# Watermarks and People Stealing your pictures



## Newnan3 (Sep 7, 2010)

This thread isnt directed at anyone in particular so dont get offended.

I often see people using watermarks as a means of preventing others from stealing their pictures and using them in ads, websites, whatever......But how often does this really happen??

I personally dont use watermarks because 

a) I really dont think my pics are that good......yet:thumbup:

b) I dont know how to put them on my pics and Im too lazy to learn.

c) None of my favorite professional photogs seem to use them and they dont seem too concerned with it.  

Honestly Ive only been shooting since March or so and I would be flattered if someone stole my pics.........My flickr if someone wants to steal my pics Flickr: NAmpaipast's Photostream

I'd like to hear from people who had their pics stolen and what they did about it.


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## mwcfarms (Sep 7, 2010)

A girl I know told me after visiting my blog one day. You should really watermark your pictures I have to confess I right clicked a such and such picture and made it my desktop background. 

Ahhh..... ok. :er:


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## Big Mike (Sep 7, 2010)

When I upload images to the web, I resize them and compress them (lower quality when saving as JPEG).  This means that they are really only good for viewing on screen or making small, low quality prints.  So in other words, they wouldn't be all that much use for an image thief.  Well, they could use them on a web site, but that's a risk you take.

Keep in mind the sheer number of photos on the internet...it must be trillions.  Worrying about a few of your own photos seems silly.


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## magkelly (Sep 7, 2010)

You might not think it was so silly if it happened to you. I used to think that is wasn't worth doing, but that all changed for me the day I found one of my photos on a very popular website tagged as someone else's work. It wasn't so much that they used it that really ticked me off, it was that they claimed it as their own. 

That photo was one of the few that I was really proud of and someone just stripped the data off it, claimed it was theirs, and used it without even asking. I've had friends use photos of mine before, no watermark, and generally it was fine, but they gave me a freakin photo credit at least! They never claimed they took it. 

I very seldom display any photo now in printable size or sans a watermark. People don't like it and I've had some nasty comments about it, but that lesson it just stung and I don't want a repeat of that.


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## tropico (Sep 7, 2010)

Because of stories like this one, I watermark my photos. 
Seem like a lot of people on this forum hate it.

I just don`t want this to happen to me! And if someone want to share my photos everyone can see that it is my work! 

I have read tons of stories like this one! Not cool! 




magkelly said:


> You might not think it was so silly if it happened to you. I used to think that is wasn't worth doing, but that all changed for me the day I found one of my photos on a very popular website tagged as someone else's work. It wasn't so much that they used it that really ticked me off, it was that they claimed it as their own.
> 
> That photo was one of the few that I was really proud of and someone just stripped the data off it, claimed it was theirs, and used it without even asking. I've had friends use photos of mine before, no watermark, and generally it was fine, but they gave me a freakin photo credit at least! They never claimed they took it.
> 
> I very seldom display any photo now in printable size or sans a watermark. People don't like it and I've had some nasty comments about it, but that lesson it just stung and I don't want a repeat of that.


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## tropico (Sep 8, 2010)

Here is a Flickr group with stories about stolen photos: 

Flickr: PHOTOS STOLEN


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## Sam6644 (Sep 8, 2010)

If you put it on the internet, it will be stolen.


If the movie studios and record companies aren't watermarking their products, I don't think it's going to make a difference for you. 

I just make sure to only put screen resolution stuff online so, as said already, they're not good for print.

As someone who works for a newspaper, most of the stuff I shoot doesn't belong to me anyway, so if i watermark stuff, it's not even my personal info.


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## JamesMason (Sep 8, 2010)

people stealing my images makes me feel like a great artist.


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## Buckster (Sep 8, 2010)

Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.

Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.


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## ghache (Sep 8, 2010)

To me, watermark is only advertisement.


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## Big Mike (Sep 8, 2010)

> Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.
> 
> Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.


You don't have to register your photos with the copyright office, for them to be protected.  You automatically own the copyright anyway.  But registering them can make it easier to prove & enforce ownership.

But is it going to be worth the trouble?  You could probably make enough fuss to get the photo taken off of whatever web site it's on.  I think that the usual course (after just asking them to take it down) is to threaten the ISP with a lawsuit, because they have the ability to shut the site down.

But it's not like you are going to get rich by suing someone who stole your image on the internet.  You would likely have to prove damages, and besides a few hurt feelings, there is likely no damage or financial loss to you.  

