Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

The most overlooked reason to watermark photos


Recommended Posts



  • Replies 9
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I have a story about watermarking photos.

 

I created a watermark that used my logo and business name in the correct font. It used it for the reasons we all know.

 

I went to a concert a local musician I knew had at his studio, and asked him in advance if I could take pictures. He answered affirmatively. I took a bunch of pictures and published the good ones on a page on my web site. Some time later, weeks, maybe a month or two, I was poking around on his MySpace page (that shows you how long ago this was), and he has several of my photos on there uncredited and with the watermark removed. I contacted him, and he made some comment about having to remove the ugly watermark (excuse me??? I thought, but maybe he meant watermarks overall, not the quality of mine. Who knows), but agreed to at least give me credit. And this guy was also an artist. When I said above it was at his studio, it was an art studio with pictures on the walls, paint splatter on surfaces, etc. I didn't throw all that crap at him, you know, "what if someone used your work without crediting you" etc. I was just like whatever. It was his concert and at his place so I would have had no problem with him using the photos if he had asked and/or credited me somehow.

 

I quickly realized this was a losing battle overall, combined with the "democratization" of digital photography. I decided photography would remain nothing more than a hobby for me.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to say Ken, your watermark is unobtrusive and very much like a signature. The kind of water mark that I don"t mind. I think that photographers can learn from painters. No one removes a signature from a painting. Why? How do you give your watermark the same status and function?

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen a few people who use enormous watermarks, right in the center of the photo.... I guess they REALLY don't want someone stealing their photos!

 

I don't use watermarks. But I've also had plenty of my photos stolen. Other photographers, bloggers, businesses, Youtube creators, some TV station in Ohio... Probably more that I have forgotten. Some lady here locally used a photo in her blog, that I took of a restaurant and she even copied and pasted my caption. I left her a blunt comment and she apologized but never took the photo down that i know of. Maybe now that I think of it I should check.

 

All they'd have to do is ask first; I would almost always say Yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to say Ken, your watermark is unobtrusive and very much like a signature. The kind of water mark that I don"t mind. I think that photographers can learn from painters. No one removes a signature from a painting. Why? How do you give your watermark the same status and function?

 

Thanks. I try. I feel like once in a while, it gets away from me and I make them too large.

 

I agree, I do think we can learn from painters. And indeed, there are some photographers who use their signature (or a company that actually makes beautiful and sometimes ornate looking signatures), and sometimes I think that they are on to the right idea.

 

For now, I am using the same font that my book uses for the cover, thinking that this would tie on. I happened to stumble across their font by accident. I was going to ask them what they were using and then somehow just got lucky and figured it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen a few people who use enormous watermarks, right in the center of the photo.... I guess they REALLY don't want someone stealing their photos!

 

I don't use watermarks. But I've also had plenty of my photos stolen. Other photographers, bloggers, businesses, Youtube creators, some TV station in Ohio... Probably more that I have forgotten. Some lady here locally used a photo in her blog, that I took of a restaurant and she even copied and pasted my caption. I left her a blunt comment and she apologized but never took the photo down that i know of. Maybe now that I think of it I should check.

 

All they'd have to do is ask first; I would almost always say Yes.

 

Yeah, unless you're shutterstock photo or something, I just don't see the point of that. Those are so obtrusive that I usually just move on.

 

I didn't used to put watermarks but began seeing my photos all over the place. And that was largely before I even got into night photography. I figured I'd do it but try to make it so it wasn't too obnoxious. I dunno. There's not really any right answer to this, just personal preference. But I did want my article to state one overlooked reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I'm no pro. I make my living playing music. But I posted what I thought was a nice picture of a woodstork on a forum to show off, and later in a google search for other pictures to gather inspiration, I saw my picture. I haven't posted them since.

 

I joined AdobeStock and the put small size images out with their watermark. I don't know if I'll sell any, but for a rank amateur photographer, it's nice to get the approval that they are 'good enough' to buy.

 

http://www.nortonmusic.com/stock_images.html

 

Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton

Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com

Style and Fake disks for Band-in-a-Box

The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope it works out well for you. Small unobtrusive watermarks seem to work out really well, I think. Some people do it so well that it looks like part of the art.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends on the circumstance, what it is. I posted some photos of Formula 1 cars on a message board a long time ago, and they "magically" ended up on a couple of F1 news websites. Watermarking would have prevented that, but it's not like I'm making money from it so I suppose there is no point?

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose it depends on how much you care about whether people use your photos or not, whether you ever think you will need to prove intent, and whether you want people to be able to circle back to your site. It's certainly not for everyone.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...