Stealing my photos

[SeattleJo]

Hi all,

I'm creating a website and wanted to know how I could protect my photos.

I've made the resolution small enough that they wouldn't be very useful for printing. I would like to also stop people from copying the photos and putting them on other websites, at least without my copyright showing.

I know how to add text to the photo in photoshop with my name, copyright, date, etc., but how do I add it in such a way that people can't just take that info back off.

Sorry for my ignorance, I'm still learning all the post-processing stuff!!


SJ

[Trevor Ash]

You have some good thoughts. This has been discussed a lot if you searcht he internet but I don't think it's been discussed too much here so thanks for bringing it up.

Rather than post my opinion, I'll look up some threads that discuss the topic:
http://forums.naturephotographers.ne...10532#23110532
http://forums.naturephotographers.ne...m=54010032&p=1
http://forums.naturephotographers.ne...841#5266025841
http://forums.naturephotographers.ne...862#2010008862
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...essage=8334124


Ah what the heck, here's a summary of my opinion:

1. You can't protect you images from someone who wants them so don't spend too much time obsessing over it.
2. Whatever you do, don't make it inconvenient for the honest viewers!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Copyrights placed on the image are a good thing even if they remove them.....it gives you more options when you catch them.
4. Smaller and lower quality images are also a good option.

[SeattleJo]

Thanks for the links. They were very interesting!

It looks like I'm on the right trail. Just do what I can, and then not stress about it.


Thanks,

SJ

[another view]

The 400x600 pixel images I've posted here in different forums and on my website might print an OK wallet sized print but no larger. It's happened to me - actually on ebay! - and there's not much you can do about it. Well, I reported them to ebay for copyright infringement which made me feel better but my time in doing that would probably have been better used watching paint dry...

It's just one of those risks that you have to assume by posting shots on the web. I may have other shots floating around out there too that I don't know about too. A watermark or copyright is a good idea to keep honest people honest but it's very easy to clone that out unless it's across someone's face, etc. If that's the case, it's hard to see the shot to begin with. No easy answers to this question but I don't lose sleep over it . I'll have to check out Trevor's links though.

[kieranmullen]

What about light watermark of your logo in the middle?

This is a progrm I found that is useful

http://www.picture-shark.com/samples.htm