I agree, it sucks when someone uses your images without permission...but life is too short to spend time agonizing over it.  Just get out there and shoot more, better images and move on.


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## Buckster (Sep 8, 2010)

I agree with you Mike. I haven't registered any of my stuff, nor do I watermark it. On a few occasions, I've found something of mine being used by someone else and then I just have a friendly chat with them about it. Outcomes have been removal of the photo from their site or payment if it's a business, or credit to me with a link if they're not making money off it - which generally seems fair to me - a little friendly advertising on others' sites like that can't hurt me, I figure.

I was just intoning that for those who are really worried about it, there are ways to deal with it that don't include putting big, ugly watermarks over their images.

Que sera.


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## Big Mike (Sep 8, 2010)

Also, if anyone is going to register their images with the US copyright office, you pay the same price for one image, as you do for a whole disc of images.  So for (I think it's $20) you can fill a DVD with images and have them registered.


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## magkelly (Sep 8, 2010)

ROTFLOL, I honestly don't know if this was meant seriously or not but it so made me laugh. I have this funny image in my head now of someone sitting there every day very carefully registering each and every one of all their photos just so they can potentially sue people, thanks! 



Buckster said:


> Anyone (well, US citizens at least - don't know about other countries) truly worried about their photos being used without permission should register them with the US Library of Congress Copyright Office.
> 
> Then, HOPE someone uses them without your permission, so you can collect damages for copyright infringement.


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## jbmaster (Sep 8, 2010)

I'm fairly new to this site.I've often wondered if someone posted a photo that they got from a magazine just to see what kind of criticism it would get.Nowing that it was good enough to print elsewhere.I haven't posted anything yet.My profile or whatever says that I'm no longer a noob,moving up.Believe me,I'm a noob!I think I've been taking too much in at once.I want to take macro shots.I want to get some night shots,mostly lightning.I want to try some portraits.I have twins,a boy and a girl that are seniors.I want to try and do there senior pictures.The truth is that all this is overwhelming.Anyway,when I do post something, and someone wants to claim it as there own,I will be one happy guy!


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## Big Mike (Sep 8, 2010)

> ROTFLOL, I honestly don't know if this was meant seriously or not but it so made me laugh, the idea of someone sitting there very carefully registering each and every one of all their photos just so they can potentially sue people, thanks!


:er:


> if anyone is going to register their images with the US copyright office, you pay the same price for one image, as you do for a whole disc of images. So for (I think it's $20) you can fill a DVD with images and have them registered.


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## edouble (Sep 8, 2010)

I like to watermark simply to show who had taken the photo - me.


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## Newnan3 (Sep 8, 2010)

I can understand wanting credit for your artistic work but sometimes it seems to me that people sometimes put more work into creating/placing their watermark than they did in taking/processing the picture.  

I guess what made me think of this was a few months ago when someone posted a pic of a moldy gutter in the general photos section with their giant watermark in the middle of the pic.  Someone commented that the watermark was a bit distracting and he/she responded that they didnt want someone to steal their pic.  

My thoughts were, "Wow, really?  You really think someone is gonna steal your picture of a moldy gutter?  I got at least two moldy gutters outside my house that I could take pictures of if I really wanted moldy-gutter pictures......"


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## zoogirlbc (Sep 10, 2010)

Watermarks don't really help from having your photos used. I see photos with them all the time on other people's sites or Facebook page, including my own. They are often easily enough removed in PS. I do use them though, I think they help somewhat.


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## Mustlovedragons (Sep 10, 2010)

I pretty much stopped posting online because it seemed like weekly my pix were popping up somewhere. I even had a newspaper steal my images and run them without credit! I even found my eBay pix (which for what I sell are better than the competition) were being stolen and used to promote my competition. What have I found out? Well, there really isn't much to do about it, that's what I found out. Even if copyrighted (brother is a copyright and patent attorney), if the person isn't A) making money off the image and B) making a LOT of money, no one is really going to do a thing if the person doesn't voluntarily stop. That's been my experience, anyway.


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## Cstone (Sep 10, 2010)

I watermark because I'm paranoid. If someone MIGHT steal my photos, that's reason enough for me to watermark. But, that's just me. It doesn't bother me if other people do or don't watermark. Personal preference, really.


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## zoogirlbc (Sep 10, 2010)

Just curious why people would be FLATTERED if someone stole their pics? If someone was impressed with how I trained my dog and stole HIM I'd be pissed.... just sayin.


