should I watermark or copyright on smugmug?
tinamarie52
Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
I'm new here and put together some photos on my smugmug account. Should I put a copyright or watermark on each image?
If so, is that done just with a text box or is there a more automatic way to do that.
I PP with PS CS4 and am purchasing Lr as we speak.
Once uploaded to smugmug, can any visitor download the image?
Thanks for your guidance.
Chris
If so, is that done just with a text box or is there a more automatic way to do that.
I PP with PS CS4 and am purchasing Lr as we speak.
Once uploaded to smugmug, can any visitor download the image?
Thanks for your guidance.
Chris
http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
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What level smugmug account do you have? If you have a pro account, you can have smug apply a watermark to the display copies of your photos. The watermark is not applied to the original, and it's the original that is used for printing.
http://www.smugmug.com/help/custom-watermark-protection
If you don't have a pro account and you want watermarks, your only option is to apply a watermark before uploading. This means that the watermark will be on any purchased copies of your photos.
If you allow access to the original, then a save photo option is enabled and anyone can download the original. If you disallow access to the original, save photo is not enabled.
You should be aware that even without the ability to save photos directly, if something is shown on the web it can be grabbed.
http://www.smugmug.com/help/image-protection
http://blogs.smugmug.com/pros/2008/07/04/right-click-protection-and-image-security/
--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
Pictures | Website | Blog | Twitter | Contact
Link to my Smugmug site
Yes you should watermark on SM. Nothing at all will stop a theif but you can slow them down............My watermark is my web address......that way I can at least get some advertising if an image is poached............
Denise,
Thanks for the info.
I loved seeing your location as North Andover. I'm a Merrimack alum. Haven't been back in years.
Nice website.
chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
Steven, Brad.... thanks for the input. Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
Art,
I do have those fields filled out in my camera. Is there a way for that info to show on the images as I post them?
So, is a watermark different than a copyright statement?
Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
A watermark is just a mark that tries to deter image theft by disfiguring the image. In other words, you're betting that someone will not want to use an image that has your name or logo on it because they would prefer to have a clean image. However, you can lose that bet in a couple of ways. Someone might decide that they'll use it anyway, like on Facebook where they're not trying to make any money off of it, they just want the picture even with the watermark on it. Also, some people actually go to the trouble of retouching out the watermark.
A watermark is not a copyright statement unless you make it one. If you just make it your name, URL, or logo, it is not a copyright statement.
A copyright statement is something attached to the image that says that it's copyrighted by you. It must meet the requirements of a copyright statement as specified by the U.S. Copyright Office. If you wanted to do this as a watermark, then you would make your watermark text take the form of a legal copyright statement, such as "© 2009 Jane Doe".
When copyright information is entered into the camera, that's different. It is not permanantly and visibly stamped on the image. It's inside the image, as metadata. It shows up in the Copyright information fields in your digital asset manager, like Adobe Bridge, Lightroom, Apple Aperture, the File Info box in Photoshop, etc. It is possible, for instance, to have no watermark but to keep the copyright metadata inside the image. If someone copies the image and you download their copy and you find your metadata inside, you know they took your image. Problem is a lot of sites don't include metadata in all display sizes, I think this applies to Smugmug.
Note that neither watermarks nor copyright information prevent theft. They only deter it. The point of including the copyright notice is to give you legal weight if you choose to take them to court to recover monetary damages. That's pretty much all it can do for you. And although everything you create is copyrighted as soon as you create it, they say that if you really want to have a good case in court, you can't just put a copyright notice on it, you actually should register the image with the copyright office.
they are not mutually exclusive.
whether your watermark carries your name, your copyright indicia or "lay off my pix" is up to you.
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Colourbox and Angelo,
Very helpful replies. It's as I thought, but there's so much to learn! at this point, I am just a beginner, so I'd be flattered if someone wanted to use one of my images. However, I'd not be happy if they stole it.
So, I guess I should start putting a watermark on my images. I do have the copyright info in the metadata.
