I'm Confused...

ScottShotMeScottShotMe Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
edited October 25, 2008 in Mind Your Own Business
I purchased a SmugMug PRO account yesterday and have been uploading images like mad! I am switching my online portfolio to SmugMug but it's going to take some time. Grrr...

Anyway, why don't people protect their images?? You know that little "right-click" protection? I don't get it. Isn't the goal NOT to have people steal your images, no matter how small they might be??

I've also noticed some of the Galleries I've been seeing don't allow you to purchase!? Huh? Again, am I missing something here? Once again....isn't the goal of SmugMug to actually make some money on your prints?

When I view other people's galleries I'm just a bit confused that's all.

Thanks for any logical answers. :dunno

Scott

Comments

  • nipprdognipprdog Registered Users Posts: 660 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    popcorn1.gif
    Jim

    http://www.knippixels.com
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    ScottShotMe wrote:
    I purchased a SmugMug PRO account yesterday and have been uploading images like mad! I am switching my online portfolio to SmugMug but it's going to take some time. Grrr...

    Anyway, why don't people protect their images?? You know that little "right-click" protection? I don't get it. Isn't the goal NOT to have people steal your images, no matter how small they might be??

    I've also noticed some of the Galleries I've been seeing don't allow you to purchase!? Huh? Again, am I missing something here? Once again....isn't the goal of SmugMug to actually make some money on your prints?

    When I view other people's galleries I'm just a bit confused that's all.

    Thanks for any logical answers. ne_nau.gif

    Scott

    Personally what has happened to me is this..........I set up my SM pro acct. (I had photos on other sites prior to SM).....I get hits and also emails about certain photos.....but the clients want the prints signed.....so I have decided to just self fullfil at this point.....and the other sites are slowing disappearing into the wind for one reason or another......

    Most others are event photographers and their galleries are hidden from the public and password protected......as far as security goes.....I have rt clik turned on and also watermarks.........that is pretty much all one can do on the web if you're going to show it it can be stolen.....just a sad fact:cry
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    Welcome to SM and dgrin Scott. wave.gif

    I'd be happy to help clear up some of your confusion.

    First, right click protection is so easily bypassed that it really only stops a very small percentage of viewers from using it to grab a photo if they want to. In addition, many viewers/customers find it annoying because they use the right button on their mouse to navigate their browser rather than the toolbar at the top. Although I currently have right-click protection turned on, I am seriously considering turning it off for these two reasons. Watermarking your images is your best protection.

    Second, there are three levels of accounts at Smugmug. Only pro accounts can sell prints and products for a profit, standard and power accounts cannot. And even if you don't see anything for sale on a pro account, there could be private galleries that only clients have access to with a direct link (and password). Some photographers self-fulfill.
    Lori
    My Photos
    My Blog
    On Google+
    On DrivingLine
  • Howard BarlowHoward Barlow Registered Users Posts: 118 Major grins
    edited October 20, 2008
    If it can be seen on a monitor, it can be copied.
    You don’t pay me by the hour. You pay for the years of hard work that made it possible for me to paint such a picture in only one hour! Pablo Picasso
  • thdizzythdizzy Registered Users Posts: 262 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2008
    nipprdog wrote:
    popcorn1.gif

    JIM...That was the perfect reply clap.gif
    Todd Disraeli - Star, Idaho

    Disraeli Photography

    "Only when the last tree has died, the last river poisoned, and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money" Cree Indian Proverb
  • pyrypyry Registered Users Posts: 1,733 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2008
    ScottShotMe wrote:
    I've also noticed some of the Galleries I've been seeing don't allow you to purchase!? Huh? Again, am I missing something here? Once again....isn't the goal of SmugMug to actually make some money on your prints?

    When I view other people's galleries I'm just a bit confused that's all.

    Thanks for any logical answers. ne_nau.gif

    Scott

    Some of us aren't really in it for the money. I have a power account and all of my galleries have prints turned off - because without a pro account I wouldn't see a penny.

    The goal for me is to have a photo gallery service that works - Smugmug does this with flying colours.

    Consider that not all the galleries you see are from pro users.
    Creativity's hard.

    http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
  • ScottShotMeScottShotMe Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited October 21, 2008
    Some of you have been very helpful, thanks.
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2008
    One of the great things about Smugmug is it allows everyone to choose how diverse they want to be.
    I know of a few people that use their site simply for portfolio use, thus not having the need to allow sales. Others do the printing themselves.
    As far as right clicking goes, it is like a lock on your house. It only keeps the honest people out.
    The truly protected photos are not put online. If they must be, they are placed in locked galleries limiting who can capture the image.
    Steve

    Website
  • nipprdognipprdog Registered Users Posts: 660 Major grins
    edited October 21, 2008
    Howard Barlow wrote:
    If it can be seen on a monitor, it can be copied.

    Exactly. If you're worried about theft........watermark. mwink.gif
    Jim

    http://www.knippixels.com
  • ddkphotosddkphotos Registered Users Posts: 39 Big grins
    edited October 25, 2008
    I do have the right click protect on but I also know that it really isn't offering much protection.
    If you check out my site - you just see 4 galleries of sample work. I have hundreds of others hidden - I only e-mail the links to them to the people who should see them. If they are for sale - then I turn that option on for those galleries only.
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