Digital Downloads/Your Website

[jenkins]

<p>Not sure if this is the right place for this but I will ask it here anyway. Do you allow digital downloads of your work from your website, I have just set mine up and at the moment and I am not sure if I should do this?</p>

<p>Do you restrict them to smaller sizes or right up to the original?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>You can't block downloads. That's separate from putting larger images on a website, which is a separate issue. I don't know why someone would post full-size images unless they are for sale.</p>

[jenkins]

<p>Well I have watermarks going through all the pictures on the site, there is a separate pricing system for people to download just digital files at a cost which I haven't opted for yet. Problem I have is people back in the UK that might want a picture as it stands would have to have them printed at Bayphoto in S.F if they go through my site.</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>normally you have thumbnail size with no copyright on them, and a fit to screen or similar with a copyright on them. Then you can offer the hirez file as a download vs a print after receiving money for it. Or offer the hirez file at a discount when someone buy let say a 16x20 or bigger size of the same size (hirez file could be limited to the size of the print they bought or a 8x10 only.. )</p>

<p> </p>

[photo5]

<p>With Smugmug you can set all these parameters yourself. </p>

[jenkins]

<p>Is it a good idea to offer digital downloads Dave? How do you price them?</p>

[robertbanks]

<p>My main photography work is all based around selling digital images for publication from my website - so yes, I allow digital downloads!</p>

<p>I use some web-based picture library software to manage the process, and very similar to how Patrick describes (BTW HNY2012 Partrick ;) it is set-up to display unwatermarked thumbnails (133x200px), and a fixed size preview image (400x600px) which is watermarked. Once you have bought an image you can download or be ftp'ed the full size version, actually I offer 4 sizes, one for print and also small/medium/large for web use, all at specific prices. My images are all provided under a rights managed licence, since they are intended for editorial use in magazines. I decided to go for a fixed price for each size, although the software I'm using will allow me to configure a rights-managed calculator which takes into consideration the geographical domain, distribution, placement of the image etc etc. I just felt this would be too much hassle for my clients to use everytime.</p>

<p>I expect that some of my watermarked preview images will be copied and used without a licence, thats just a fact of life in this digital/internet age. But what I'm offering is a B2B service, supplying to printed publishers - if a member of the general public posts one of my images on a website and I happen to stumble upon it I would take action but I won't lose any sleep over this risk. However it would be different if a publisher/business used my images without licence.</p>

<p>I suspect that somone with a little knowledge may even be able to hack the site and download the full size high-res images. Again its a risk but I'm not going to worry too much - I might check my web server logs once in a while for such activity, but really it comes down to how the images are used.</p>

[jenkins]

<p><strong>I suspect that somone with a little knowledge may even be able to hack the site and download the full size high-res images.</strong></p>

<p>Somebody I know took a screen shot of one of my pictures the other day for some client stuff she was working on without asking first, I let it go but it is annoying. I might just have some reduced sizes for download in that case, I have watermarks on the pictures and they will be on the downloads until they are paid for. Just wanted to get an idea if people offered downloads in general, appreciate the information.<strong><br /></strong></p>

[ryan_farabough]

<p><strong>I suspect that somone with a little knowledge may even be able to hack the site and download the full size high-res images.</strong></p>

<p>Sadly, this is very true and actually not all that difficult. Doesn't really involve much hacking, just some figuring out where they are stored and then downloading them, not too many are encrypting their images. I have seen this done here to a Wedding photographer, the couple bought a few and then downloaded the rest on their own, even posting them on their facebook page. </p>

<p>Best way to combat this forces you to do more work by not having the full size or hi-res images on the web at all. And even this is not fool proof because you still have the risk of someone sharing or uploading one of your images after they have paid you for it. Its just the reality of the online, connected world today. The honest people will pay and rest will just take it and use it for free and most likely you wont even know they did. </p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>Downloading full website files is so easy it is amazing anybody is surprised it can be done, there are many legitimate uses for the capability which enhances its proliferation. There is no need to hack anything.</p>

<p> Any file you put online is fair game, it is out there, accept it. To mitigate such annoyances make sure you don't care about any file you upload by watermarking or using low enough resolutions etc, also use services like TinEye to watch for internet infringers.</p>

<p>I do use my server for FTP transfers to customers, but only after they have paid.</p>