

I dunno how large the websites are that are using your pictures but I would suggest contacting them for a credit. As long as they aren't run by some Troll, I'm sure most people would be happy to stick your name under the picture. Just be cool about it and send a polite email requesting your credit.

I don't watermark my photos as I don't make money off them so I don't feel the need. But if people using your images is an issue I don't see why a discreet watermark in the corner would cause a problem. As Saline Solutions points out, if someone did crop it out, you would be able to show the full picture as proof of ownership.

However the most accurate advice I got about it all was; "If you don't want people using your photos, don't put them online".

To answer some of your questions.

The photos wouldn't exist if I didn't plan on putting them online. Well, that's not entirely accurate, but that is a big part of why I photograph.

I haven't used that Microsoft program in a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time. Tat comp died a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG time ago. RIP.

I use GIMP a lot and can watermark with that as it's probably the best program for it outside of photoshop, which I don't have on my comp currently. Just figured I'd ask to see if there was anything better peope could suggest.

Edit: Oh yeah and as far as contacting the sites go. Well, believe it or not some people are just dicks!