I've sold a couple of football images, but mostly provided them for the website at our HS. I guess I have enough requests for images that I should start taking care of them.
Thanks a lot,
Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
I have had a lot of gruff remarks for my watermarks ...however I had several publishing companies email me to ask for submissions to their pubs.....at the same time they gave kudos for the boldness of my watermarks.....and the submissions I sent in were copyrighted as well as watermarked......One publisher alone took 24 of my images.......so huge gawdy bold watermarks do not offend everyone...........
I would recommend you make an action that signs your work for you...just like any artist signs a painting or drawing.....I do mine about 1.5" from the rightside and bottom of the photo.....it is not a copyright but my siggy made with a Wacom tablet......my writing really sucks but that is my siognature......copyright notice is libel to be anywhere I can fit it in a weird place......I have ran it in the bark of a tree, along the antler of a Deer in the feathers of a bird.....now my reason for doing this is pretty simple, I run on gut feelings alot and if a buyer gives me an uneasy feeling then I hide the copyright notice ........... I always make it clear that my signature has to be on the image where I placed it or I get extra for the removal of it and so stated in the copyright statement I type up and have notorized for the client (if they are getting a digital file)......yes all of this is work but I feel it is worth it for me................
Small world. Unfortunately work has gotten in the way a little this week. But I have an idea of what I am going to be doing this weekend...
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Art,
Your point is well-taken. Watermarking and copyrighting are habits that I shousld get into.
Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
Hi!
Watermarking is when you imprint your name, website, copyright, or whatever on your photos so that others can't easily pass off your photos as their own.
Copyright is the term used to show ownership of the photo. The moment you hit the shutter button you own the copyright to your photo ( unless otherwise agreed upon btwn you and another party in a contract - such as work for hire etc).
This means that you own all rights to the photo- you decide who can use it and for what purpose.
You don't have to imprint your photo with your copyright info in order for it to be copyrighted, but it does help to identify your photos, and may serve to put people on notice that you intend to protect your copyright.
What you have done above is REGISTER your copyright with the US Copyright office. They do charge a fee for this. REGISTERING your copyright gives you certain protections under the law, such as statutory damages should someone else use your photo for their own purposes without your permission.
If you want to sue someone for illegally using your photo, you must bring suit in Federal court, and the Federal court will not hear your case unless you have REGISTERED your copyright with the copyright office.
If you don't REGISTER your copyright, you still OWN the copyright to your photos, you just can't sue in Federal court or receive statutory damages. You can demand that the person stops using your photo, you can send them a bill for their unlawful use of your photos, you can take them to small claims court to obtain payment.
I hope that makes things a little more clear for you!
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Yes...it should look a lot like what is described on this web site:
http://asmp.org/content/registration-counts
and in the "step by step tutorial" on the right side.
That web site is one of the best resources for photographers on the subject of copyright.
Another great resource is the stuff Jack Reznicki writes:
http://thecopyrightzone.com/?cat=3
I have read that as Blaker said above, a visible notice on the image is not legally necessary; in court, registration with the copyright office is much more important. Some still like to do visible watermarks as a deterrent or for advertising.
Also to correct my earlier 2009 post in this thread, since I posted that, Smugmug has fixed the way it does metadata. It can now remain embedded at all display sizes. So your copyright metadata is no longer stripped if you block originals (yay!!). I forget if that's a setting somewhere, though...
Blacker that was a nice, concise description. As still a relative newbie, I continue to learn from you guys. Thanks for taking the time.
Chris
When you come to a door... walk through it.
If it's locked... find an open window.
.
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
FORGET that last question. I just found the answer from your link. Great!
Q: So, just how many images can I register for one fee?
A: If you are registering published images using the Continuation Form (Form GR/PPh/CON), you may attach up to 50 continuation forms to one Form CO. That means you can have up to 750 images in each group. For unpublished images, you don’t use the Continuation Form, and so the sky is the limit.