# Resizing photos to prevent theft



## Charliedelta

I created my Facebook page where I show my photography.

I don't want to watermark my pictures. i read that to prevent photo theft it is advisable to make small enough before posting them.

Lightroom gives me the option to limit the size to 500K. Is that small enough? Should I also resize it? If yes to what size?


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## Murray Bloom

The most important thing is pixel dimensions. If you limit them to 500-700 pixels on the long side, they won't be good for anything more than wallpaper or blog posts. 

However, the reality is that, if it's any good, ANY image uploaded to the Internet may eventually be pirated. It's the nature of the beast and there's little or nothing we can do about it. Even elaborate watermarks can be easily removed if someone really wants to.  If you don't want your images taken, keep them off the Internet.


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## KmH

Five Things You Can Do to Protect Your Online Images | Photo Attorney
Registering Your Copyrights Using the eCO System | NatureScapes.Net - The Resource for Nature Photographers
Embedded Metadata Initiative


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## Derrel

My version of Lightroom allows me to go even smaller than 500k. A 500k image is still worth stealing if it's a good subject matter. If you're putting images on the world wide web and are worried about people stealing them through screen captures or whatnot, you'll definitely want to go to a lower-information point than 500k.

People CAN and WILL steal images posted on the web!  Here's an example of an image that has very minimal theft potential:
  (8.7 k in size! Go ahead--steal that you pirate bastids!)

As Murray Bloom wrote in his response above, "_However, the reality is that, if it's any good, ANY image uploaded to the Internet may eventually be pirated. It's the nature of the beast and there's little or nothing we can do about it. Even elaborate watermarks can be easily removed if someone really wants to. If you don't want your images taken, keep them off the Internet_."


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## amolitor

I use an all black watermark that's the same size as the picture.

With many of my pictures, people can hardly tell it's there.


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## Charliedelta

so if I understand correctly, it's more a matter of resizing one of the sides (the long one for instance) than limiting the size to 500K for instance. am I right?

And also, Derrel, I tried to change it for 400K but it tells me it cannot be done. Maybe I did something wrong


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## KmH

To maintain the image proportions and aspect ratio, both sides need to be reduced the same amount.

So a 3000 x 2000 pixel image becomes a 600 x 400 pixel image.

You may want to make sure your CMI information remains as part of the image file.
One way to make file size as small as possible is to remove all Exif data (CMI and camera info).


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## Gavjenks

Resizing definitely helps.  The biggest money makers are for large images.  So it removes most people's motivation, most of all ones you are competing with you for a market for your own photographs.

Personally, I suggest resizing, and for your favorite images or ones still likely to be stolen, or all of them, adding a VERY subtle, small, out of the way watermark with your name way in the corner in small font.  This is not distracting at all, and is trivial to remove. What it does for you, however, is that if somebody does want to pirate your photo, they will have to remove it, which makes it very obvious that they had INTENT to steal, which makes it way easier to sue them if they get caught.  Also, it directs people to your website, etc.

Also, register your best images or all your images with the copyright office.  Not necessary to have a copyright, but it makes it way less of a headache to prove it is yours if anything happens. _Edit: and to collect statutory damages_


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## texkam

^^^  +  Copyrighted image. Unauthorized use prohibited.  =  Deterrent.


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## Ilovemycam

Charliedelta said:


> I created my Facebook page where I show my photography.
> 
> I don't want to watermark my pictures. i read that to prevent photo theft it is advisable to make small enough before posting them.
> 
> Lightroom gives me the option to limit the size to 500K. Is that small enough? Should I also resize it? If yes to what size?



500kb is a good size to make 8 x 10 prints. Maybe a little bigger as well...*if there is not too much straight lines to show the pixels.
*
I keep post bound books on other photogs work I find on the web. The cutoff for me is about 40 kb which will make an fair 4 x 6. But I prefer 80kb for a 4 x 6 as a cutoff. Now if yout stuff is sunsets, birds, flowers, then it is pretty safe from me downloading a pix, printing it out and honoring you in my guest portfolio. That sort of pix is available day and night for free on Wiki Commons and all over the web. 

My interest is in street and documentary photos. But I do keep a sample of a fine star trails, levitation, hipstamtic, etc to show others when we talk about photography. The only things I wont save may be a 12 kb pix. And I can't save the photogs work that disable downloads. I started out with water marks for my own work and med res. Then went to low res and no WM. Now I am back at med res with no WM. I don't care if people take my pix. But I do not want them to take them, make prints and call them their own. 

Luckily for me, most of my pix are of the iconic nature and not easily confused with others work. In fact, I've been on over 20 photo forums and have yet to see one person that has work that can compete or be confused with mine. Many of my pix can be found by a Google search of their title. An image search will lead right back to me. Plus I put all my contact info right on the file. The file name can be changed, but again an image search will settle any questions who created it.


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## vintagesnaps

It isn't just theft of photos that is a concern - if you don't get informed by reading Terms & Conditions you may be allowing the website to use your photos without any further notification or permission or any compensation. If the Terms say that by using the site you're agreeing to their Terms, then you might be already giving permission for the site to use your photos if that's what is stated in the Terms.

Recent proposed changes to Facebook's Terms were apparently not yet put into place as planned; you can look on ASMP's site for more information or do a search online for recent articles. 

Facebook's proposed changes seem to be under review by the Federal Trade Commission; apparently they settled in 2011 with the FTC so the latest proposed changes are being looked at to see if they're in violation of the agreement. 
FTC reviews changes in Facebook policies - The Denver Post 
Teen advocacy groups ask FTC to block Facebook privacy changes - latimes.com 

I already removed my photos some time ago because of previous changes to the Terms.


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## Ilovemycam

vintagesnaps said:


> It isn't just theft of photos that is a concern - if you don't get informed by reading Terms & Conditions you may be allowing the website to use your photos without any further notification or permission or any compensation. If the Terms say that by using the site you're agreeing to their Terms, then you're already giving permission for the site to use your photos if that's what is stated in the Terms.
> 
> Recent proposed changes to Facebook's Terms were apparently not yet put into place as planned; you can look on ASMP's site for more information or do a search online for recent articles.
> 
> Facebook's proposed changes seem to be under review by the Federal Trade Commission; apparently they settled in 2011 with the FTC so the latest proposed changes are being looked at to see if they're in violation of the agreement.
> FTC reviews changes in Facebook policies - The Denver Post
> Teen advocacy groups ask FTC to block Facebook privacy changes - latimes.com
> 
> I already removed my photos some time ago because of previous changes to the Terms.




Lots of sites are loosening up with copyright. As one curator told me...'the world is just polluted with photographs.' I think the trend on the web is not 'pro photogs rights' but against them. But, I don't keep up on all of these areas, so am just guessing. 

This is a good exercise for you all to do to get a gauge on how much your photos are worth. 

Here is a list of the top photo galleries in NY

New York Photography Galleries and Photography Gallery Guide

Write them and tell them you will give them 20 of your prints for free to sell. They keep all proceeds above the cost of printing and postage. See what type of response you get with your 'free prints' offer...


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