Protecting images, watermark or not?

Just trying to get a feel for how you view original photos and other ephemera.

Do you get put off by watermarks or do you agree that the vendor should protect the image.

And how do you view pinterest copying images without permission.

I have just listed some rare Churchill photos and hated putting a copyright watermark on them but how else do you deter the image copiers?

I have also got some rare scout original photos and I hate the thought that I paid good money for other people to copy images of the ebay listing.

 

When I started out with eBlech, I bought a nice print ....what I got was a photocopy.....in a size smaller than advertised ......& all hell broke loose tween me and the rip off artist........to no avail...

I see no problem watermarking a picture you put online.

 

I had that happen on eBidet with a framed yard long that I fought and paid $222 for.
It was sold by a 'gallery' and turned out to be a copy because damage on the original was in the print.
I asked them how they could've missed that. They apologized and refunded every penny back and I got to keep it.

 

I download photos regularly. There's a lot of things I can't afford for which a good photo will suffice. There's a lot of images I just happen to like. And I like to take photos (anyone's) and edit them to my own satisfaction, sometimes incorporating them into entirely new images. I don't see much harm in it unless the person downloading intends to take credit for the photo and use it for profit.

The only time that happened to me, it wasn't a photo that was stolen, but a description. And I confess I was severely pi**ed off.

It may be that photos of mine have been stolen for someone else's profit, but the web is so huge it is unlikely I'll ever know.

Come to think of it, there was an instance where an image of mine was incorporated into a prize-winning art installation. I was credited as "photographer unknown".

 

If it's on eBay, they used to care of someone used your photos but I don't think they do anymore. I've seen mine used when someone is selling a similar item.

As far as watermarking, these days thing can be edited and manipulated so easily I'm not sure how much it helps.

 

Thanks SIS.

Though it begs the question of how I can list a rare photo without all and sundry downloading it for fun and photoshopping out any watermarks.

I think I'll have to list low res photos only so that freeloaders will have to make do with an inferior version. The original photo will usually have more detail than a hi-res copy but I'm d****d if I'm going to make it easy for them and devalue an item that I paid good money for!

 

It's such a good question. If you offer something with poor quality photos will you get a good price or will someone think you're making bad copies? Is there any good way to sell images online?

I have no answer but I know the question.

 

how is someone having a digital image of a fine print going to devalue the print? I don't sell on eBay often but one was once able to link photos in their description and then delete the linked image at the url site; thus making the eBay listing image-less expect for the one in the search.

I have had eBay sellers 'lift' images from my site and use them for their eBay sales. The problem I have with that is the bidders are not seeing the actual item that is listed. And eBay did nothing when I notified them of the copyright infringement, as I wasn't participating in VERO. One seller did end an auction when notified but that did nothing since eBay still had the images available. I accept it as inevitable; if a image is posted on the web it will be copied or otherwise referenced. I see my images all over Pinterest and other sites.

 

There are two reasons why it may devalue the original photo.

If a buyer has exclusive access to a photo print, he may pay more. If hi-res digital copies have been downloaded by many and shared on forums and pinterest then the collector may be willing to pay less for the original.

The second reason is that a collector may well prefer to download a copy without payment in preference to paying for the original.

I have some very desirable never published photos from the 1957 World Scout Jamboree, including an American marching band. What I don't want is to provide free material for Pinterest.

 

Personally, if I were you, I would watermark (in different sizes!) the bejeekers out of the hi-res print you are posting......it would be a pain in the buttinski to edit them all out....thus reducing the desire of someone wanting to copy your great image!!!! ONE watermark might not be a problem to edit out.....many watermarks.....the copier might just say "nah, not going to bother....too much work"......

 

Hmmm, like this?

 

I think that's too disruptive. Have a much thinner font?

 

Hmmmmmmm, I think think that's a weeeeeeeeee bit overboard!!!! I've seen images where they make them stand out BUT blend with the image, and are put all over it in varying sizes.....one I personally wouldn't want to try to edit out!!!!!

 

I think you may be right

 

Yes, I'm going to play with ideas, I see World scouting use diagonal watermarks.

looks like I'm going to have to invest in a decent photo editor, Irfanview isnt responsive enough for this

 

I've seen diagonals too and they may be harder to remove.

 

If you use Photoshop, for one, they are easy to add....you want them to sort of be visible but kind of blend in.....and do multiples in a couple of sizes, as I had said. Make them work to remove, but to let the buyer know he's getting a quality print!!
Couldn't find EXACTLY what I was looking for (naturally!!), but these come close!!

 

Lines running through faces are the PITS to try and remove!!!! I like to practice!

 

There are others out there cheaper than Photoshop!!!!! Which is only available as a subscription by the month now anyway ($9.99/mo incl Lightroom....actually not too bad a deal), and which is why I will probably never go past PS CS6!!!!! AH WELL!!!!!!! For me, it's all fun anyway!!!!

 

I think that semitransparent type of watermarks incorporating the colors of the image are the most robust; and avoid the hi-res images.