Shall I add a watermark?

[grantcarlin]

Ive been thinking about this for a while. In my opinion I dont really like photos with the photographers name but its the only way for people not to steal/pass them off as there own, any ideas on this? what does everybody else think?

[RangerGuy]

My opinion on watermarking is this:

Unless they're directly across the subject, they're very easy to remove in photoshop - if someone wants to steal your picture, they're going to do it.

The watermark directly across the subject usually looks bad, unless your intention is selling an unwatermarked copy of it.

[wulf]

My thinking is along similar lines to RangerGuy - the more a "watermark" protects the picture by being difficult to remove, the more the picture is defaced.

The cleverest watermarks I have seen are those used by .Mirentxu, one of my Flickr contacts. They are placed in such a way that they blend in and are hardly noticeable - this is actually much more like a watermark (as used on bank notes, etc) than a big ugly stamp.

Wulf

ps. I don't presently do anything to sell my photos and have not personally experienced problems with inappropriate usage - either of those things would probably make a difference to my views

[peeperita]

i don't concern myself too much with thoughts of thievery......basically, whatever is out there on the web has been resized to such an extent that "stealing" doesn't amount to much more than swiping a postage stamp......useless in any other venue.....

peeper

[WooD]

I've got a very faint light blue water mark on all my smugmug pics, on most of my surf pics I use a more prominent red water mark. Plus I have them all set up so you cant right click, and save them. If I wasn't selling them I'd just add my name in very small type at the bottom of them.

[Sime™]

I don't, at this point watermark - but I guess it is worth a though.... Wulf, I do like how .mirentxu watermarks her images... very non-intrusive! actually the first shot in her flickr, the pan bike rider, I had to look hard to find it, but it goes all the way across the image. very neat.

[wulf]

Originally Posted by Sime™

Wulf, I do like how .mirentxu watermarks her images... very non-intrusive! actually the first shot in her flickr, the pan bike rider, I had to look hard to find it, but it goes all the way across the image. very neat.

I think it is helped because she doesn't use unbroken lines to sign her work. The dots provide much better camouflage. If I start watermarking, that is probably a concept I will emulate.

Wulf

[peeperita]

after reading my previous post in the light of day, i have come to realise three things...

1) i am not the smartest woman in the world

2) many folks here have the pro flickr account and indeed their original file sizes are available to the public

3) i should not drink wine and decide to post my remarks

mornings can be such unflattering times to the hasty poster....

my apologies....

peeper

[hitkaiser]

My norm is to not watermark but to limit the available sizes

On the other hand, I recently shot a university rugby game whose shots I am trying to sell so I can't use the limited size option as they will end up in facebook, I've resorted to extreme watermarking until the images are sold (after which I shall remove watermarks and upload as usualy with limited sizes)

[smc1377]

Now THAT'S a watermark! Haha. Love it. But hey, I agree with your logic.