To Watermark or Not? I take Photos at my Sons High School Hockey and Lacrosse games. I am not a professional photographer. I do not sell the pictures, I post them to a website for the...

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

I take Photos at my Sons High School Hockey and Lacrosse games. I am not a professional photographer. I do not sell the pictures, I post them to a website for the parents and players to download. However only the large size file not original can be downloaded with a watermark. Full size, full resolution without a watermark are only available as prints through the website. I do get a small mark up on the prints which is to offset the cost of the website. Am I wrong to watermark? I have had a few people ask for me to take the watermarks off the pictures they wanted so they could download them without the water marks.

I have already searched the Forum for watermarks and after weeding through threads for "how to watermark" "the legal issues with watermarking" "software for watermarking" etc. I decided to be brave and start my own thread at the risk of being told "use search" :-)

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

Jaackil wrote:

I take Photos at my Sons High School Hockey and La... (show quote)

Watermarking is a common practice, but be ware, any good PP person can remove a watermark in a few seconds if they really want to. I use watermarking more to keep honest people honest, and to drive business to my website.

I just explain to people that when purchased and printed the watermark is removed. What are they going to say? "I don't want to purchase, I want to steal it"

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Capture48 wrote:

Watermarking is a common practice, but be ware, any good PP person can remove a watermark in a few seconds if they really want to. I use watermarking more to keep honest people honest, and to drive business to my website.

I just explain to people that when purchased and printed the watermark is removed. What are they going to say? "I don't want to purchase, I want to steal it"

:thumbup:

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Jaackil wrote:

I take Photos at my Sons High School Hockey and Lacrosse games. I am not a professional photographer. I do not sell the pictures, I post them to a website for the parents and players to download.

:-)

Not. Even if you did sell them. Anyone that would
steal then isn't a potential customer anyway and
in general most water marks make the photo unappealing.

Good luck with your decision.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Jaackil wrote:

I take Photos at my Sons High School Hockey and La... (show quote)

My opinion:

It is a personal preference - an unobtrusive watermark in the corner does not make it unappealing.

A watermark in the center is a different story.

I watermark all my images that go to my flickr site, not to prevent stealing them - that is not going to prevent a thief.

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

xxredbeardxx wrote:

Not. Even if you did sell them. Anyone that would
steal then isn't a potential customer anyway and
in general most water marks make the photo unappealing.

Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for your reply. But isnt the whole idea of the watermark to make the photo unappealing so no one steals them?

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Dngallagher wrote:

My opinion:

It is a personal preference - an unobtrusive watermark in the corner does not make it unappealing.

A watermark in the center is a different story.

I watermark all my images that go to my flickr site, not to prevent stealing them - that is not going to prevent a thief.

Don, I am curious, If you dont watermark to keep them from being stolen why do you watermark?

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Jaackil wrote:

Thanks for your reply. But isnt the whole idea of the watermark to make the photo unappealing so no one steals them?

Haa. Too funny. My bad. What was I thinking.
Good luck with your water mark and your doo dad.

:thumbup:

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Jaackil wrote:

Thanks for your reply. But isnt the whole idea of the watermark to make the photo unappealing so no one steals them?

It is very easy to remove a watermark with tools like Photoshop.... mine can even be cropped out as I do the bottom right edge.

Best thing is make sure that they cannot get to the full size images, disable downloading (they can still screen copy of course).

In reality, if you are worried that someone will steal them, don't display them on the internet - it is far too easy for people to obtain copies.

Think about it, if is displayed on a persons computer it is already on their computer, they just have to capture it.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Jaackil wrote:

Don, I am curious, If you dont watermark to keep them from being stolen why do you watermark?

Puts my name on them - and lists a copyright date for what it is worth. Watermarking is so simple in Lightroom - mine happens automatically when published to flickr.

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

xxredbeardxx wrote:

Haa. Too funny. My bad. What was I thinking.
Good luck with your water mark and your doo dad.

:thumbup:

Thanks! Its not easy to have watermark and doodad issues at the same time
:)

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Dngallagher wrote:

Puts my name on them - and lists a copyright date for what it is worth. Watermarking is so simple in Lightroom - mine happens automatically when published to flickr.

Thanks Don, I appreciate you input. I guess a watermark only keeps people who wouldnt steal your work anyways from stealing photos. Kind of an oxymoron.

Do you ever have anyone ask you to remove the watermark so they can post it or print it without it? If you do how do you handle that?

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Jaackil wrote:

Thanks Don, I appreciate you input. I guess a watermark only keeps people who wouldnt steal your work anyways from stealing photos. Kind of an oxymoron.

Do you ever have anyone ask you to remove the watermark so they can post it or print it without it? If you do how do you handle that?

Hey, when I steal Dons photo's I'm proud to have
his watermark on it. It increases the value.
:-D

juicesqueezer Loc: Okeechobee, Florida

Anything I post has my watermark on it. Also in the meta data of the photo. Just saying.............

cmikal

Capture48 wrote:

What are they going to say? "I don't want to purchase, I want to steal it"

Probably not those words exactly. "I don't want to purchase, I want to print them". "I don't want to purchase, I want to use them". "I don't want to purchase. Thats my kid. I should be allowed to use them". "Are you a professional? Do you have a business? Did you go to school for photography? No - No - No - and No. Then why are charging me?"

etc
etc
etc