To Sign or Not to Sign: I am curious, some photographers sign their prints and some do not. What do you do and why? Looking forward to your answers!

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

I am curious, some photographers sign their prints and some do not. What do you do and why? Looking forward to your answers!

backroadgirl

I actually started using a computerized signature I made one as a brush preset. I know it will be neat, don't have to worry about it being to large, wrong color, etc. I can move it around if I make it a layer I can take it off and redo when resizing prints. If put on mat, if it is a photo that never sales you will probably not be able to use it again. I believe my photographs are art work just like paintings that I have done and no one thinks twice about signing those. In past I had some not signed and the person who bought them ask me to sign them. They were framed, so I had to take them apart and reassemble.

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

Backroadgirl, thank you for your interesting and informative answer : )

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

I don't see any reason for doing so.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

I also sign almost every pic. I made a brush as Backroadgirl did. All that she said AND it allows me to make my name Larger or smaller with just a click of the mouse.
I also place my name very very very small someplace on the pic. You have to enlarge it to see it. I post a lot of stuff on line
if someone tries to borrow my work, I'm hoping they are not smart enough to enlarge it and see my name ( today its so easy to remove your signature)
Signing your work that you post on line really only keeps honest people honest. dishonest people will always find a way to get rid of your signature.

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

bdk, thank you for your interesting reply and reasoning, yes, only the honest will stay honest, unfortunately : )

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

Mac, thank you for your reply : )

SteveR Loc: Michigan

If you are a professional, you should sign your prints. In my hometown of Pontiac, MI, the name of Dimitri Lazaroff meant something. Also, if you're an advanced amateur and suspect that your photos might be copied from the internet.....go ahead and sign them. I have a friend who shares his wonderful photos from his world travels and he signs his photos discretely in the lower right corner. Me? I post my photos to UHH and doubt very much that anybody would ever care to steal them.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

SteveR wrote:

If you are a professional, you should sign your prints. In my hometown of Pontiac, MI, the name of Dimitri Lazaroff meant something. Also, if you're an advanced amateur and suspect that your photos might be copied from the internet.....go ahead and sign them. I have a friend who shares his wonderful photos from his world travels and he signs his photos discretely in the lower right corner. Me? I post my photos to UHH and doubt very much that anybody would ever care to steal them.

We should all live so ling as to have Nike pirate one of our photos for an ad.

That being said, artists always sign their work, and for the same reasons, why shouldn't photographers?

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Natalie Knott wrote:

I am curious, some photographers sign their prints and some do not. What do you do and why? Looking forward to your answers!

If you issue a limited edition, and they are indeed fine art prints, then it is a good idea to sign the print using an archival rollerball gel ink pen. I use Sakura brand pens and so far have had no issues with them. A collector will appreciate a real signature vs a digitized one - it adds to the uniqueness and value of the print.

There are two ways to sign the print - on the image surface, as if it were a painting or watercolor, or in the margin. A current trend is to print on a larger piece of paper, then sign the print in the margin between the lower edge and the image. The window in the mat is then cut to show the margin, usually 1/4" or larger on the sides and top, with a wider margin on the bottom, where your signature, edition number, print name and date, and any other information is found, usually written in pencil.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

If I display prints and you buy one I will sign it for you.

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

I am very thankful for all your replies and the interesting and valuable information and opinions you have share.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Gene51 wrote:

If you issue a limited edition, and they are indee... (show quote)

I have a print that I still need to frame and hang, not of mine but some guy called Storm Thorgerson (

), a reasonably well known image titled the 'Back catalogue'. It is signed in the white space border. I can cut the matte to show the signature, which I probably will, but it does not intrude on the image while being positioned nicely for mounting. On the other hand it is very unlikely that anyone could or would try to copy it and claim that image as their own! Too many copies to have any real monetary value also.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

As someone who sells his work at art festivals, all of my images are signed. Most artists who sell their work sign it in some form, be they painters, potters, sculptors, or photographers. Most buyers expect it. I sign the print itself in the margin, where it will be hidden beneath the matting. I then sign the matting in the traditional lower right just below the edge of the mat window. If the image is part of a limited edition I also print the image number (e.g. 12/50 as in twelve of fifty) on the print margin and the mat at the lower left corner just below the mat window. If the image is printed on canvas, I sign on the image itself in the lower right corner.

Natalie Knott Loc: Fort Bragg, CA

Thank you Peterff and Jim. I enjoyed your comments. Jim, I looked at your website and think you have done some creative and beautiful work.