i'd love to get your opinions on this.
so, as you may or may not know, i'm in the process of trying to better myself as a photographer and am learning the ropes of having a 'web presence.' all in the hopes of transitioning into photography as a career. thus, should i watermark my photos when i post them?
this wasn't really an idea for me until recently. i know it's a big debate on flickr, that people viewing the photos hate to see it, it ruins the aesthetics, cheapens it, and so on. and it's a bit of a pain to do - to photoshop the name in and have 2 copies saved of every pic i edit. i do prefer it without.
however - with websites like tumblr and weheartit exploding in popularity - the actual creator of the photograph doesn't get credit. i love weheartit, but often the link is to someone's tumblr or another blog where the work isn't credited. the photo circulates and the photographer is lucky if someone ever finds her site because of it. or flat out the "right click - save photo as" scenario.
as much as i dislike it, maybe i'm going to have to?
it also means i'm going to have to design a logo...
but in the meantime, i'm shooting some portraits today! it's a wonderfully not-rainy day here too - perfect.
Personally, I think the watermark just ruins the photo. And if someone's gonna "lift" your work, they probably know how to photoshop it out, anyway. This is a Superior Snap, btw. SITS sent me by, and I'm glad they did...
ReplyDeleteWinter Cargo
(I might have posted this twice, if so, sorry!) I just read through your post and didn't even see the watermark on it until the second time! I guess that's a good thing right? Or should the watermark be more noticeable? I dunno, this is a toughy!
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful photo! :D
ReplyDeleteThe best thing you can do is copyright your photographs. It's an easy process and you can do it online at copyright.gov. It only costs $35 for a large batch. That way, if people copy them, you can have a successful lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are that you could go without for very low-res (ie. web sized and not expandable to a larger size) but that anything that is larger should be marked. Not to say it needs to be a watermark, I agree that ruins the look of the whole image. Lots of other photographers have interesting ways of marking their stuff.
ReplyDeleteI do know of a good designer if you decide to go the logo/branding route...
oh wow that is a gorgeous photo. I would watermark it if you want credit for sure. I am pretty bad about not putting a direct link to photos I get from weheartit. I always just put its from weheartit.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Lindsay
I have my own Photography site and I only watermark my photos when I post them on that specific site.
ReplyDeleteI used to watermark them to post on my blog.. etc but it got to be a pain. My blog is more for casual type stuff and I didn't wanted my 'casual' audience to see my photos, well casually, and not have to look past a watermark.
:)
beautiful pic - i say do what you've gotta do. i work at a high-end camera store, and I know a lot of photographers who do it, so that people know who took the photo! :)
ReplyDeletethe one you have is subtle, and didn't distract in my opinon.
freshbrownies.blogspot.com
I really hate watermarking. I prefer when I see photos surrounded my a thin black border, and then in white in the bottom right corner, is the photographers name/copyright
ReplyDeleteI have the same dilemma right now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. One of my blogging friends recently found out her work had been copied so is now watermarking. Still not decided...I don't mind people using my pictures, but I want to know (first!) and be credited.
ReplyDeleteI guess you have not visited my blogs...
ReplyDeleteSerendipita, above me, has visited - so she knows what happend.
One of my images was stolen and misused by an online news site.
That's why I watermark all my new pics.
Plus. People download my pics and don't say a word. Daily.
I'm going to post about this topic next week IF everything clicks as I wish...
See you!
http://BLOGitse.blogspot.com
i say watermark, anyone will prefer lookin at a pic without one but if its subtle like the one above, it wont detract from the image. its sad but people just dont bother linkin to the original artist so i think its summink youre just gunna have to do
ReplyDeleteHeyyya! Just found your blog and it is amazing! very inspiring! Thanks for the comment on mine. as for your dilemma... i would say watermark for sure! :] by the way... we only moved a mile up the road! ha
ReplyDelete<3 tiff
it's too bad that even has to be done but if you're that concerned about it i would say copyright fo sho, and then may also watermark on the side or something, so it doesn't distract from the photo itself...? it's a tought call i know - my hubby is a photographer and he wrestles with that all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think with how gorgeous your photography is (it is fabulous) that you are going to have to come up with some type of watermark. I hate to see it done because sometimes I think it takes away from the picture too but at least then you would get credit and people won't go around stealing you pictures. I see so many blogs where people put pictures on there and don't even give credit at all and I know it wasn't something they took. I always try to source my pic, even if I get it from weheartit.com. I'm sure you'll come up with something that works!
ReplyDeleteLove your photography!
xo,
Cat
I hate watermarks, but they are a necessary evil if you're concerned about these issues. By the way, you don't have to pay for copyright, or say copyright, or use the little C symbol. Copyright is automatic and it's yours the moment you create something. The copyright symbol is a holdover from older copyright agreements because it's familiar, but your watermark or logo do not need it present. Nor do you have to pay. You CAN pay, if you want to register something, but that only reinforces your original claim of authorship which you'd have to prove anyway by showing original files, date/time-stamps, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnother ugly alternative: use a site with flash capabilities (I think that's what it is) that makes it more difficult or impossible for the average user to "save as" at will.
Don't know about watermarks, however the pic is gorgeous.
ReplyDelete