Watermarking or Alternatives

[elliot1]

I shoot a karate event three times a year where I end up with 1500 or more

shots each event. I have been providing them with thumbnail print and low

resolution computer files. They want a method of proofing the shotsm that

enables them to view higher quality images.

 

I am considering watermarking the files but don't know how they will react to

this. Are there any options aside from watermarking that will allow them to

view good quality proofs and still protect my interests?

[steve foster]

If you use photoshop you can sign up to the Digimarc service. This puts a digital watermark on your photos and is normally invisible to the naked eye, but it holds all the copyright details. But if someone wanted to print your photos out I don't think it would be able to prevent them from doing so.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I'd go ahead and use a mostly transparent watermark on the proofs. My thinking is that they

will respect you for it.

[mike_w.1]

What about a proof book? You know, 6 to 8 (or even more) images on an 8x10 or 8x12 page, spiral bound, with file names under the pics for ordering purposes. Obviously it would be too pricey to provide a ton of them, but one or two for the karate center woudn't be bad. Looks nice and finished, serves well for proofing, and no one will copy a proof book if they walk into a CVS with it.

 

I don't do event photography though, so take it FWIW.

[s. k. h.]

I created an action to watermark my pictures with my business name. This works great as long as I don't crop the picture down too much (then the text is too large). Create one for vertical and one for horizontal. It saves SO much time. I set it to trasnparancy 45 or so, and the text is in white.

[jim mucklin]

Oh yes, this beast I know. I shoot a lot of events and have seen some of my small low res files reprinted, I have even seen one of my 4x6's done into a poster. You can check out my site www.jimmucklinphotography.com to get some ideas but what I did is to make a custom brush and made it transparent as Ellis said. If you don't protect it they will copy it, trust me the first year I went from print books to on-line the sales dropped way of till I spoke to a 12 year old that told me what people were doing. His knowlege of PS was amazing, most people feel that if it's on the "net" it's free for the taking. I use an old copy of ps7, you can contact me off line if you need more info.

[jhshelley]

Hi

 

I'm new to the site and only starting to think these things through myself, so anything you learn I might want to hear also....

 

I was planning a website to automatically show large slideshows of events - harder to copy image if not 'static', plus low res images still look good on larger screens.

 

For static shots or prints - I will be putting a watermark - placed not on the subject but close enough upset a doctored image if copied....discrete size yet obvious place.

 

rgds

 

J..

[petergib]

Have you considered right click protection. It's a simple script added to your html site that will diable the mouse right click options.

 

The code and instructions are available here

 

http://www.java-scripts.net/No-Right-Click-Javascripts

 

http://www.java-scripts.net/javascripts/No-Right-Click-Deluxe.phtml