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## mrmacedonian (Sep 11, 2010)

I don't watermark very much from time to time I'll put my name on a photo. Honestly, posting a photo on TPF I wouldn't bother, there are so many better photos to steal if you're going to steal 

Sites like Facebook just lower the res to **** or just upload and the site will do it for you.

I have a few different types and if I were posting it somewhere sketch I suppose I would plaster it just to be obnoxious.

I actually recently had a newspaper publish a photograph of mine with no credit. Made me feel really good then sad they didn't bother to just print my name next to it :-\ oh well, least I'm improving.


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## mrsmacdeezy (Sep 11, 2010)

zoogirlbc said:


> Just curious why people would be FLATTERED if someone stole their pics? If someone was impressed with how I trained my dog and stole HIM I'd be pissed.... just sayin.



That made me laugh at first... and then I thought ab someone stealing my dog and it made me kinda sad, lol.


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## Buckster (Sep 11, 2010)

When someone steals your dog, you no longer have it at all to look at or to sell clones of it to a hundred other people while still keeping the original to enjoy for yourself.

When someone violates your copyright, it's a little different.


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## Newnan3 (Sep 11, 2010)

erose86 said:


> zoogirlbc said:
> 
> 
> > Just curious why people would be FLATTERED if someone stole their pics? If someone was impressed with how I trained my dog and stole HIM I'd be pissed.... just sayin.
> ...



People desiring your pictures enough to steal them sure beats not having anyone desiring your pictures enough to steal them......:thumbup:


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## zoogirlbc (Sep 11, 2010)

Yes I understand it is not the same as having a photo stolen, it was just an example that stealing IS stealing no matter what it is. 

Good post, I've just recently started selling photos and have been slowly working on a watermark that I like. I started out without one, just my name in the corner but when I saw someone using my photo for their profile I got annoyed and started stamping PROOF annoyingly across them. It didn't affect the number of orders I got but people still used them and cropped my name off.... so I'm happy to just stamp my name on them for now so at least I get credit for it. I liked and went with the suggestion of putting it where they would have to cut off a head to crop it out lol.Free advertising never hurt anyone.


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## Dominantly (Sep 11, 2010)

erose86 said:


> zoogirlbc said:
> 
> 
> > Just curious why people would be FLATTERED if someone stole their pics? If someone was impressed with how I trained my dog and stole HIM I'd be pissed.... just sayin.
> ...


I steal your prints all the time.

I have them all taped to the wall in my garage. 


Thanks, and please keep shooting. I still have wall space to cover.


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## Dominantly (Sep 11, 2010)

I'm pretty happy with my new watermark. 

I like the way artists will put their initials on a painting in the lower right (along with a date sometimes). So I signed my initials on a PS document and saved it as a .png file, then imported that as my watermark in LR.

I'm happy with it because it's my hand writing, it's simple, and not too intrusive.


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## Scatterbrained (Sep 11, 2010)

I don't sell my work so I don't watermark any of my photos, I guess if someone out there really wants to steal pics of my 1yr old I've got bigger issues than copyright infringement. :er:  If you are paranoid about having your images stolen and don't like obtrusive watermarks you can always go with Digimarc. Their software embeds data into your image and then scours the interwebs for stolen photos.


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## digital flower (Sep 11, 2010)

Since I sometimes take pictures of rare plants and flowers it can be one of only a few photos of the particular subject. I once took a picture of a Passion Flower that spread all over the place before I watermarked it. I used to try and chase it down but it has become kinda of a thing where I am interested to see where it is going to pop up. I figure if I took a picture that people liked that much once I can do it again sometime.

I have also found my pictures on ebay and plant catalogs before. The most common response is "I got it from Google didn't know it had a  copyright". :er:

One thing that one has spoken of in this thread is having a watermark generally deters people from hotlinking to your picture (at least in my case). I was paying for bandwidth for people to have the photos on MySpace, blogs and forums although it doesn't seem to happen as much with my new Smugmug site.


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## Newnan3 (Sep 12, 2010)

I think far worse than someone cropping your watermark out is someone altering your photo.

I shoot a model who brought her friend along.  I photographed the friend and emailed her a few of the good pictures.  Well she liked one in particular and made it her facebook profile pic, which was cool.

But now Ive noticed she had edited the pic to selective coloring on her clothing.

First, i think selective coloring rarely looks good and second, she did it in a way that makes her skin tone look terrible........uke:

It was nice seeing "regular non-photography" peoples reaction to the picture :thumbup:  But now that Im seeing how she has altered it Im glad theres nothing linking it to me......:meh:


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