How does Digimarc work?

[giggles]

Could someone explain how the Digimarc plug-in in PS work? I am

clueless. I provide my customers with a CD of their proofs so I

worry about copyright abuse. I currently am looking for an action

the resizes my images and imprints a semi-transparant "Proof" in the

center of the image. I could probably make my own action but if

Digimarc already does something like that I'll just use that. Any

help with Digimarc or another download would be appreciated. Thanks.

[amber1]

Emily, I created a brush that stamps my ﾩ info so that all I have to do is select the brush and opacity and stamp over the proof before send to my customer (I do this for email proofs) I will email you an action that can help you create a brush like that. When I make a proof CD, I use a program that encrypts all of the images and disables copying or printing. I have two actually, the first one is called Proshow Gold and it creates slideshows (less practical for presentation, but only cost around $80) The other is called Flip album, it creates an album (complete with thumbnail index)that your client can bookmark,and has a whole bunch of useful tools for your clients to use. A tad more pricey at about $150, but my clients love it. There is also an optional shopping cart plug in that you can purchase for an additional $100 that allows your customer to place orders via email or by printing out and mailing/faxing, but I havent been quite as impressed with this as it seems to confuse some of my clients since I have to make a page for package discounts in order for them to figure their prices correctly. It is nice in the fact that it does help them keep track of what and how many sheets they have ordered. Just dont know if it is worth the extra $$. I'll email you links to both companys when I email the action.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Digimarc adds noise, which hold the message. The file size gets larger, broad areas get raspy. If a digimarc image is downsized enough, the message, ie the copyright disappears.

[kelly_flanigan1]

If a digimarc image is blurred enough, the watermark goes away too.

l

[amber1]

I forgot to mention that Digimark can be used to visualy watermark the image, but the program can cost up to $500. The version that comes with photoshop will only make the image look a bit grainy--thus my use of the "other" programs. Take my advice if you put the images on a CD with no obvious water mark or embedded info that makes them impossible to copy or print, your clients will immediately take them to walmart or the nearest CVS pharmacy!

[giggles]

Thanks for the info Kelly & Amber. I played around with the Digimarc and didn't notice a difference so I thought I was doing something wrong. Now, I understand. I love the idea of putting the pictures on a CD that is encrypted so they can't copy them but since I don't do wedding I don't know if buying the FlipAlbum Pro would be worth it. Does the cheaper version let you protected while burning on a CD? I made a watermark action that says Proof - Giggles n Grins. If I put it in the corner, I know people just crop it out but if I emboss it and put it in the center I can hinder the image sometimes. AGHHH! I want to find a program that will burn CDs so the viewer can't copy them or take them in like you said, Amber. Is there anything out there like that or I am being difficult and untrusting? I have only been burned twice so far and that is when I gave out regular proofs - neither people ever returned them and only one ordered some Xmas cards.

[seanb]

<I>I want to find a program that will burn CDs so the viewer can't copy them or take them in </I>

</P><P>

If the viewer can open the pictures to view them, they can copy them. Yes, you can encrypt a CD so they can't take the images off of it, but then how would they view them? The computer has to be able to read the data from the CD in order to display it on screen. If you can see it on screen, you can copy it.

</P><P>

The only way you'll stop them using the proofs is to put a watermark across the centre of the image; it will hinder their viewing of the image, but that's the only way you can stop them printing it. Hopefully it won't degrade it so much that they can't see what it would look like without the watermark.

</P><P>

I would also suggest that your CD proofs should be low resolution, suitable for screen viewing only, but sadly I doubt if that would stop some people from printing them anyway regardless of the quality.

[amber1]

Hey Emily, Unfortunately, the non-pro version of the program does not encrypt and protect the images or allow you to set an expriation time limit like the pro version does. It was definately worth the investment to me, since I found scanned copies of my proofs in some of the local football programs and even on one of those calanders that the cheerleaders go around selling. The program encrypts the images in the same way that they are on the web. You can view my images in the album but like your web site and mine (only my web galleries are encrypted), there is no actual way of copying and pasting them or printing them. The file images are only useful in the program. In other words you are not burning files to a CD you are burning a completely stand alone program that presents your images...thus the price! You can enable printing or not and you can also set a watermark with the album so that you copyright info is pasted across each image automatically. Until you find a program or action that does exactly what you want, I would not let any images out of my studio that are not stamped straight across the forehead! BTW I posted a question very similar to yours about a year ago and soon afterwards decided that I'd rather make a few people unhappy than to find my stolen and badly printed and scanned images popping up all over the place.<div></div>