georgeretired Loc: Manitoba Canada

For the past several years I have always struggled with using an "oh-hum-boring" water mark text made through Elements. Viewing some many other pictures from other photographers, I wonder where and how they develop their watermarks.
Does anyone use a specific "watermark software" to produce their watermark. Suggestions, directions and advice would really be appreciated. Much appreciated.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

Many professional photographer hire a graphic designer to help pull together their whole brand, watermark, logo, marketing materials etc.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

I'm only a part-time pro, so all I do is use a nice big font, fade it quite a bit and then use that as my watermark on smugmug. Smugmug will automatically watermark photos when I upload them if I tell it. Only when a person purchases a photo, do they get a download an unwatermarked version, or the lab prints an unwatermarked version to be sent to the customer.

However, if I were watermarking them myself, I'd just use the watermark feature in lightroom. I tend to like the way smugmug does it though, because I don't have to do anything to have it done after I initially set it up in smugmug.

If I were going pro more than just part-time, I'd likely get an art student, or graphic artist that specializes in logos, to come up with one for me. I have a friend that did this, and his is simple but cool and not overstated.

Don Butler Loc: NW Pennsylvania

I like the features in Paint Shop Pro X4 to design a watermark. Once designed it can be saved as a "Picture Tube" (in other words a stamp) and can be placed and sized to your liking.
I use a photo of my own camera, converted to a "sketch" image and text IDing me and the claim date.

Don

Don Butler Loc: NW Pennsylvania

I wanted to show an example of what I was talking about.
The attached image started as a straight photo of my camera.
In Paint Shop Pro X4 I converted it to a negative and added some blur.
Reducing it to a usable size I added my sig and the date.
Finally, it was saved as a picture tube image.
My wish was to keep it soft and unobtrusive, yet visible.
The nice thing about the picture tube tool is that the image can be added anywhere, so it goes where I want it.
Sometimes parts of the image I'm signing aren't as good for the imprint as others, so I add it exactly where I want it.
The picture tube tool allows one to resize as well.
If the tube is placed on its own layer it can be made transparent in any degree you wish.
I would also point out that one can make several copies of the tube image, changing colors so one can be selected to be just right for any photo.
Regards,
Don

allen finley photography Loc: Sunshine State.

Creating a watermark is super easy if you have photoshop. Create a new project blank page 3x5 inches 300dpi. create a new fill layer solid color. Add a gradient layer . Use the text tool, type your name or business in whatever font and color you like. Delete your original layer and the solid color layer. The screen will look like a checkered blue and white background and your lettering on top of that. flatten image and save as a .PNG file. Hope this helps. If you need one made shoot me a P.M. and I'll whip one up for you.

georgeretired Loc: Manitoba Canada

Note to "mom", Don, Les and Allen....thanks for the information. I do use PS now as Allen suggests but was looking to do something different.....perhaps look at the "picture" suggestion. I am interested in "author recognition" on a corner of the picture but perhaps what I do now will be sufficient.........as if I don't have enough to do with all the shots I do each week. Thanks again for your suggestion. Have a good day. George Kent

CanonDale Loc: Albany Oregon

Hi Allen, this may seem like a dumb question, when you create the watermark, how do you put it on the pictures?

professorwheeze Loc: Maine, USA

allen finley photography Loc: Sunshine State.

Using PS or PSE, Have your photo open, goto FILE, Then down to Place. Select this and it will take you to your file system. I keep my watermarks PNG. or Jpeg. in a file marked "watermarks" in bridge. I locate it in Pictures or if I am going to to a lot of them I move it to my desktop.(I use a Mac ). Put the file where you will easily be able to find it. Open the folder,select which watermark you want to use, select it. It now appears on top of your photo centered in what will look like an envelope. You can move this box around to where you want the watermark, you can also resize the watermark by pushing in or pulling out a corner of the box.(DO NOT PULL or Push from the SIDES !!!) unless you want to change the watermark lettering shape. drag it where you need it. hit return. Wah la you have a watermarked photo. Flatten Image, Hit SAVE AS, rename the file by adding WM at the end of the title ( img 0001, img 0001WM) This is so that you can re-edit or sell your image without your watermark. In LR4 goto export image, down at the bottom of the page you will see a box for watermark, click the little box, open options for watermark, choose select file or image. goto your watermark file, pick one, you can then adjust size , placement, drop shadow and other goodies, save it. Hope this helps. Allen.

CanonDale Loc: Albany Oregon

Thank you Allen, I will give it a try!

photo guy Loc: Chippewa Falls, WI

uMark is a watermark program that has a free version or a paid version that you can download. You can also chance up some of the features on it. Have used it before.

Don Butler Loc: NW Pennsylvania

I have considered the situation in which someone would crop out my watermark and reproduce the image without my claim. In photos I consider important enough to go a step further I hide my watermarks in places where it isn't obvious (or even visible to the casual eye). For example, I have a photo of a very old covered bridge that has significant historical importance. A visible watermark near the borders could easily be cropped out or covered over with a clone brush. So I zoom in on a detail like one board of the bridge and, using small type font and a color that blends well, I place my name and claim date. In fact I put it in several discreet places in this image. If someone wants to grab this picture a lot of careful examination will be in order to discover all the places I hid my watermark.
There is also the services offered by Digimark that will embed invisible data in the image which can be read by their program. Their service isn't free, but might be a good thing for a serious photographer who needs the top level of security for his (or her) images.
Even clients who have paid for your services may decide to have your work copied and use it for their own purposes. Of course, if they copy a print I don't think the Digimark service will help. It's 49 bucks for a thousand images.

Mostly, I use visible watermarks which ID my name and services and serve as copyright claims.
Don