# Image Theft



## photographyfanatic (Apr 10, 2009)

I plan of opening a smugmug account to show and sell prints. They offer a feature where you can disable people from being able to right click on the image and save it.  If I use that feature is that enough peace of mind that people can't take my images. Also, if blocking the right click image save is enabled, wouldn't that then allow me to diplay my work at a large size and not have to worry about image theft?  I could water mark my stuff too, but would I really need to if they can't right click abd save them image?


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## gravity0 (Apr 10, 2009)

photographyfanatic said:


> I plan of opening a smugmug account to show and sell prints. They offer a feature where you can disable people from being able to right click on the image and save it. If I use that feature is that enough peace of mind that people can't take my images. Also, if blocking the right click image save is enabled, wouldn't that then allow me to diplay my work at a large size and not have to worry about image theft? I could water mark my stuff too, but would I really need to if they can't right click abd save them image?


 

I would water mark diagonally too as Ctrl Print screen is still available to thieves.


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## SpeedTrap (Apr 10, 2009)

The best thing to do is watermark your images and be done with it.
Even if you disable right click there are ways of getting the photo. If you can see it on your screen there is a way to copy it.

Try to set up for 99% of honest customers, the last 1% will do what they want regardless of how you try to protect your image.

Try not to worry too much about it before it happens, just make sure you keep your originals so if ever needed you can prove it is your shot.


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## bdavis (Apr 10, 2009)

no matter what, people can always take a screenshot...

But not many know that so you should still watermark and right-click protect them. It's the best you can do and its better than nothing.


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## photographyfanatic (Apr 10, 2009)

Ok so always right click disabled, watermark(what kind is best? X through the shot or what?) And what about largest viewing size? Is 4x6 the biggest I should go? Also doesnt watermarking detract from image viewing? Or no? Do you think that image theft is common or rare?


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## skieur (Apr 10, 2009)

photographyfanatic said:


> Ok so always right click disabled,  Do you think that image theft is common or rare?



I think you need to realize that unless your shot would be regarded as outstanding even by pros, no thief is really going to gain much from stealing it.  Annoying yes.    Some pros do a google search for their photos and if they find one on a web site, they send an invoice to the owner for the photo indicating that if it is not paid in a limited time limit that legal action will follow.  It is often successful in causing the image to be deleted instantly from the web site or payment being made.

skieur


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## Marc Kurth (Apr 10, 2009)

You need to ask yourself the following questions:

- Who is likely to steal them?
- Why would they steal them?
- What would they do with them?
- Are they really "lost customers"?
- Are the images so unique that they have extreme market value?

Once you understand the ramifications of these questions, your answers will come easily.

You mention viewing size of 4x6 on a website. Not sure what you mean....that would generally refer to a print size. 

As to your last question: Very, very common if the shot is interesting to the person stealing it. I had one of my shots of a USCG rescue boat in a big wave show up on over 220 sites before I stopped counting. 

- Twelve of the sites cut off my low key water mark from the bottom and claimed to have shot the image.
- Two people quickly went into business selling prints

I always register work that I know will have broad appeal, so I wasn't worried about big time misuse. I handled the the two worst abusers by doing some research and knocking on their door. Both turned out to be kids...

Marc


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## photographyfanatic (Apr 10, 2009)

Well when you do an image search, if they stole it how would you find it? By general name of image or what? If I shot a highschool basketball game, disabled right click wouldn't people still be able just to print the image preview? Wouldn't they be lost customers? Is that why water marking is key? Do you feelit takes away from image viewing?


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## Marc Kurth (Apr 10, 2009)

photographyfanatic said:


> Well when you do an image search, if they stole it how would you find it? By general name of image or what? If I shot a highschool basketball game, disabled right click wouldn't people still be able just to print the image preview? Wouldn't they be lost customers? Is that why water marking is key? Do you feelit takes away from image viewing?



OK, it sounds like you are least starting to think about some of the questions.....

Yes, you could search by file name but that would only work if they didn't change the name and if they published it somewhere for the bots to find it.

Yes, it is very, very easy to steal your images and print them and you would never know it. I would assume that this level of customer is willing to settle for less than perfect results when the price is free.

Yes, that is why people prominently watermark their images.

Do you have permission to sell images taken at the school athletic events? Some schools are under contracts with photographers with exclusive rights for image sales. Might want to check this out if you haven't already.

Marc


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## msf (Apr 10, 2009)

That right click thing is easy to work around.  The best way is to go to page source and find the direct link to the image.  The next option is print screen.

The best way ive seen is to put the image into a flash.  You can probably still get the image out of the file, but I dont know how.

The best advice ive seen is to keep the file small, and watermark it.


