Removing a layer from a flattened image? Plus a publishing opinion.

Hi,

 

I've been asked by an online magazine to submit some images for their

next issue. The magazine is geared towards the expat comunnity here in

Taiwan.

 

The editor/publisher has seen my p.net portfolio, and wants to use

some of these. However, a few of the shots have a digital "frame"

added, as well as a copyright logo in the bottom right. This they

don't want. Stripping the frame away is easy enough, but is there any

way to remove my copyright logo?

 

I have the originals either on transparencies, or achived on hard

drives and DVDs. The copyright logo's were added by using a text

layer, and then flattening the image to use as a jpg.

 

It would be a lot quicker for me if I could easily strip this info off

my image and submit that, as I have the jpg's on my current data

drive, or on a currently connected external drive.

 

Otherwise, I'll need to go back to the original TIFFs and do all the

resizing/sharpening etc again. The final output needs to be 800 by 600

jpg for online viewing only.

 

A further question. For online only publication, should I actually

leave the copyright logo on the photo. The magazine say that they

don't want the photo's to appear as if they were done by a pro (which

I'm not), but having a copyright logo makes it look as if I am a pro

(not sure how the figure that one out). So should I send the images

without copyright logo, or walk away with a thanks but no thanks reply?

 

I know that I do, and will continue to, retain the copyright to the

image. I'm more worried about either someone using my images somewhere

else without crediting me, or alternatively, the magazine using them

somewhere else without paying me. Trying to fight a copyright lawsuit

in a Taiwanese court over an 800 by 600 jpg is probably not worth it.

 

Sorry for posting 2 fairly unrelated questions in one - I know the 2nd

question would probably be better in a different forum, but you know

how it is.

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

I ran into a similar situation with some of my images and since then I save my PS files as PS files with all layers intact.

But to solve the my problem of getting rid of a signiture that I no longer wanted I used the clone tool to paint over it.

You can try removing the logo as you would remove dirt from film, unless there was some fine detail behind the logo which can not be recreated

...... You have just learned a valuable lesson.

Always save a copy of the final image before placing anything else on it.

Then create a framed/Watermarked version...

Unless you kept the original PSD (unflattened) File you will have to start from scratch or erase/clone it out.

What they said .. after you flatten the image, there are no pixels underneath the ones you can see. If the logo does not take up too much space, you could just crop it off. If you have already cropped them pretty tightly, that would ruin your compositions of course, but it would be easy.

If you are being paid, you are a pro.

Thanks for the answers guys.

 

Denis - I have copies of the image in full size TIFFs, the framed/logo'd jpgs are just closer to hand and already at the correct size.

 

MP - I'd define pro as making most of your income from photography, which I don't. Maybe one day.

 

Others - I guess I'll give it a bash with the clone tool, or crop tool, and see what happens.

 

Cheers,

Craig

As far as I know, once flattened and coverted to jpg no way to "strip" a layer, there aren't any layers anymore. Need to either go back to your tiff's. Why not do a batch action on them? or you can individually go through and clone it out of each file. As for the other question, not sure.

A "flattened" image only has one layer. So the direct answer to your question about removing a "layer" from a flattened image would have to be no. I know that you must have saved a PS version of this photo...you did save a PS version didn't you? I think that you would be better off starting from scratch with your orignal. It would be less time consumming than the other suggestions, and besides if these photos are going to be published you will want to send a much higher resolution picture than the ones that are posted on-line. As for the copyright the publication should give you credit for your photograph if nothing more that a "Photo by" line below the photograph. About not being a professional...well the only thing that separated the pros from the ams is the fact that pros get paid for their pictures. (and the pros save a PS version of thier pictures :-p )

 

Get out those archived raw files and re-work the picture send it to them with the understanding that you will be given credit for the picture, or just sell them a license to use the photograph.