Copying Pictures

[dinyk60]

If I want to sell my photos, framed, to people at sales, should I put a copyright or a signature on it somewhere so people can't copy my pictures? Where should I put it so it's not distracting?

[bhursey]

Nope.. My printer puts my copywrite notice on the back. but people dont like water marks on the front of prints they buy.. There is little you can do to prevent scanning..

[UlpilotSC]

Originally Posted by bhursey

Nope.. My printer puts my copywrite notice on the back. but people dont like water marks on the front of prints they buy.. There is little you can do to prevent scanning..

Agreed. I wouldnt buy a photo (especially an art print at a craft sale) with a copyright notice on the front. If it's down in the corner some creative matting can cover that right up.
We've all seen the do not copy warnings on the back, but that only stops honest clerks.

I'll use my previous example (which has come up before): a friend of mine went to the local CVS pharmacy with his child's school photo. They copied it for him, despite the "do not copy" on the back and the "Olan mills" logo on the front.

Much like locks, notices only keep honest people honest.

[i speak in math]

You just have to get it printed larger than the scanner...

[BK553]

LOL You want to watermark your prints? Unless you have some name recognition that adds to the value of the print, don't sign it either. People can copy whatever they want, there's not much you can do about it without a good legal team.

[NathanFranke]

If you make your money from prints, then I suggest getting them printed on the unscannable paper. I know White House Custom Color offers textured papers that scan horribly. I'm sure other printers do as well. Short of that, price yourself accordingly. I give my clients a digital files, and limited rights to print/copy my images.

[AndyM2020]

Originally Posted by dinyk60

If I want to sell my photos, framed, to people at sales, should I put a copyright or a signature on it somewhere so people can't copy my pictures? Where should I put it so it's not distracting?

Do not put or embed a watermark on the image...

From what I've seen, photo prints are not often signed unless they are part of a limited run, then the signature is in a border that is part of the print.

The best thing is to put a sticker on the back with your contact details and a "polite" copyright reminder. At least that way, anyone who sees it can (hopefully) contact you if they want their own copy.

[UlpilotSC]

Originally Posted by NathanFranke

If you make your money from prints, then I suggest getting them printed on the unscannable paper. I know White House Custom Color offers textured papers that scan horribly. I'm sure other printers do as well. Short of that, price yourself accordingly. I give my clients a digital files, and limited rights to print/copy my images.

Never heard of that... Does it stop photographing? When my scanner broke, my wife wanted some older pictures of her on the computer so she could Facebook them. Stuff she and her friends took back in high school. I put the pics under a piece of thin glass and set the camera on a tripod looking down. Using diffuse light I took a photo of the photo. On the PC it looked just like a scan. Not sure how a print would look.

[NathanFranke]

Originally Posted by UlpilotSC

Never heard of that... Does it stop photographing? When my scanner broke, my wife wanted some older pictures of her on the computer so she could Facebook them. Stuff she and her friends took back in high school. I put the pics under a piece of thin glass and set the camera on a tripod looking down. Using diffuse light I took a photo of the photo. On the PC it looked just like a scan. Not sure how a print would look.

I imagine if you knew what you were doing with the lighting (as soft and even as possible), you could probably dupe the photos that way. I haven't tested this, though, so I'm not sure. WHCC did send samples, so now I'm curious...

[111t]

you could have the prints embossed with a texture. like a linen or canvas type pattern. They might add a little spice to the picture... but they are a nightmare to scan!