# Prevent discs of images from being copied?



## ljenningsphotog (Jun 12, 2012)

Is there any way to prevent this?  Embed the images somehow so they can't be copied?  Any thoughts?

Thanks


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## DiskoJoe (Jun 12, 2012)

Yeah, dont hand out discs of your photos. Or watermark them. There is no type of file made that cannot be copied easily.


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## Dao (Jun 12, 2012)

> Is there any way to prevent this?  Embed the images somehow so they can't be copied?  Any thoughts?



I do not think so.  Even if there is a way to protect it, there is a way to copy it.


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## ljenningsphotog (Jun 12, 2012)

Well, they purchased the disc of images, which is fine.... I was just wondering (really hoping) there was a way to prevent the images from being copied to like 10 more discs for friends, ya know?


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## mjhoward (Jun 12, 2012)

ljenningsphotog said:


> Well, they purchased the disc of images, which is fine.... I was just wondering (really hoping) there was a way to prevent the images from being copied to like 10 more discs for friends, ya know?



A contract.


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## yerlem (Jun 12, 2012)

How to Burn a CD That Cannot Be Copied | eHow.com


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## Dao (Jun 12, 2012)

yerlem said:


> How to Burn a CD That Cannot Be Copied | eHow.com



However, if the photo can display on the screen, it can be copy.


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## yerlem (Jun 12, 2012)

Dao said:


> yerlem said:
> 
> 
> > How to Burn a CD That Cannot Be Copied | eHow.com
> ...



true, but perhaps it'll make it a bit harder...or discourage some to do it


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## ljenningsphotog (Jun 12, 2012)

It is in my contract, but I'm sure you know how people are!  How in the world would I ever find out?


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## IByte (Jun 12, 2012)

Dao said:
			
		

> I do not think so.  Even if there is a way to protect it, there is a way to copy it.



Exactly only thing they need to do copy>paste to a thumbdrive presto


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## 480sparky (Jun 12, 2012)

Don't hand out CDs of your images.


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## ljenningsphotog (Jun 12, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Don't hand out CDs of your images.



I didn't just give it to them, they paid for the disc they purchased.  They are not copyright owners, they have a print rights, so I was curious if there was a way to prevent copies other than ethically (since it is in my contract, but you can't control what people believe is right/ wrong)


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## Aayria (Jun 12, 2012)

I think it's just a fact of digital photography that any time there is a file on a computer screen, it's going to be vulnerable to copying...watermarked or not.  The best thing you can do is just make sure your contracts and copyright information is clear...and if you truly don't want people to have access to digital copies, you might even go as far as not offering them, period. (This includes previews on facebook.)  

  I used to fret over what people were doing with my pictures...but ultimately, it really doesn't matter, and wasn't worth the time spent worrying. Just my 2 cents.


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## mjhoward (Jun 12, 2012)

ljenningsphotog said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > Don't hand out CDs of your images.
> ...



I think that was sparky's point... don't offer it if you don't want them making copies.  Isn't a PRINT a copy?  By giving them print rights didn't you give them permission to make copies of the photos?


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## SoCalTiger (Jun 12, 2012)

ljenningsphotog said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > Don't hand out CDs of your images.
> ...


 


mjhoward said:


> ljenningsphotog said:
> 
> 
> > 480sparky said:
> ...



Yeah I don't get this either. They effectively purchased copyright rights by buying the disc and print rights. You "could" try to limit their rights by making them sign a contract saying they can't copy a disc... BUT... a print is a type of copy. So, I'm not sure where the issue is. The person could just as well make 1,000 prints and hand them out to all their friends and family, right? So copy the disc, big deal?

I can only see this being an issue if this was meant to be some sort of "proofing disc" and they had no printing rights whatsoever.

IMO I think you should reconsider exactly why you don't want them making copies of the disc when they are already paying for it and print rights. In the future just factor in whatever perceived value you think the customer is getting into the price. Then, just give the buyer the full rights and don't worry about it.


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## Chris R (Jun 12, 2012)

What harm will really be done if they give a disc out to 10 of their friends? May even be good advertising for you if they did though...  I'm assuming you want people to come to you for discs so you can charge them but why not just increase the cost of your original disc to offset your potential loss of sales?


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## KmH (Jun 12, 2012)

SoCalTiger said:


> Yeah I don't get this either. They effectively purchased copyright rights by buying the disc and print rights.


No, and not even close.

Way to many people selling photographs apparently have little, if any, understanding what a copyright is, or is all about.

For those here in the USA - Visit www.copyright.gov and start learning what your copyrights are all about.

Anyone buying a disc of images only gets whatever rights the copyright owner grants them. Just buying a disc of photos does not automatically include the copyrights to those photos.

Next!

If your copyrights are not registered with the US Copyright Office, you have no way to legally defend your copyrights.


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## KmH (Jun 12, 2012)

If you sell the disc for enough $$$$'s you don't care if they copy it. Notice the 4 $$$$ signs.



yerlem said:


> How to Burn a CD That Cannot Be Copied | eHow.com



Note #2 -



> Get software copy-protect software such as Crypkey. This type of software is  designed to copy-protect entire softwareapplications. _*So if you need  to copy protect a collection of jpgs or songs, this isn&#8217;t quite practical.*_  However, if you&#8217;re marketing your own software, it&#8217;s a necessity.


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## orljustin (Jun 13, 2012)

Charge enough that it doesn't matter.


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## Robin Usagani (Jun 13, 2012)

Seriously...  when I do weddings I give them a nice DVD printed on the face with a nice customized DVD case.  They can print and copy the CDs all they want.


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## bratkinson (Jun 13, 2012)

In the computer software world, making illegal copies of software has been a problem since day 1.  If it&#8217;s on a readable media, it can be copied.  Period.  All sorts of schemes including laser burn holes at specific addresses on the disk (floppy/CD/DVD) have been tried and software set to recognize it.  It&#8217;s easily beatable if one doesn&#8217;t mind delving into the machine-language coding of the program using the disk.  &#8216;Cracked&#8217; copies are then distributed/pirated at a fraction of the original cost.

On the photography side, illegal duplication has become a normal fact of life, in my estimation.  Duplicating of audio tapes, VCR tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc, can be with ease.  Experienced thieves and pirates even know how to bypass &#8216;built in&#8217; anti-duplicating methods without a problem.  For the majority professionally made disks, simply pop them into a duplicator/reader-burner and away you go.

In short, trying to protect *your* rights to an image you created is a very difficult, if not expensive, proposition.  Yes, images can be copyrighted.  But try to collect if some were used without your permission in a publication, a web site, etc.  Trying to &#8216;take on&#8217; someone legally from a distance becomes extremely expensive.  I once had to walk away from over $100,000 in unpaid invoices as my non-paying client was 5 states away and would have to be sued where they were incorporated.  So much for being an independent computer consultant.  And that was over 20 years ago!

If you&#8217;re so worried that someone might distribute wedding photos you provided to the B&G, so what?  Yes, it&#8217;s money out of your pocket.  But it&#8217;s also good advertising (put a discrete watermark on a couple of the pix).  Your time and efforts are better spent getting the next client and working for them.

On the other hand, if you routinely sell &#8216;general photography&#8217; pictures to clients, such as scenery, cityscapes, or even merchandise photography, then the plan has to be both contractual and sale prices high enough that it&#8217;s not going to kill you if you see your picture of Niagara Falls on some &#8216;travel log/travel agency&#8217; website without your permission.   

Just my $0.02 worth&#8230;.nahhh&#8230;make that $0.00 cents worth!


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