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## skieur (Apr 10, 2009)

photographyfanatic said:


> Well when you do an image search, if they stole it how would you find it? By general name of image or what? If I shot a highschool basketball game, disabled right click wouldn't people still be able just to print the image preview? Wouldn't they be lost customers? Is that why water marking is key? Do you feelit takes away from image viewing?



Surprisingly enough, often the image is stolen, along with your original title, so you can use that to do a search. A smaller or odd image format (square for example with tight framing to edge,  on the screen, along with lower resolution limits the usefulness as a stolen image.  As to the watermark, it does not matter where it is, the fact that it is removed proves intentional copyright infringement and an increase in damages if you sue.

skieur


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## Marc Kurth (Apr 10, 2009)

skieur said:


> Surprisingly enough, often the image is stolen, along with your original title, so you can use that to do a search. A smaller or odd image format (square for example with tight framing to edge,  on the screen, along with lower resolution limits the usefulness as a stolen image.  As to the watermark, it does not matter where it is, the fact that it is removed proves intentional copyright infringement and an increase in damages if you sue.
> 
> skieur



The OP is concerned with a highschool kid grabbing a picture of himself for his own use. My attorney wouldn't touch that if I begged him to, and it wouldn't be worth my time to chase it beyond a nasty-gram.

Under U.S. law, the moment you snap the picture you own the copyright, BUT the only way to collect money beyond "fair use" is to sue for punitive damages, and that requires that you register the work within certain time constraints. It is almost unheard of to collect punitive damages from a person who wasn't using an image for obvious financial gain.

Putting a big old watermark on a highschool sports picture will simply make it easier for the person to buy it than steal it 

Marc


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## photographyfanatic (Apr 10, 2009)

You guys are great!!!!! Thank you so much for the imput! So i will disable right click and add a  water mark. Sometimes I hate to have the water mark, but if it means a sale instead of a steal then I am for it.


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## Guido44 (Apr 11, 2009)

I use Smug Mug. There is a option for "right clicking" on your CONTROL PANEL , under the security and privacy section. Select: "protected" to prevent people from stealing you work.

Use this html code in the "Top Javascript" box to display when they right click you photo:

rightClickWarning = "All photos are property of **YOUR BUINESS NAME GOES HERE**. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited.";


DAN


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## Corbin Lane (Apr 11, 2009)

Guido44 said:


> I use Smug Mug. There is a option for "right clicking" on your CONTROL PANEL , under the security and privacy section. Select: "protected" to prevent people from stealing you work.
> 
> Use this html code in the "Top Javascript" box to display when they right click you photo:
> 
> ...


I posted this in the "Best Photography website building program" but I figure that i'd post it here as well.

Honestly that's not a very smart thing to do. Sure it prevents some people from stealing pictures/content but it also pisses a lot of people off. I'd just put a big watermark on my images and not disable right click. Or if you're going to disable it then disable it but don't have the box come up because you're basically accusing everyone that comes to your site of not being a paying customer.

Just my experience.


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## photographyfanatic (Apr 15, 2009)

Well why would they right click if they weren't trying to take it without paying for it? So I really don't see how that would upset anyone.  So the thief would be mad that he wasn't successful? Oh well!


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## Corbin Lane (Apr 15, 2009)

photographyfanatic said:


> Well why would they right click if they weren't trying to take it without paying for it? So I really don't see how that would upset anyone.  So the thief would be mad that he wasn't successful? Oh well!


It might be accidental or something. They might want to be looking at the source code. You never know, There are ways to disable the disabled right click so you can have it. So IMHO it's not even worth it.


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## KmH (Apr 15, 2009)

Tineye: Reverse Image Search Engine

Make your watermark semi transparent by lowering the opacity to between 20% and 50%. I pillow emboss mine and put it 1/3 of the way down from the top of the image and 3/4 of the way across the image. That way it's still very promenent yet usually leaves the subjct of the image unscathed.

If they want it they can get it.


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## Guido44 (Apr 16, 2009)

Sorry Corbin,

I have to disagree. There are a LOT of people out there that would "steal anything that's not nailed down".(just an expression)

I hate to be a pessimist but .... that's just people.
Some people are great/honest/wonderful 'folks'! 
Some are ****s. 

I think it tells people that I value my own work. 
I do plan to change my water mark, and put it in the center of my photos, soon.
JMO
Peace
dan


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## Corbin Lane (Apr 16, 2009)

Guido44 said:


> Sorry Corbin,
> 
> I have to disagree. There are a LOT of people out there that would "steal anything that's not nailed down".(just an expression)
> 
> ...


I guess. I agree that people aren't as nice as they used to be. My theory is, if they want it. they will get it.

To each his own.


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## filipkrolupper (Apr 18, 2009)

Try digimarc or much cheaper signmyimage to protect your images. Both of them can watermark your images by an invisible signature and both of them can trace your images on internet. As far as I know there is no general tool to prevent right click downloading images ... F>


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