Watermark on Customer Wallets

[mshockley]

I've been noticing lately alot of watermarks or studio logo/name in a lower corner of all sizes of prints, and especially see it on wallets. It seems quite the norm on the wallets.

I personally do not use any markings on my customer print orders, but I was thinking maybe it would be acceptable on the wallets?

What do you all do on yours?

[funcrunch]

My policy is to never include a watermark on a paid-for image, whether print or digital. I'm not sure why the size of the photo would matter. If anything it would seem more intrusive as for that tiny size the watermark would have to take up a fair amount of space to be legible.

[mshockley]

well yes, I agree, and at the same time almost every wallet I've seen lately has the studio mark in the corner.

[MrJones]

if you're giving away free prints with watermarks - that's one thing.
branding a paid print? - NEVER!

as a costumer I would never accept that kind of thing on a print I've paid for.

[mshockley]

okay, maybe I'm not being clear when I say "watermark". I'm talking about the very small studio name you see on wallets in a lower corner, often in gold or silver. It is very, very common at least in this area. I would say 75% of the senior wallets I've seen have the studio imprint in the corner.

[Brian Mullins]

That is indeed a foil stamp and its something the lab does, not the photographer (however the photographer must request it). On wallets, it was customary to do that (and, obviously, still is in some areas) so the receiver of the wallet would know where to get larger prints and to help brand the studio. If this was a 20x24 wall print, would you not sign it?

I get what you are saying but they are wallet photos. They are made to be given away and branding them is just another way to grow your business.

With all that being said - I don't personally do that.

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by Brian Mullins

That is indeed a foil stamp and its something the lab does, not the photographer (however the photographer must request it). On wallets, it was customary to do that (and, obviously, still is in some areas) so the receiver of the wallet would know where to get larger prints and to help brand the studio. If this was a 20x24 wall print, would you not sign it?

I get what you are saying but they are wallet photos. They are made to be given away and branding them is just another way to grow your business.

With all that being said - I don't personally do that.

Thank-you Brian, you at least seem to be familiar with what I was asking . Yes, I was just thinking about the option of doing something like this or not. As I mentioned, at this time I don't imprint anything, but agree that maybe the wallets, since as you said, are meant to be given away would be another tool for marketing. It was just a thought.....

[PamEli]

Hi - I know it's common since the beginning of time (...well since the beginning of studio portraits) to ID the studio...and historically it's given an edge on genealogy. Although I have not stamped or otherwise ID my business, I am considering using a stamp on the back of prints with some logo and contact info.

[funcrunch]

Originally Posted by PamEli

Hi - I know it's common since the beginning of time (...well since the beginning of studio portraits) to ID the studio...and historically it's given an edge on genealogy. Although I have not stamped or otherwise ID my business, I am considering using a stamp on the back of prints with some logo and contact info.

A stamp on the back sounds smart to me. I recently enabled this option in Zenfolio, but only have a limited number of characters to work with, so I can't include full contact info.

ETA: Just double-checked Zenfolio, and the backprinting isn't available on wallet-sized prints because they're too small!

[mad editor]

I always identify myself on the backside of the print.