Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

Either here or other sites. A logo can easily be remove from an image you post, so it really doesn’t provide much protection from theft. Are there better ways to protect your images from someone stealing them off the internet?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The single best way to protect digital images from theft on the internet is to never post an image to the internet.

Of course, that's not the most practical method to share images. Somewhere on the list below each individual needs to decide what works best for them.

1. Never post and store the file to UHH. The recent update now showing 1000+ pixel 'wide' thumbnails makes this approach more useful.

2. If you decide to store the file when posting directly to UHH, lower the pixel resolution to about 2048px on the wide side. See the why and how-to details from this post:

Recommended resizing parameters for digital images

3. Rather than posting directly to UHH, post your images to another more secure site and simply link the images at a lower resolution onto UHH. Many UHH members use Flickr (either free or as a paid pro-member) to host their images. Then, they use a Flickr code-generator that gives URL links they can copy and paste into UHH. Flickr, unlike 500px, gives size options for linking those images. I've noted one can file / save-as the image as presented from the UHH pages via the link technology, but the image is just the linked size, not the original file as exists on Flickr.

4. Create your own website and control the access and widgets available to save the displayed images. Prevent the linking of images from other sites.

5. Assure your images have a watermark, either discrete in a corner or prominent and distracting / destroying to the image content.

Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

Appreciate the response, and so quickly.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I like the low-res option. It doesn't have to be large to get a good rendition on a monitor, which is where people will be viewing them. But I will sometimes also use a "signature".
(I don't intentionally support pixel peepers.)

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

One way I read about a long time ago, but have never actually tried:
Make a stamp of your signature, then place that on the photo in several places: in hair, on a skirt, etc.: all places where you would not expect to find a signature stamp. Select a colour that is very close to the area where you place the stamp. I was told at one time that even using the identical colour of the background, that stamp could still be found afterwards as it changes something in the pixels.
OK, techies, your turn to explain why this would work.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Let's instead ask: what are you trying to accomplish?

Did you post the fully-edited image at the full resolution? How does your hidden watermark idea stop the image from being taken and resold / reused for profit with no reference to you?

Is that what you wanted to stop or something else? Does your hidden watermark phone-home or turn on a signal beacon when the image is taken?

How would you know your image has been taken? Did you properly register the copyright so that 'proving' the image is yours can result in a potential damage award?

What else could such a hidden watermark accomplish, other than wasting your time? Are there other ideas that cost less of your time / effort as well as being more effective at stopping image theft?

Hint: see list above.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The only thing that can change in the pixels is the color, that's it. They, with a lot of work, can alter the color around and including the signature area, no evidence of a signature once being there will remain. (Maybe a oddly shaded area, but there will be no evidence of the signature as it was.) If one has the signature in many places, it will just take them longer if they really want to abscond with the image.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

Best answer.

Seriously, what are you trying to accomplish? If you're a professional photographer trying to sell your wares, your best bet is to not post full-size images but rather thumbnails. Or at least "browser-friendly" resolutions (i.e., nothing larger than, say, 450pixels in any dimension).

I'm not a professional photographer, but I have sold some photos, so I guess that makes me a "semi-pro?" I don't post NEF/DNG files online, and those are my originals. I recently gave a 20" x 30" metal print to my daughter. I exported my NEF to JPG and sent it to the print company. I actually removed any watermarks because my daughter knows who shot the photo and often I think watermarks simply clutter an image.

I don't think any of the photos I've posted here on UHH would qualify as "bait" for an image thief, either because their quality is sub-par, or the image itself is too small to be useful otherwise.

My free opinion. Worth every penny you paid for it.

BB4A

👍👍

As I post “Nearlies from the Commissioned Series” images on here and elsewhere on the interwebs from time to time, I’m reminded of a couple of quotes:

“Never leave something valuable in plain sight”.

“Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity”.

I’m continually amazed by the apparent time & trouble some people seem to put into their signatures, watermarks, and visible ID… when that precious time would be much better spent working on answers to the questions;(a) what purpose does it serve to put my property in plain sight, (b) if I’m going to do that, how do I efficiently protect against the CONSEQUENCES of theft, and (c) When (not if) my property is stolen, how will I prove theft and collect damages from the thief?

I have a long and successful litigation record, Worldwide, so I’ll end with a misquote; “Never bring a spurious signature knife to a digitally signed & encrypted gun fight”.
😎

BTW, any image I publish here is freely available to download by any UHH Member… just don’t get stupid and claim it as your own work.

MDI Mainer

I would only add that a screen capture program (such as Snagit) will allow someone to retrieve and store an image, even if a direct download of the image file is not possible from the host web site.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Yup, there are ways around it.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

The reason given in the original post, was that this kind of signature is not obvious, is overlooked, and would be acceptable in a court of law as proof of who owned the photo.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Is this another form of mailing the image to yourself for a post mark?

That's a joke because proving ownership is not the issue nor relevant to damages unless you have properly registered the image at the applicable copyright office. Having registered the image is how you prove ownership as well have a basis for pursuing damages. Without a registered copyright, you have nothing.

So, your hidden watermark, alone, is a lot of effort with no actual results. At least you're supporting the USPS when using the equally ineffective mail idea.

therwol Loc: USA

I'm not in the business of selling photos. I personally don't care if anyone on UHH downloads one of my images and sells it as their own. I don't post current pictures of myself or my family, even on Facebook, and I don't think that baby pictures or pictures of deceased members of my family would raise any objections by anyone. But the bottom line is that if you're so concerned that someone might "steal" one of your pictures, then don't post any you consider valuable here.

MDI Mainer

It is true that damages for infringement can generally be obtained ONLY by bringing suit in federal district court, which requires that the copyrighted image has been registered with the Copyright Office.

But there are alternative (and in most cases more effective and efficient) remedies provided by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and Copyright Alternative Small Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act), which have no or less onerous registration requirements.

There is a lot of misinformation here on UHH and on the web in general, but here is reliable resource for those who want more detail:

https://www.photoattorney.com/